Shoes are essential for everyone; you cannot walk about with bare feet all the time. For this reason, you should consider a variety of factors when shoe shopping. Here are some good tips to follow.

Do not wear your sneakers without socks. Doing so can damage the foot as the shoe rubs against it directly. You may also subject yourself to fungus of the foot, since moisture will be able to collect. Wear cotton socks with some foot powder in order to keep your feet dry.

Even when the weather is hot, it is not a good idea to wear flip-flops too often. They don’t support your feet, plus they are a tripping and catching hazard. Wear them in the house, at the beach or in your yard only.

Check your arch type prior to buying athletic shoes. They will not fit on every arch. Wet your foot, and then step onto a sheet of white paper. When you look at the wet parts you’ll be able to learn what kind of arch type you have. If you have a flat arch, most of your footprint will show. If you have a high arch, then the middle part won’t be visible. This can be helpful when you are looking for a shoe that will fit comfortably.

Good shoes feel comfortable immediately. If it seems that the shoes need a long time before feeling comfortable, stick with a different pair. You can develop painful foot problems when you break in new shoes.

Don’t trust that you’ll be able to “break in” a pair of shoes. Staff in shoe stores say the shoes will break in in time. That’s not always the case. A good shoe should feel great on your foot from the moment you first put them on. If the shoes feel off, find something else in your desired style.

When purchasing shoes on the Internet, be sure you are able to return them should they not fit. You want to be able to return them easily if they do not fit well. Find out what kind of policies the store has.

Take your shoes for a walk before you buy them. Walk around the store to ensure they are comfortable. Make sure they’re not rubbing against your heels. This will help save money and regret you will have over buying bad shoes.

When shoe shopping for children, you must remember that their feet will grow. When measuring from the tip of the biggest toe, allow a thumb width more room to the shoe’s end. Although the shoe will be a little big, it won’t be too large and they have some extra room to grow. A salesman can help, too.

Don’t buy shoes that hurt your feet because you convince yourself they will become less painful in time. In many cases this does not work and you end up with an expensive pair of bookends. You can stretch them just for bunions or corns, though.

Going around barefoot everyday isn’t a possibility. Everyone needs shoes. You should now be better able to realize what is best for you when it comes to shoes. Best of luck in your shoe shopping adventures!…