Wear Patterns
Bringing in old shoes when you're buying new ones can be helpful if you have a knowledgeable salesperson. She can evaluate the wear patterns to help you get a better fit as well as a style that will compensate for the stresses you place on shoes.
What are your shoes trying to tell you? Here are the basic wear patterns:
- A bulge and wear to the side of the big toe can mean a too-narrow fit, or can indicate a bunion.
- Outer sole wear can indicate that you turn your feet out, which can be helped by orthotics.
- Toe-shaped ridges on the upper of the shoe can mean your shoes or too small, or possibly indicate that you suffer from hammertoes.
- Wear on the ball of the foot can indicate that your heel tendons are too tight. Stretching with heel raises can help this condition.
- Wear on the inner sole of the shoe can mean that you pronate or turn your feet in, which can be helped using inner liners or orthotic supports.
- Wear on the upper, above the toes, can indicate that the front of your shoe is too low.
