There is a lot of talk out there in the foot health world about shoes. A lot of that talk focuses on support and firmness. I'm here to talk about something that is probably more important, but doesn't get talked about as much!
The Shape Of Your Foot
The shape of your foot is unique to you. There are similarities across all people however.
Five toes are wider than one heel! Your foot gets wider the farther away from your heel you go. The amount may be different, but the general shape is similar. Your foot is basically a triangle with one point chopped off behind your heel.
Some of your "foot triangles" may be wider or narrower. They may have a different angle. But the general triangle shape is the same.
Differences are also evident. Bone structure may affect the width and length of your foot. The shape of the arch may be low, medium, or high. The net effect on shoe shape is minimal due to these differences.
Shoe Shapes
There are a ton of different shoe shapes out there. Most of them are bad for your feet. Your shoe should be shaped like your foot.
The easiest example of bad shapes for shoes are pointy shoes. Anything that squeezes your toes together is going to be detrimental for your foot health. If you want to wear pointy shoes once in a while, it may be okay, but not all the time.
Even a lot of running and athletic shoes aren't shaped like feet. The get wider until the beginning of your toes, then circle around cramming the toes into the toe box of the shoe.
Hard Shoes
Hard shoes are different than firm shoes. Hard shoes, like dress shoes, do not allow your foot to move how it is designed to move. These shoes cause undue stress on your foot and ankle due to the lack of mobility of your feet while wearing them.
Firm shoes may be beneficial for certain activities when your foot muscles may tire out. This is when some running shoes with good arch support may be handy.
Work boots with steel toes are not great for your feet. However, sometimes the job that you do requires steel toed shoes. I recommend finding something that your foot doesn't feel crammed into.
Your Shoes
In the end, the type, shape, and style of shoe is strictly up to you. You should always try to pick something that is comfortable to you. Know the consequences of your choices when you try to cram your feet into small or narrow shoes.
Your foot is like a tree's roots and the shoe is like the soil. If it is constricted, the roots cannot expand and the tree will be stunted. Your foot will also cause issues to your body if your toes and feet aren't allowed to have some movement in your shoes.
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