Next, discuss any foot problems that you may have.  Most pedorthists are trained to help accommodate foot problems and can recommend different shoes that will help with different foot conditions.  Bunions, hammer toes, heel spurs; be sure to mention this to the shoe fitter.

The shoe fitter will measure your feet using a Brannock device.  The Brannock device measures three different dimensions of the foot; heel to toe, heel to ball and width of the foot.  Although each of the measurements are important in fitting the shoe, the heel to ball measurement may be the most important.  The heel to ball measurement defines the position of the arch and where the shoe bends at the ball of the foot.  These characteristics of the shoe are called the last.  Matching the foot with the correct last is an essential part of proper shoe fitting.

Most feet will swell approximately one shoe size (5%) over the course of the day.  It's wise to measure your feet after you've been on your feet for several hours.  One measurement the Brannock device doesn't measure is the volume within the shoe.  As your feet swell they begin to take up more and more volume in the shoe.  Therefore, try to have your feet measured mid way through the day.

In addition to fitting shoes, many pedorthists will modify shoes to achieve the best fit.  We recommend that you find shoes that fit well, wear them for several weeks, then return to the store where they were purchased e to be re-fitted.  Quite often a simple pad can make all the difference in the fit of your shoe.

In summary;

• Be sure to discuss your needs and foot problems with a qualified shoe fitter (pedorthist).
• Be sure to have your feet measured with a Brannock Device.
• Measure your feet while standing.
• Shop for shoes mid day.

 

The science of shoe fitting, called Pedorthics, is centuries old. The first documented history of shoe fitting dates back to 1324AD when King Edward II of England decreed that three barley corns would constitute and inch. He also stated that one barley corn (1/3") would represent one full shoe size. This custom of sizing varied so that numerous arguments ensued and most cobblers went back to the tradition of custom fitting each and every shoe. The expense of custom shoes was out of reach for most commoners. For the vast majority of the population, shoes consisted of two layers of leather, one thick for the sole and another thin for the top of the shoe. The two layers were sewn together for a 'custom' fit.

Although we've worn shoes for thousands of years, our current sizing methods are a mere century old. In 1880, the first uniform shoe sizing method was introduced in by Edwin B. Simpson of New York. Simpson's method defined each incremental shoe size as 1/3" and each half size as 1/6". 

In addition to a standardized length size, Simpson defined the heel to ball measurement and the first proportional relationship between length and width of the shoe. The measurement of the width of the shoe increased in increments of 1/4" per increase in shoe size. Going from an A width to a B would increase the circumferential measurement of the foot by 1/4". In the same light, going from a size 7 to a size 8 would also increase the inner dimension of the shoe volume by 1/4".