FootNotes

Now that it’s rainy and cold, we’re back in our winter shoes and you may find your feet hurt after a summer in sandals. What I learned more than 14 years ago at reflexology school is that 85% of the time our feet hurt because our shoes don’t fit. So I often begin a first visit with a talk about how to best fit shoes.
 
I want your feet to feel good. Because no matter how many times I reflex and stretch and increase circulation in your foot, if you put those precious feet back into narrow or short shoes, circulation decreases and foot pain returns.
 
Here are simple instructions: Take the inserts out of your shoes and stand on them. You might notice that one foot is wider than the other, and one foot is longer. That’s perfectly normal. But you must fit your shoes for your wider foot and longer foot. If your shoe fits properly, you’ll see the insert all around the front part of your foot. If you don’t, you are squeezing your toes against the sides of the shoe. Even if it is a soft mesh side, it cuts circulation. Your insert should also be a thumbnail width longer than your longest toe, so when you walk you’re not hitting your toe against the end of your shoes.

If you’ve worn your shoes for awhile, you can look at the impression your foot has made in the insert. You can see how close to the sides or end of the sole your foot comes. Now that there are very few people to help us in shoe departments, I often just take the insoles out myself and stand on them to see how these shoes fit me. Remember, sizes aren’t consistent these days, even from the same shoe manufacturer. You must stand on the insoles to see for yourself the fit.