There are many shoe features that Podiatrists recommend to their patients. The following are some of the most important. These features apply from kids to seniors.

One should purchase their shoes at 4pm in the afternoon which is when your foot has maximally swelled.

The toe box should have adequate toe room being wide and deep enough to not allow rubbing of the toes or bunions. The heel counter should be stiff to help hold the heel in a more upright position. Check stiffness by squeezing the heel counter with thumb and forefinger and it should be stiff and not cave in.

The shoe should bend at the ball of the foot as this is the flex point of the forefoot. The patient should have a thumbs width from the longest toe to the end of the shoe. This is so there is adequate toe room and the ball of the foot is in the right position to flex.

Torsional rigidity is the stiffness of the shoe when you twist the shoe. If you have a flatfoot the twist should be stiffer and if you have a high arch foot the twist should be more flexible. To perform this hold the heel of the shoe in one hand and the forefoot with the other hand and twist the hands in opposite directions.