Healthy shoes - Main Page
Orthopedic, comfort, diabetic, orthotics, walking, special etc
The health of not just our feet, but our entire bodies can be affected by the kind of footwear that we choose sit, stand, walk and run in. Our feet are the foundations of our bodies and therefore the way in which we protect and look after them will have a reverberating impact on the whole of our body and the rest of our life.
There are many different types of shoe from the comfort or orthopedic shoe to the diabetic and the rambling shoe. There are even orthotic inserts that can be fitted within a shoe to offer support or to correct a problem. You can find out about all of these footwear options by using the index below.
- Health shoes (main page) Find out why healthy well designed shoes are so important.
- Anatomy of a shoe Find out about the important components of a shoe and how they work.
- Orthotics These are special inserts that can be placed inside a shoe.
- Diabetic shoes Specially designed footwear with seamless linings and more.
- Comfort fit shoes (Also referred to as easy-fit shoes) normally have a good build qaulity and width sizing options.
- Walking shoes (Also called hiking shoes or boots) have a tough design intended for rough terrain and foot protection.
- Measuring feet and size charts Find out how to measure your feet and apply the dimensions to size charts.
- Orthopedic shoes Footwear designed with foot health as a priority.
- Snow shoes To keep you safe in snow and icy conditions.
- Sneakers A cross generational shoe worn by billions.
For some general summaries on the different types of orthopedic, healthy, walking and specialist shoe types available, plus some information about orthotics, you can read on. For more detail on each of these shoe and insert types use the links above.
How good are our shoes
Not surprisingly most people wear shoes that are not particularly good for their feet. The reasons for this range from a poor understanding of what a "well fitting" shoe is, to buying and wearing shoes that are badly designed and poorly manufactured. However, whatever the reason, very few people consciously choose to wear shoes that fit well and offer comfortable yet practical support.
Different types of footwear
One way to improve the quality of your footwear is to select shoes that are described as orthopedic or comfort fit. Whilst these terms have no fixed meaning they tend to refer to shoes where the "design and fit" are given priority over "appearance and fashion".
One indication of a good orthopedic shoe will be the ability to buy it in different width as well as length fittings. Shoes of this type will be well padded, have low heels and good easy to adjust fastenings. Importantly, shoes like this should be as comfortable at the end of a busy day as they are at the beginning.
A further type of comfort fit shoe is the diabetic shoe. This is a shoe where all aspects of the design and build quality are oriented to correct fitting and where a smooth seem-less internal finish to the shoe is essential. Shoes of this type have special attention paid towards ensuring that there are no internal seams, rough edges or other irregularities that could cause abrasive injuries, bruises, scuffs or scratches. They should also have good breathable qualities and high levels of fit adjustment.
Walking, hiking or rambling shoes (and boots) are often amongst the best designed and constructed footwear available. Good walking shoes should have high quality insoles with lots of padding and support for critical areas like the arch and heel. These shoes are built for prolonged wear in situations where the feet have to deal with difficult and uneven terrains and where the shoes may get wet and the feet may sweat. For this reason walking shoes and boots have very strong soles and they are often made of both waterproof and breathable fabrics that keep the water out, but allow water vapour to escape. They should always have multi-adjustable fasteners and the insoles will often be replaceable and interchangeable.
One often neglected area of footwear is the orthotic or shoe insert. This accessory normally comes in the form of an insole or part insole and it can be used to supplement or replace an insole already included in the shoe.
Orthotics can be used to customise the inside of a shoe for one or both feet and this means that they can be used to offer extra padding or to compensate for a foot problem like a fallen arch. They can also be used as a preventative measure, or to provide a softer or even a cooler feel to the inside of a shoe.
Back to Health and orthopedic shoes main page.
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