How Do You Find the Right Shoes?
Shoes serve many functions. They protect our feet. They cushion our body weight. They can make our feet feel comfortable or fashionable — hopefully both! Finding the proper shoes and making sure they fit are important for keeping your feet and your body happy. Poorly fitting shoes can be painful and cause foot problems like bunions, corns, calluses, hammertoes, and more.

How to fit the right shoe

1. First you will need to decide which is more important to you: Function versus fashion.  We all want to look our best; shoes do provide a significant function.  Much like a ski boot, skater shoe, ice skating boot, or rock-climbing shoe types serves specific function.  Shoes that are not formed for function are dysfunctional and can cause our feet by prolonged usage to become dysfunctional as well.  Start your shoe fitting correctly by choosing a shoe that is most functional for you.
2. Determine the length of your foot by using the correct Brannock device (as these are different for men, women, and children) in order to determine your appropriate length (total foot length to your longest toe, and arch length).  Perform this to both feet, with your socks on, preferably at the time of day when your feet or most swollen (generally in the afternoon).  Find the greatest number (heel-to-toe versus arch length) and largest foot (left versus right) the largest of these 4 numbers is your shoe length.  Example:  Left to toe: 7.5, to arch is 8.  Right to toe is 8 to arch is 9, then the largest number is 9 and this is the shoe you should try on, understanding that this is a starting place as all shoe companies vary in sizes.
3. When standing in a pair of shoes you should have approximately 1/2-3/8 inch length from your longest toe to the end of your shoe.  Another good example is using your thumb width from your longest toe to the end of your shoe while standing on both feet.
4. Determine your shoe width by removing the sock liner from the proposed shoe and standing on it.  If your toes or foot generally hang over the edges this is likely too small of the shoe for you.  Your toes/foot should generally come up to the edge but not hang over regarding width.  This will also help you to better understand the curvature of your foot also known as the shoe last.  There are generally 3 types of shoes lasts straight, semi-curved, and curved.
5. Shoes that have soft uppers such as cloth, and the leather and those without seems may offer some forgiveness regarding shoe width but this should not be generally expected.  Shoes made of plastic or polyurethane/synthetic leather do not provide any form of elasticity or stretch and should expect no forgiveness.  The shoe should fit in the store and generally shoes do not stretch over time.
6. Check the depth of your shoe.  Your shoe should be comfortably snug around the heel and midfoot, while still allowing the toes wiggle room.  Your heel or foot should not slip or slide in a shoe when jogging or moving sideways (cutting).  Your shoe should allow for extra depth if a insert or orthotic is recommended.  Lacing allows you to customize a shoe to fit your better.  The more lacing, generally the better fit.  Shoes with an open back around the heel or shoes without adjustable lacing or straps generally work by crowding and must be too tight on the foot in order to stay on and should be avoided.  For those that cannot bend over and tie their shoes Velcro strapping or elastic zip tie shoelaces are an excellent alternative.  Ask your doctor about Elastic/zip tie laces as they will likely be able to perform this for you in office at a specific shoe fitting appointment*.
7. The activities that you are performing in the shoe will affect the type of shoe and modifications you need.  See additional tips for further details.
8. Have your foot evaluated by a competent professional as this will:
   1. Help you better understand your foot type
   2. Types of support and or cushioning to give you the best outcomes
   3. How to best prevent injury and wear and tear of the feet knees hips and back
   4. How subtle shoe modifications may provide you a significantly better fit, and overall performance.

Additional Tips
Match the shoe to your activity: Your ideal shoes will change based on the activity you want to do while wearing them.

•     Running shoes are specially designed to provide the proper cushioning at the heel and flexibility at the toes that athletes need.
•     Walking shoes have a shock absorbing heel and flex at the ball of the foot.
•     Cross-trainers are often good all-purpose shoes for general exercise. Basketball shoes are meant for basketball and may not be the best choice if you do a lot of walking.
•     Cycling shoes are stiffer to help you pedal more efficiently but don't work well for most other activities.
•     Dress shoes can be comfortable as well as look good. Many dress shoes are now made with a sneaker-like sole that provides better cushioning and tread and better arch support. Expensive Italian loafers are not for everybody.

Look for good shoe construction
Some basic principles of a good shoe include a cushioned heel, firm sole that doesn’t easily twist or bend, and flexibility at the proper area depending on the type of shoe.

    If the upper part of the shoe is made from a soft, breathable material, it will be more comfortable to wear for longer period of time and less likely to cause rubbing or skin irritation.
    The upper part of the shoe should have laces or straps to hold the foot in place comfortably with activity.
    There should be some arch support in the shoe or in the insert inside the shoe. Many shoes can be made to fit better simply by removing the factory insert and replacing it with a high-quality off-the-shelf orthotic. Custom orthotics are rarely necessary and should be prescribed by your foot and ankle orthopedic surgeon for specific foot disorders.

How to appropriately fit running shoes-Runners Warehouse

• Running shoes should fit snug in the heel and midfoot but plenty of wiggle room for the toes.
  
• Your foot expands in length and width when it hits on the ground.
• Running shoes should be at least a half size larger than your regular shoe.  This will apply when taking measurement with a Brannock device.
• Every shoe brand can fit slightly different.
• When you fit with shoes try them on with socks that you normally wear while performing activities.
• If you wear custom inserts removes sock liner and apply the insert.
• Shoes fit tighter as your feet swell throughout the day and therefore test them on in the afternoon.
• Once her shoes are applied you should have a thumb width between your longest toe and the end of your shoe.
• As you walk you should have plenty of room in the toes as you walk.
• If laces are tied too tightly together the shoe is ultimately too wide.
• If the laces are too far apart the shoe is likely too narrow.  Laces should be in proper fit.
• Run inside your house on a treadmill or on your carpet to verify that they are appropriate if not send them back.
  

How to fit a shoe

Traditional shoes tend to be too narrow in the toe box, and wide in the midfoot forefoot and sometimes heel.

This causes her foot to change shape over time including bunions, hammertoes, neuromas, stress fractures

The Brannock device is a great way to get the length of the foot, and arch but is very limited in achieving corrrect width as our foot is widest at the toes and not the the ball (aka metatarsals).​

The Shoe Liner Test is the best way to test to see if your toes are appropriately fit within the toe-box of a shoe.

Example of how to fit shoes in correctly.  The Doctor is wearing a toe spacing device in an effort to undo years of poorly fitted shoe, much like braces.  Once undone the device can be used at night much like a retainer for your teeth after braces.

Anatomy of a shoe-made easy