Celebrate National Measure Your Feet Day
At Goldsmith Podiatry, one of our favorite health observances falls during January: National Measure your feet day! This is an action we wish all our Manhattan patients would do. Why? Consider the following:
Approximately 85% of people are wearing the wrong shoe size—typically people underestimate their shoe size by at least a half size.
Adult shoe size can change by as much as one and half sizes over the course of your life.
Pregnancy and weight gain can make your feet spread and require you to wear a larger size shoe.
Poorly fitting shoes can be the cause of several podiatric disorders including: blisters, bruising, calluses, ingrown toenails, deformities such as hammertoes and bunions, and just general foot pain.
Shoes that hurt when you wear them can cause you to alter the way you walk which in turn can result in harm to your ankles, knees, and back.
Shoes that are too big can lead to ankle sprains and falls.
The long-term ramifications of wearing shoes that don’t fit well can be joint problems like arthritis later in life.
Tips for Accurate Shoe Sizing
Back in the day—1324 to be specific—King Edward II of England decided that the diameter of one barleycorn equaled one full shoe size. Fortunately, today it’s much easier to get your feet measured! The most accurate way is to go to a reputable shoe store and ask to have your feet measured. Chances are you’ll be asked to stand on a Brannock Device that’s been in use since 1925 to accurately determine the size of your feet.
A few more suggestions to keep in mind:
The best time of day to measure your feet is at the end of the day—feet are at their largest after a day of walking on them.
It’s not unusual to have your two feet measure different sizes. Always buy shoes to fit the largest size.
Always try shoes on and walk around in them to make sure they fit regardless of what the size says.
If you have additional questions about getting the right footwear for your feet, our podiatrists, Dr. Howard Goldsmith, Dr. Rosanna Troia and Dr. Kristina Ruff will be happy to assist you. Contact our Upper West Side office by calling: 212-877-1002 for an appointment today.