How to choose the right shoes

What is your foot type?

You must have already noticed sometimes the differences between people’s feet, not only regarding shape or size, but also the way in which they lay on the ground and, as consequence, the walk. And, did you know that this is very important at the time of choosing a pair of shoes? Since feet what are support us throughout the day, takes us from one place to another, the best thing to do is to choose a pair of shoes that not only feel comfortable, but also have the suitable features for our type of foot.

At EscapeShoes, we want you that, as you choose your shoes, you do it as you think of your wellbeing, and so, on today’s post, we’ll go deeper into the world of feet, by talking about the categories that the foot as regarding the shape and the support, and which could be the appropriate shoes for each one.

SHAPE – There’s a usually well-known category about the feet’s shape, which is about the length of the toes. There are four types of feet: Greek, Roman, Egyptian, Celtic and Germanic.

Greek Foot

The Greek foot’s characteristic due to the pointy shape, like a rooftop, which the toes forms due to the fact that the second toe is longer than the rest, and the length of the others decreases as they go towards the side of the foot.

This type of foot, also known as Morton’s toe, by the surgeon that described it for the very first time, is thus called since Greek art used it many times, since it’s considered a sign of beauty. Some say that who has Greek feet have the perfect feet, but careful! When choosing shoes, these people have to pay attention to the size, since the right length is in this case set by the second toe, the longest. If this isn’t taken into consideration, the longest toe will always be pressured against the toecap of the shoe, which is not only uncomfortable, but can also cause true inconveniences at long term. It’s also important to choose shoes that hold the foot well and helps to correct the posture as you walk, since the placing of the toes favours unstable walks and back pains.

Roman Foot

This type of foot, very rare, is characterized for having the big and the second (sometimes even third) toes with the same length, and a rectangular shape.

If you’ve this type of feet, look for shoes with a wide shape, enough so that all your toes have room and don’t stay pressured against each other. This way, you’ll keep your feet from deforming and prevent the appearance of antiaesthetic calluses.

Egyptian Foot

It’s the most common foot shape, since more than 50% of the Europeans have it, in which the toes keep a diagonal like, decreasing from the longest to the shortest.

If your feet are Egyptian, you’re in luck! The majority of shoes are adapted to this type of foot, so when you’re looking for the ideal shoes you have to pay closer attention to the shape of the arch of the foot and your walk, but you’ll be able to wear shoes with narrower toecaps with no problems, always and whenever as you don’t have any bunions or calluses.

Celtic Foot

The Celtic foot’s the one in which the toes have different lengths that don’t follow an order. The second toe’s usually the longest, so the size should be chosen according to this toe. The small toe in this case isn’t the smallest, being slightly longer than the forth toe. The foot has a very rectangular shape, so it’s best to avoid pointy or more fitted shoes that pressure the toes. Rounded toecaps that respect the shape of the longest toes are recommended.

Germanic Foot

This foot’s characterized for having completely straight toes, with the same length, except the big toe, which is longer. In the same way as the Celtic and Roman feet, it has a rectangular shape, so it’s best to choose wide shoes so that the toes don’t clutter and don’t have any scratches or calluses.

SUPPORT – In addition of the length and placing of the toes, very important when choosing the width and the shape of the shoe’s toecap, it’s recommended to take into account the shape of the arch of the foot, since it determines the type of support, which is directly connected with the walk. The feet’s type of support is the result of several factors, among which is the weight distribution. There are three types of feet regarding support: normal, flat and supinated.

Normal Foot

It’s the one in which the support is divided along the foot on the toes, exterior of the sole and heel, in order to have more cushioning and the weights are distributed in a balanced manner. The arch of the foot has a medium height and the ankle is perpendicular to the ground. It’s the ideal type of foot.

Supinated Foot

This type of foot’s the one that suffers bad distribution of the body’s weight. The support is bigger on the external area of the foot, but especially on the heel and anterior area of the toes. It’s common that in this type of foot there are hardness and that the toes have a shrunken shape. A wide-shaped shoe is the most appropriate for your supinated feet and if it holds the ankle area well, even better.

Flat Foot

It’s the opposite of the supinated foot. In this case, it’s the foot’s internal area that receives more support. The ankle isn’t in a vertical position, which increases the possibilities of suffering pain or lesions. For these feet, the best of all is a shoe that corrects the posture of the ankle and that provides good security. And thick and resistant soles are recommended, since the people that have flat feet usually wear them out a lot on the inside.

Do you already know how your feet are? Did you take this into account when you’re buying shoes? Now you’ll have more resources at the time of choosing comfortable shoes, which helps you to keep your feet’s health. If you want to learn more about your feet, you can consult the Wikipedia’s page, and more about how to choose your shoes on the California Podiatric Medical Association webpage.

Tell us your experience! We want to know if you already have the perfect shoes for your feet. If not, visit EscapeShoes, and find the shoes of your life!

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