BEST WALKING SHOE

Friends often ask me what the best walking shoe is. Honestly there is no single brand that can be prescribed as the best walking shoe. We all have feet which is slightly different from others. Some feet are wider, some are narrower and some have larger toes and so on. These different shapes are quite normal. While buying walking shoe you should give attention to the shape of your feet. If the shoe does not fit your feet properly it may give you problems. Shoes that are either narrow or wide can give you blisters and callouses. If the toe box is not high enough can give bunions and hammertoes.

Our feet are also classified as normal arched, high arched and low arched (or flat). Low arched feet needs a pair of shoe which gives motion control and helps stabilize your feet. High arched feet needs good cushioning. It is easy to detect if your feet is high arched or low arched. Dip your feet in water and step on a card board. Examine your foot print. If you can see most of your feet you probably have low arched feet. If you see little of it you may have high arched feet.

There are many good brands of shoes available; some relatively unknown brands may also have products to your satisfaction. So brand is not the only important criteria here. The established brands try to have products for all kinds of feet.

Many people use boots for walking as exercise. But from my experience, boots are better when walking in very uneven surfaces; say in hilly walkways or farms etc. A regular pair of walking shoe is better for walking in general conditions. I am also of the opinion that walking shoe should have laces for a better fit.

Guidelines for buying a new pair of walking shoe:

If the following points are kept in mind for selecting a pair of walking shoe your feet will be thankful.
Look for a shoe that is light weight. The upper part should be of breathable material.
The sole should be flexible with more bend towards the toe. The toe area should be tested twisting and bending as a check of flexibility.
The most important part is the fit, the pair should fit properly. You should be sure that there is enough room in the toe box for your feet. There should at least half inch gap between you toe and the end of the shoe. Should be wide enough so that your toes can move freely. Should have good support.
The shoe should not pinch or bind.
Wear those sock, you’ll be using when walking before checking the fit of the new pair of shoe.
Hook for low supportive heels that rounds in. High hill shoe does not give a proper posture/support while walking.
Go shopping for shoe at the end of the day when your feet may be slightly swollen.
Try on both the shoes, in most cases both feet are not exactly of same size.
Walk in your new shoes around the store for a few minutes, you should be comfortable right away.
Replace worn out shoes, old worn out shoes may be comfortable but they do not give enough support or shock absorption. If the out sole is worn out it is time for a new pair of shoe. (A good pair of shoe generally gives you a mileage of 300 – 500 miles.)
Remember it is worth to pay a few dollars more for the right kind of shoe.
Make an informed decision, talk with fellow walkers, sales person and visit websites you can discover many new things which you did not know before.
In case of irregular shape of feet, a Doctor of Podiatric Medicine can be of immense help.
My personal opinion is to buy from an athletic shoe store with professional fitters or at a store where you have lots of options.
After you know what features to look for in a walking shoe you can shop with confidence. A good salesperson can actually help you in getting what you exactly need.

Bottom line: The best walking shoe are those which not only gives comfort and fit but also of good design to show off.

Remember: You need to get 10,000 steps walking per day to be an effective exercise.

Start today, few steps today will turn into this magic figure of 10,000 steps within a few days. Positive thinking is the key to your success.