When is the last time you had your feet measured?

If you’ve been a size 9 shoe for years – go ahead and re-measure your feet. 

Our feet continue to change throughout our lives. Over time, tendons and ligaments lose some elasticity and don't hold the bones and joints together as well. Feet and ankles also tend to swell more with age. Dr. Rock Positano, of the Hospital for Special Surgery, says a lot of people continue squeezing into the wrong size shoe. Mechanically, when the shoe isn’t fitting correctly, it can cause the foot to work twice as hard. Wearing the wrong size can result in foot, leg, hip and back pain. 

In the old days, shoe stores measured each customer with a Brannock Device – every time. Those can be hard to find now, especially if you’re buying shoes on the fly, in a discount store or online. If you find a better shoe store, go ahead and have your foot measured, even if you don’t ultimately buy the shoes there. Do this near the end of the day when your feet are at their largest. If you’re like most people, one foot may be a half size bigger than the other. Go ahead and buy your shoes at the larger size and adjust the fit with insoles.