Wearing ill-fitting shoes can lead to many foot issues, from bunions, in-grown toenails, circulatory problems, to plantar fasciitis. With that in mind, it is essential to take care when shopping for shoes. Most people shop for shoes depending on style but not comfort, and they end up with shoes that are too tight for their feet.
To help you choose the shoes that are right for you, here are tips on how to tell if shoes are too small-
While most sales people try to convince people that the shoe will stretch after wearing it for some time, this is somehow true, but with the width, not length. Do not buy tight shoes with hopes that it will expand. That is like buying small-clothes with hopes that with time you will lose weight and wear them.
Push your feet to the front of the shoe
You need to push your foot up to where your toe touches the front of the shoe. After that, slide your index finger behind your heel. If the finger fits comfortably leaving a little room to wiggle, the shoe is not tight, and it fits you well. On the other hand, if the finger moves too tight or fails to fit at all, the shoe is too tight for you.
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Overall, a fitting shoe needs to have about half an inch room between your heel and your shoes. Tight shoes will cause blisters, and you may not walk properly on such shoes.
Big toe place
To know if the shoes you are shopping for are too tight for you, check the location of the big toe while wearing the shoes and walking. If the shoe pushes your toe up against your shoe front, then the shoes are too small.
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Walking with shoes where your toe is against the shoe front can cause pain and bunions while walking. No one wants to limp while walking and so to avoid that, buy shoes that fit well.
Use the shoe inserts
Another simple and great way of knowing whether the shoes are very tight for your legs is removing the shoes insert and stand on them. In case any part of your toes hangs over the insert ends, your shoes are too small.
Can your toes move freely?
If you are wearing shoes that are too small, you will find that your toes are jammed up in your shoes and so you should always wear shoes while standing. Apply pressure on the toe area of both shoes so that you can find your big toe. A good shoe fit needs to have space between the big toe and the front of the shoes.
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Wearing shoes that leaves no space between the toes and the shoes means that you will have to deal with pain and discomfort when walking.
If you find it hard to wear shoes
Do you have difficulties trying to put on shoes? Even before the foot gets into the shoe, if you find it hard to wear the shoe, then most probably the shoe is smaller. Fitting shoes are comfortable to put on.
You do not have to breathe hard when wearing your favorite pair of shoes. Just get the right size.
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If you find that you must squeeze in the shoe harder to put on the shoe, then the shoe is too small.
When buying shoes, it is always good to walk around the store for some time, just to make sure the shoe isn’t small when trying on the shoes, this is the right time to feel if the toes are hitting the shoe’s front or if the toes are compressed in a seemingly narrow toe box.
To avoid that, watch out for the above signs and get the best shoes for your leads.
All the best!
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