Wearing the correct shoes is one of the best ways you can keep your feet happy and healthy. Every activity in which you engage requires the correct footwear to provide the necessary comfort and support for both work and leisure pursuits.

Some essential tips for selecting the perfect shoes include:

• Natural—Sometimes it’s best to go with natural fibers like canvas, leather and suede. They’re flexible and breathable, allow for more natural movement, and allow air to breathe around your foot to help prevent blisters, rashes, and infections from fungi and bacteria that can cause athlete’s foot.
• Deep heel cup—Your heel bone is curved and needs a deep heel cup in your shoe to provide proper support. Every time you step, this deep heel cup will cradle your heel bone providing the support and firm foundation that your feet, knees, hips, and back require.
• Ball and arch support—The ball of your foot actually has a shallow arch that needs proper support to prevent problems from developing with the forefoot. Shoes with metatarsal dome support will help equalize pressure over a wider area and help prevent problems in the ball of the foot like metatarsalgia and sesamoiditis. Support your arches with sturdy, properly fitted shoes. Be sure to have your feet measured regularly to accommodate age related changes to size and inevitable swelling issues.

At Your Next Step, our team of board-certified podiatrists has access to advanced technologies, along with years of experience, to help diagnose and treat a variety of foot and ankle problems like sports injuries, joint pain, toe deformities, nail fungus, chronic tendon pain, and skin problems. Podiatrists Dr. Eric Ricefield, Dr. Mark Yagodich and Dr. Aliza V. Eisen provide high quality podiatric care to patients in the greater Philadelphia area. Our offices are conveniently located in Ardmore, Paoli, and Downingtown, PA. Please contact us for more information or to schedule an appointment.