Types of Orthopedic Shoes

There are many different types of orthopedic shoes on the market today. This industry is booming because of the millions of people around the world with foot conditions that require more than basic footwear. The concept behind orthopedic shoes was invented and patented by George J. Hayward, a sales professional in the 1970s. Here is some valuable information concerning orthopedic footwear.

Purpose

• People wear orthopedic shoes to prevent a foot condition from occurring, even if there is no history of foot related issues, or to ease the pain of an existing condition. Orthopedic shoes can eliminate knee and ankle stress, lower back pain and bad posture in addition to foot problems. Conditions include, but are not limited to, bunions, hammertoe and fallen arches. The purpose of orthopedic shoes is to help ease the foot pain people can experience while walking, running or jogging.

Bunions

• Orthopedic shoes for people with bunions are designed to prevent excess strain and inflammation of the big toe joint. When looking to invest in a pair of these orthopedic shoes to prevent bunions, look to:

  • Buy shoes that are the size of your feet or larger.
  • Purchase the shoe that fits the largest of your two feet and use an insole to account for any extra space in your smaller foot's shoe.
  • Try on shoes at the end of the day after your feet have expanded from walking around all day.
  • Purchase arch supports. This will ensure proper weight distribution between the ball of your foot and the heel.
  • Don't buy shoes with heels over two inches tall.
  • Buy shoes according to the width of your feet.
  • Avoid pointed toe shoes.

Hammertoe

• Orthopedic shoes of this variety have a soft and roomy toe box. They are not pointed. When a person wears a pointed toe shoe and has hammertoe, the toes are pushed together, which aggravates the condition, and may encourage the joints to become fixed, requiring surgery to fix the joints. When looking for shoes to help with hammertoe, consider the following tips:

  • Buy shoes that are ½ inch longer than your longest toe.
  • Avoid tight, narrow and high heel shoes.
  • Make sure sandals do not pinch, rub or constrict other areas of the foot.

Fallen Arches

• Fallen arches are painful and require some kind of support in order to alleviate the pain. Shoes for this condition should have:

  • A high arch insert to act as an armrest for your arches.
  • Heel ropes.
  • Inserts that will raise the arch and stabilize the heel.

Considerations

• In order to make a selection that is right for you, it can be beneficial to have a recommendation from a podiatrist or purchase shoes through an orthopedic shoe store if you have problems with your feet. Custom shoes can also be an option if you have multiple problems with your feet or can't get the right fit.