5 hacks to choosing healthier shoes – online or in-person

1. HACK #1 HOW OLD ARE THEY?
   • Old shoes = degraded materials = bad for your body! 
   • The image you see isn’t the pair you actually get.
   • Another online hack for this is to read its product code to decode it's year!
   • Chat the online store and ask the model year!
   • Sustainable sandals aren’t as much of a concern as these materials don't degrade the way plastics, rubbers and other synthetics do

Bottom line. Don’t risk tender tootsies in a really old shoe just for a deal. Definitely try to find out how old those sandals are, and do your feet, knees a back a favour.

2. HACK #2 BIG BOX DISCOUNT STORE VERSIONS
   • Test the shank; feel the materials' hardness
   • In-person you can simply feel the shoe. But online, be sure to zoom in and look for details like plastic stitching for example.
   • Compare it against the brand’s website.
   • Again, why can cheaper materials make for an unhealthy shoe

Bottom line. The difference between a cheap and a quality make could mean either a healthy or an ouchy and damaged little footsie.

3. HACK #3: Truth bomb alert: shoe sizes are not a real form of measurement. 
   • Think on this - sunglasses, bras and shoes are the only medical devices we wear for fashion. You wouldn't buy prescription glasses that way.
   • they vary not just among brands, but even different styles within the same brand.
   • Ever gone shopping for bras and you're a completely different size at one store vs the other? It's likely marketing. 
   • Especially be precise with the fit of high heels because of the irreparable damage that could happen to your feet. Custom fitting can help.
   • Ill-fitting shoes can damage your feet and your entire body alignment as well, resulting in weakness and pains throughout the body. It may just look like an innocent little flip-flop, but the size and way the sandal fits will affect how healthy it is for you.
   • If you can't try it on and you're shopping online, your best bet is to stick with the same brand, model and size that's worked for you before.

Bottom line: Don’t rely on a number to determine your actual shoe size. Just be sure to consider how important the size and fit are to your body and to your health.

4. HACK #4: Check the details... hidden in the insole!
   • If an online shoe store offers a cut-out insole in the exact size of each shoe for you to print and put your foot on, that's a good start!
   • Even though most online footwear doesn't include images of the insole removed from the sandal, or list which shoes are ready-to-wear only or custom-fittable, you can still scan the description of the shoes to find this information.
   • The fit of how the upper of the shoe rubs against your specific foot shape is not something that very few of the most modern foot scanning tech can determine online.
   • Indicating the thickness of the removable insole and the depth of the shoe is not realistic. 
   • Especially if you have custom orthotics made for your health. It’s good to physically remove the insole, try your orthotics inside and ensure it can do its job in that new shoe. 
   • Or, look for ergonomic footbeds in sandals – that match your foot arch especially. A high arch sandal on a flat foot is no good!
   • This is actually so much easier on a sandal than an enclosed shoe, because you can see how the footbed fits, just by putting it on.

Bottom line. If your foot doesn't fit to the shape of the insole, you're risking hammer toes, bunions, corns and calluses, for convenience? No thanks! Remember the key is measuring against the insole.

5. HACK #5: Really re-consider in these post pandemic, economic and health-prioritizing times which is the bigger inconvenience
   • Returns –> online forms, packaging, driving the package = procrastinating = likely just giving in and wearing an ill-fitting shoe!
   • Don't use your precious feet as a break-in tool. It can cause most foot health problems, including: claw or hammer toe, corns, calluses, blisters;
   • damage to toenails; ingrowns 
   • tendonitis, ankle sprain, joint pain, heel pain and spurs
   • aggravation of symptoms and progression of bunions, metatarsalgia
   • plantar fasciitis & whole body misalignment
   • If you know the exact model and size - you should be ok! 
   • In-store and online shoppers – go when shoes are just launched to get the ones that fit best – for sandals that was actually March! sizes in the best fitting and feeling styles go first!

Bottom Line. Plan ahead for shipping times,  overall time and costs savings and more availability of healthier shoes in your “size”!

 Please follow these tips to help prevent these issues and treat your feet with care! Whether you buy them online or in-person, a great pair of summer sandals can help keep your feet and body alignment healthy and strong.

Any questions after the show, or your own foot health questions, just submit it in the chat on our website and we’ll get back to you!