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How To Know If You Need Wide Shoes


About the Author

Haik Zadoyan

Running his own restaurant, his lifelong passion for food and beverages led him to co-found Snibbs in 2015, where he acts as Chief Operating Officer and Designer. Snibbs are completely fluid and slip resistant, durable, stylish and perfect for hard workers who are on their feet all day. We're on a mission to enrich worker’s lives, one shoe at a time by creating a work shoe that's inspired by everything that's wrong with the one you're probably still wearing.
Wide Feet Shoes

While incorrectly fitted footwear has been linked to foot pathology and foot problems, the fact remains that a sizable percentage of people continue to wear the wrong shoe size. This is primarily on account of the fact that while the correct shoe size is as much about the width as it is about length, the width of your feet is often overlooked.

If you think you may need shoes for wide feet, the best way to find out is by measuring your feet. 

Here are some handy steps to measure your feet:

1. Have your measuring material in place

All you need is a pen, paper and a tape measure. Set the paper on the floor, stand on it and trace an outline of your feet on it. You can use this outline to measure the length as well as the width of your feet. It is important to remember that the width of your feet must be measured between the broadest parts of your feet.

2. Measure at night

It will be prudent to measure your feet at night to allow for expansion of the feet through the day. It is also important to measure both your feet as there could be a chance that there is a significant difference between the size of both your feet.

3. Follow the size chart

Based on the measurement of your feet, you will be able to consult a size chart to determine whether you need shoes for wide feet. It is actually the combination of the length of your feet and its width that will determine whether you need wide shoes. The parameters are also different for men and women. What is, therefore, considered wide for a woman’s shoe isn’t necessarily a wide fit when it comes to men.

Causes of Wide Feet Problems

Wide feet may be a temporary issue caused by a wide variety of issues or a permanent one. Either way, it is important to know what is causing them to be able to answer the ever so important question about how to cure wide feet.

1. Runs in the family

A common cause of wide feet could be genetics. Perhaps wide feet run in your family and hence you could be born with it. Also, in case you have flat feet, you are more likely to have wide feet.

2. Age

Wide feet could also develop with age, as when you get older the ligaments start to loosen.

3. Health Conditions

A number of health issues such as diabetes, kidney disease and more also lead to swelling in your feet, causing widening. Water retention related to pregnancy is also a cause of wide feet. The release of the hormone Relaxin also leads to loosening of ligaments and hence widening of feet. In many cases this could be permanent.

4. Deformities

Foot deformities such as clubfeet, calluses, bunions and more could also lead to the need for wide fit shoes. On the other hand, if you try to fit into shoes that are not designed for wide feet, it could lead to deformities. Plantar Fasciitis, Morton’s neuroma, heel spurs, are only some of the painful conditions that can ensue on account of wearing wrong footwear.

5. Shoes for Wide Feet

In choosing shoes for wide feet, the below tips can come in handy to add to your comfort:

  • Ensure that you take into account the shape and size of your toes as that has a lot of impact on how comfortable you feel.
  • While the shoes need to provide some wiggle room, especially around the toes, ensure that the shoes aren’t too loose.
  • Ensure that the shoes come with a supportive insole as well as an ergonomically designed midsole so that it can alleviate any pain and strain on any part of the foot.
  • It is also important to go with shoes with a deep heel cup that helps stabilize the foot and align it with the knee, hips and ankles. This will go a long way in limiting excessive pronation as well as alleviating pain in the feet and back.

These seemingly simple tips can go a long way in addressing foot problems that accrue on account of wide feet.