Shoes And Foot
Health
Sports Medicine
Shoes And Foot Health
Shoes are an important part of your clothing, comfort, and fashion. Selecting the appropriate shoe for a specific activity and having it fit properly are the key elements for comfort, function and safety.
The five basic types of shoes are:
Foot Problem Details
Shoes Have Many Components
Components in Shoes - What To Look For

Modern day footwear has become a fashion statement with protection, comfort, function and hygiene dropping in priority. When shopping for shoes, podiatric surgeons recommend that consumers follow the advice of the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons: FIT: Shoes should fit snugly in the heel and provide ample room in the toe area. Shoes should not cause redness or irritation to any part of the foot.
Tips For Proper Shoe Fit
Cross Training Shoes
Fitness footwear has evolved. No longer called “cross trainers” or “aerobics shoes,” training shoes are a category of footwear designed to provide protection for a variety of fitness activities. This class of footwear is suitable for weightlifting, a variety fitness classes, some racquet sports and overall use at the health club. Training shoes provide cushioning as well as varying levels of stability devices to protect the feet and ankles. Training shoes are the jack-of-all-trades so they work well in a variety of activities but if you participate in one particular sport such as running or basketball, more than 2 times per week then you should have a sport-specific shoe for that as well.
As with any shoe, a comfortable fit is the first priority when selecting a shoe. Other considerations include:
Leather uppers are more durable than synthetics but mesh uppers allow better air flow and breathability.
Non-marking outsoles are important for those who play court sports
Many models have removable footbeds (also called sock liners) which allow for addition of a more supportive insole or custom orthotics
Some brands offer wider sizes
Shoe Fitting Tips
Children:
Feet are usually the last part of a baby to emerge during delivery. But they are one of the first things to worry parents. Here are some tips for healthy growing feet and ankles:
Children:
Feet are usually the last part of a baby to emerge during delivery. But they are one of the first things to worry parents. Here are some tips for healthy growing feet and ankles:
Pregnancy:
During pregnancy, a woman's feet may grow a half to a full size permanently. Simple things women can do to ease pregnancy-related foot discomfort include:
Diabetes:
People with diabetes may lose feeling in their feet, become more susceptible to injury, and have a harder time healing sores. To prevent serious damage, including ulcers and infections, take special precautions including:
Your Feet Should Not Hurt!

People often have foot pain and believe there is nothing they can do about it. The fact is, a podiatric surgeon treats problems such as heel pain, arch pain, birth deformities, tumors, arthritic and diabetic foot deformities, ankle sprains and fractures, bunions and hammertoes, and other conditions.
Your foot is a network of 26 bones, 29 joints, and many muscles. On average, you take several thousand steps every day. Each step and every sport in which you participate places great pressure on the foot and ankle. It is no wonder most people experience foot and ankle problems during their lifetime.
© 1998 The American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons
Running Shoes by Level of Stability
Below we have listed running shoes under three main categories; maximum stability, stability, and neutral . A subset of the stability and cushioned categories is the lightweight running shoe. Maximum stability shoes are designed to provide significant support for flat-footed or severe overpronators and bigger runners while neutral shoes are designed for lighter more efficient or underpronating runners. Moderate and mild stability offers some features for the majority of runners who fall somewhere in the middle of the pronation and size spectrum. Lightweight running shoes may be found within the stability and cushioned categories and will be denoted with (*).
Footwear manufacturers have significantly increased the number of lightweight and less structured running shoes and decreased the number of maximum stability shoes. The lightweight category has grown significantly in the last year primarily driven by the minimalist movement. Lightweight shoes may incorporate stability features such as medial posts or shanks but tend to be less durable than conventional running shoes.
Manufacturers do not use uniform language when describing their footwear and some models may fall in between categories. The distinctions between categories are not always easily discerned but we have made every effort to place all shoes into the appropriate category.