FACT SHEET

8 Point Shoe Shopping Guide

If you’re about to purchase new sports footwear, follow the guide below and it should point you in the right direction.

  1. Try walking or running shoes on with the same thickness of socks you intend to wear.
  2. Look for a roomy toe box, and allow at least 1/2- to 3/4-inch of room at the end of the toe for movement and expansion during the heel-to-toe roll of walking.
  3. Walk in the shoes, while in the store, at your fitness walking pace to gauge fit under typical walking conditions.
    • If you’re purchasing a running shoe it may be difficult to run in the store.
  4. Try on shoes at the end of day, or better yet, after a good workout. That's when your feet are the most swollen.
  5. Know your foot type: Is it normal, flat, or high-arched? If you don’t know, go and have it evaluated by a Podiatrist.
  6. Know the difference between walking, running and cross-training shoe.
    • Sports Shoes should always be purchased for the specific activity you intend to do
  7. Visit a shoe store with a knowledgeable sales staff, preferably staff who themselves walk or run for fitness.
    • Never rely on an inexperienced sales person at a sports store – preferably ask for the owner or one of the senior managers.
    • If in doubt, ring a local podiatry clinic and ask whom they recommend for sports shoes, as they will normally know and trust a particular store based on service and advice.
  8. Choose the shoe on comfort and fit, not on brand name or how it looks.