All You Need to Know About Fitting Shoes
It is always a good idea to try shoes on before you buy them. This is especially true for athletes or for individuals with foot problems. People with diabetes, lymphedema or any number of foot deformities (bunions, corns, hammertoe, claw toe, plantar fasciitis, etc.) should proceed cautiously when purchasing shoes and consult their podiatrist if any questions arise. That said, here are some things to keep in mind when shopping for shoes from catalogues or on the Internet.
If you want to check your shoes size at home, follow this simple formula. Measure the length of your foot from heel to toe. You want to measure from the crest of your big toe to the very base of your heel (your maximum foot length) in order to end up with the correct measurement. Now multiply that number by 3. So far, so good. Here’s where it gets tricky. If you are a man, subtract 22 from the above product. For example, if your foot is 10 inches long then your shoe size would be:
Men’s Shoe Size: ( 3 x 10 ) – 22 = 8
For women, the constant is different. Instead of subtracting 22, subtract 20.5.
Women’s Shoe Size: ( 3 x 10 ) – 20.5 = 9.5
So a 10 inch foot would be a size 8 in Men’s and a size 9.5 in Women’s. This adjustment is easy enough to make. If you’re a woman shopping for men’s shoes, just subtract 1.5 – 2 sizes from the size of shoe you normally wear to find what men’s size that would provide you with the best fit.
Children’s shoe sizes do not vary with gender. A child with a foot length of five inches would calculate his shoe size as follows.
Children’s Shoe Size: ( 3 x 5) – 9.75 = 4.25
In the case of children, it is better to go with a 4.5 size shoe than 4 since children’s feet are still growing.
If you’re deciding between sizes, keep in mind that each size difference represents 1/3 of an inch (so a size 8 shoe is 1/3 longer than a size 7 shoe). Shoes also increase in width as you go up the size chart. Though this can vary based on the brand (and all sort of foot length / foot width combinations are available), shoe width tends to increase 1/4 inch for ever shoe size you go up. If your feet are two different sizes, buy shoes that fit your larger foot. Of course, if the discrepancy between foot length is such that forcing your feet into the same sized shoes is painful (not to mention unhealthy for the long-term health of your feet, knees, hips and back), two different sizes may be necessary.
If you want to check your shoes size at home, follow this simple formula. Measure the length of your foot from heel to toe. You want to measure from the crest of your big toe to the very base of your heel (your maximum foot length) in order to end up with the correct measurement. Now multiply that number by 3. So far, so good. Here’s where it gets tricky. If you are a man, subtract 22 from the above product. For example, if your foot is 10 inches long then your shoe size would be:
Men’s Shoe Size: ( 3 x 10 ) – 22 = 8
For women, the constant is different. Instead of subtracting 22, subtract 20.5.
Women’s Shoe Size: ( 3 x 10 ) – 20.5 = 9.5
So a 10 inch foot would be a size 8 in Men’s and a size 9.5 in Women’s. This adjustment is easy enough to make. If you’re a woman shopping for men’s shoes, just subtract 1.5 – 2 sizes from the size of shoe you normally wear to find what men’s size that would provide you with the best fit.
Children’s shoe sizes do not vary with gender. A child with a foot length of five inches would calculate his shoe size as follows.
Children’s Shoe Size: ( 3 x 5) – 9.75 = 4.25
In the case of children, it is better to go with a 4.5 size shoe than 4 since children’s feet are still growing.
If you’re deciding between sizes, keep in mind that each size difference represents 1/3 of an inch (so a size 8 shoe is 1/3 longer than a size 7 shoe). Shoes also increase in width as you go up the size chart. Though this can vary based on the brand (and all sort of foot length / foot width combinations are available), shoe width tends to increase 1/4 inch for ever shoe size you go up. If your feet are two different sizes, buy shoes that fit your larger foot. Of course, if the discrepancy between foot length is such that forcing your feet into the same sized shoes is painful (not to mention unhealthy for the long-term health of your feet, knees, hips and back), two different sizes may be necessary.