Footwear guide

Different types of shoes

You can’t be expected to wear the same pair of shoes all of the time, it’s not possible. Wearing a trainer or wider fitting shoe may well be more comfortable, however wearing this in a meeting or a formal event may not be suitable.

Trying to wear a sensible shoe the majority of the time would be beneficial for foot health.

Fashion shoes 

There are some fashion shoes that do lend themselves to giving you a bit more room to accommodate your forefoot and conditions like bunions. It might not be ideal but it may make an evening out more tolerable and your next day less uncomfortable.
Some shoes taper in more than others, causing discomfort. If you can go for a style that is square or holds the widest part for longer you might find these styles/shoes more tolerable to wear.

Sandals (open toes) offer more give / no pressure over bunions and hammer toes. When looking at sandals, thick fastening straps and a strap round the heel will give more support.

Rocker bottom shoes can be particularly helpful for people with foot and ankle arthritis.

Extra width and depth Fitting Shoes.

Having gone through your current shoes if you are still having accommodation problems, then you may benefit from a shoe with more width/depth. Initially try the High Street; go get your feet measured and see if you can find a shoe that will fit your whole foot and accommodate your forefoot. However, some people will need more width and depth than the High Street stockists can provide. The following companies have a range of extra width/depth shoes and have self measurement guides to help you find the right size:

• www.simplyfeet.co.uk 
• Webster Shoes
• Cosyfeet
• DB Wider Fit Shoes

High street brands that have some wide fit options: Marks and Spencer, Clarks, Pavers, Hush Puppies, Rieker, Padders, New Balance Trainers, Vionic, Brooks Running Shoes

Lacing Techniques

The following shows different examples of lacing that can be beneficial for different foot types. Lots of these techniques are suggested for running shoes but work equally well in the shoes we wear for everyday life.