Proper Athletic Footwear Reduces Risk of Foot Injury

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While a pair of regular sneakers may be fine to wear for recreational sport activities on weekends, professional athletes shall consider sport-specific footwear for feet and ankle protection and for the best possible performance. Another important consideration is the condition of the athletic shoe – avoid wearing any performance footwear or sport-specific athletic shoes beyond their useful life. The following tips may help you to select and buy a pair of athletic shoes that best suits your needs.

Tips for Buying Athletic Shoes

• If you wear prescription custom orthotics, don’t forget to take them along to shoe fittings.
• Have your feet measured while you are standing.
• Always try on both shoes, and walk around the fitting room.
• Always buy for the larger foot; in most cases feet are not precisely the same size.
• Don’t rely on the size of your last pair of shoes. Your feet do get larger with age. Also, the sizing molds and chart of different Athletic Shoe producers may vary.
• Shop for shoes later in the day; feet tend to swell during the day, and it’s best to be fitted while they are in that state.
• Be sure that shoes fit well - front, back, and sides – to distribute weight. It sounds elementary, but be sure the widest part of your foot corresponds to the widest part of the shoe.
• Select a shoe with a leather upper, stiff heel counter, appropriate cushioning, and flexibility at the ball of the foot.
• Buy shoes that don’t pinch your toes, either at the tips, or across the toe box.
• Try on shoes while you are wearing the same type of socks or stockings you expect to wear with the shoes.