buying shoes Archives - Fixing Your Feet

Apr 18, 2010 · by John · In: Foot Care, Footwear Tagged: boots, buying footwear, buying shoes, Footwear, sandals, shoes

Yesterday I watched hikers, backpackers, and walkers do their best to pick the right footwear out of dozens of possible choices. It was a madhouse. I had done a foot care clinic at the Berkeley REI store. It was fun with 40 people attending. Rather than 1 hour, it lasted 1-½ hours. They had lots of questions. Good questions. They ranged from neuromas, taping, blisters, plantar fasciitis, toenails, minimalist footwear, barefoot running, and a few others. The guy in the front row ended up with …

Aug 7, 2008 · by John · In: Footcare, Footwear, Health, Sports, Travel Tagged: buying shoes, selecting footwear, selecting shoes, shoe fit, sports shoes

When we wear footwear that is not meant for the activity we are doing, it can lead to our experiencing injury and poor performance. Let me give an example. You are a runner and decide to go backpacking. Off you go - in your running shoes. At the end of the day, you have turned an ankle several times, your gait is changed because the shoes do not give the necessary support - so your hip and back hurts, and you decide to shorten the four day trip and hike out the next morning. Your …

Mar 29, 2007 · by John · In: Footwear Tagged: buying footwear, buying shoes, exeter group, Footwear, nike, payless shoesoure, shoes, tailwind collection

A few days ago I wrote about “Can Good Shoes also be Cheap Shoes?” This post will continue that theme – from a different vantage point. A month ago, an Associated Press story described the pairing up of discount shoe retailer Payless ShoeSource and Exeter Brands Group, a subsidiary of Nike. They are pairing up to produce and sell a “high performance $34.00 running sneaker.” The bottom line is that both companies want to take advantage of a highly lucrative market. …

Jan 20, 2007 · by John · In: Footcare, Footwear, Health, Sports, Travel Tagged: buying shoes, fitting shoes, Foot Care, Footcare, getting a good fit with shoes, shoe fit

Many people today want to get out and get exercise but are stymied. They have problems of some sort—usually medical issues. I have a special pace in my heart for them because they need help in order to succeed. Here is a recent question I received by email: "I need some serious advice! This seems like the place to ask for it. I have a problem with arthritis in both knees. It makes walking difficult and somewhat painful. I also have flat feet. I have a weight problem …

Dec 9, 2006 · by John · In: Footcare, Footwear, Health, Sports, Travel Tagged: buying shoes, foot wear, Footwear, shoe fit, shoe styles

In a surprising study by the American Podiatric Medical Association, 42 percent of women said they’d wear shoes that are uncomfortable in order to look more stylish. That’s scary. I hope that doesn’t carry over to women involved in sports. Footwear is too important to overall foot heath—and success in the sport to be left to the whim of style. Imagine the following scene. It happens more than we like to admit—but I’d bet money that athletic shoe sales people could tell …

Oct 12, 2006 · by John · In: Footcare, Footwear, Health, Sports, Travel Tagged: buying shoes, fitting shoes, running shoes, shoe fit, walking shoes

If you are a serious walker or runner, you are probably buying new shoes every four to five months—depending on your miles. I’d bet you have your favorite shoes and when you need new shoes, you tend to stay with that brand—even with the same shoe. The question is, “Is that wise?” Relying on a brand, on a particular shoe that has given you no problems, is a pretty good choice. If the shoes fit well and you are generally blister free, if they feel comfortable, and if they offer …

Dec 11, 2005 · by John · In: Footcare, Footwear, Sports Tagged: buying shoes, Footwear, running shoes, selecting footwear, shoe fit, shoes

When I shop for shoes I tend to pick companies I have had good experiences with, and know by reviews and research that they make quality shoes. I bought a pair of Saucony shoes many years ago and found even thought they fit well in the store, outside was a different story. Similarly, I once bought a pair of Asics and ended up giving them away because they hurt my feet. My first few pairs of running shoes were New Balance but I later switched to Nike because I like the Air concept for support and …

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Dec 7, 2005 · by John · In: Footcare, Footwear, Health, Sports Tagged: buying shoes, foot wear, Footwear, shoe fit, shoe loyalty

When athletes talk about footwear, you often hear, “Be loyal and don’t jump from brand to brand or style to style." So, how true is that statement? Let’s look at a few different perspectives on the subject. From the manufacturer’s perspective, it makes perfect sense. If buyers are loyal and stick to their shoes, life is perfect. They have an on-going audience who remains faithful and so their shoes will always sell. From the shoe store’s perspective, it …

Nov 27, 2005 · by John · In: Footcare, Footwear, Health, Sports, Travel Tagged: buying shoes, Footwear, running shoes, shoe fit, shoes, trail shoes

In today’s marketplace, we are in a shoe buyer’s heaven. Everywhere we turn, there’s a shoe store and in almost every magazine, there are ads galore for new shoes and boots. But are all things equal? Here is where I chime in with a big resounding, NO. First off, we are faced with the typical mall store, usually a chain shoe store that employs people without any degree of knowledge of how to fit shoes. Many times, they also sell shoes that one would never find elsewhere. For …

Aug 29, 2005 · by John · In: Footcare, Footwear, Sports Tagged: buying shoes, fitting shoes, Footwear, running shoes, shoe fit, shoes, walking shoes

If you are unsure of how to choose the right footwear for your activity, ask the salespeople at your outdoors store. One caveat though, I mean a “quality”outdoor store. Many people make the mistake of going to a discount store, a department store, or a chain store where, for the most part, the sales people have “zero” shoe-fitting experience. Fitting shoes means more than simply handing you a size nine shoe and pushing down on the toe and saying, “Yup, it has enough room.” …

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