Summary. This page offers information about foot care and shoes that promote healthy feet, posture, and holistic wellness.
Foot Care. Washing and soaking feet regularly can ensure they are cleansed and given sufficient hydration to avoid dryness. Applying lotions and oils at night, can help prevent excessive dryness of skin. Those with diabetes should be especially attentive to dietary needs and proper footcare.
Shoe Design. Wearing quality running shoes like the New Balance 769 Series or ergonomic shoes like Skechers Shape-Ups every day can help cushion and protect the feet and the body from the repeated impact stress of walking on hard surfaces. High heels and dress shoes may create problems with posture, the back, and strain from impact, so they should be avoided whenever possible, and only worn with proper shoe inserts. To reduce fatigue from impact and increase muscular training, shoes such as the Skechers Shape-Ups pictured here should be considered for daily walking. For bicycling or hiking, a firm shoe will provide the best stability and increase the effectiveness of riding. For uneven terrain, a shoe with good ankle support can help prevent ankle injury.
Considerations for Runners or Walkers. To save money, and room in your closet, use a comfortable pair of walking or running shoes that can be worn daily (if your workplace/career permits it). If you are a runner, to maintain the longevity of your running shoes, a best practice is to use a new pair of soft running shoes only for running. When the current pair of running shoes lose their cushioning, they can be used for light walking and daily use since impact is less of an issue. This is a short list of examples to consider as daily use shoes.
- Dansko. For the avid walker who also wants a shoe that’s durable enough to provide all-day comfort and support as well as style and a convey a professional look, you need not seek further than Dansko.com for a wide range of comfortable, yet durable, shoes.
- Nike Air Pegasus 25 – The Nike Air Pegasus 25 is one of the softest shoes available making it ideal for running, walking, and daily use. These shoes are made in China and are constructed with non-animal materials. The Nike Air Pegasus offers a nice balance of cushion and stability. This product supports the Nike+ system to record walking or running data.
- New Balance 769 Series – The New Balance 769 series is one of the softest shoes available making it ideal for running, walking, and daily use. These shoes are made in the USA and are constructed with non-animal materials. Typically each year, the model number increases by one, so previous years’ models have been 766, 767, 768, etc.
- Northborough Venitian Slip-On – These are some inexpensive dress shoe from Payless Shoe Source. They are adequate for minimal walking only or light duty office use. As with any fashion conscious shoe, high quality cushioning inserts are used.
- Sketchers Shape-ups. Skechers Shape-Ups shoes are one of the best shoes available for daily walking and office use. Our comprehensive Skechers Shape-Ups review includes several videos that fully examine the many features and benefits of these shoes as well as some of the limitations.
Shoe Lacing. Running shoes, when laced tightly all the way up, could restrict blood-flow and cut into the front of the ankle. It’s best to not use the top few lace holes. However, shoes should be snug to ensure that the ankle and foot have sufficient support and keep the shoe from slipping while running or navigating uneven terrain.
Shoe Sizing. If you are comfortable doing so, buy shoes that are a size or two larger. The benefits are:
- Accommodate for slight differences in foot size between your left and right foot.
- Allow for thicker socks or two socks in the winter.
- Avoid permanent foot problems related to toe crowding.
- Eliminate blisters from shoes that are too tight.
- Permits extra airflow for a fresh feel.
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Document History. On 20100326fr0503, significant updates were made to this page and it was converted from a posted article to a page.
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