Characteristics of Comfortable Shoes

These are some of the characteristics you should keep in mind when searching for a comfortable pair of walking shoes:

•    Look for a wide toe box (both length and depth).  This will prevent unnecessary pinching or pressure in the toe area and will protect your feet from common foot deformities caused by ill-fitting shoes such as hammertoe, claw toe, bunions, calluses and corns.

•    Look for a firm heel counter.  The heel counter is a plastic insert inside the shoe that is designed to reinforce the shoe’s heel support.  The heel counter cradles the heel and arch and helps to hold the foot in place.  You can’t see the heel counter – it is concealed inside the fabric of the shoe.  But you can tell whether your shoe has one or not by placing your thumb on the back of your heel and pressing down.  If the heel buckles inward, then chances are the shoe either lacks a heel counter, or has a very weak one.  If the heel remains upright, then the heel counter is strong and will give you a lot of support.

•    Look for a removable insole.  This will enable you to adjust the size of your shoe, or accommodate orthopedic inserts.  It will also allow you to dry your shoes quickly after exercise or rain.  

•    Look for breathable fabric or mesh on the upper shoe.  This will allow air to circulate through the shoe, which will keep your feet cool and dry.  Not only is this more comfortable, but it also prevents unsightly infections such as Athlete’s Foot or fungal toenail infections.  

•    Look for a shoe that fastens with Velcro or laces up in such a way that it is easy to adjust the shoe’s size.  This will make it easy for you to accommodate the swelling of the feet, etc.  

•    Look for shoes with a padded tongue and collar.  The extra padding goes a long way to reducing friction around these sensitive areas of the foot.

•    Look for a polyurethane rocker sole, which will absorb shock and protect you from pain in the ball of your foot.

•    Look for shoes with an outer-sole shape that promotes stability.  Sometimes these shoes are called “motion control”, or are advertised as having a “flared sole”.

Some brands of shoes that are often praised for being comfortable include:  Merell, Mephisto, MBT, Eco Seawalker, Keen, New Balance, Doc Martens, Brooks and Birkenstocks.