When it comes to choosing footwear, you will often see options for narrow, regular, and wide feet. For those with wide feet, you may have trouble finding a pair of shoes that provide comfort, support, and allows plenty of room for your feet. Let’s look at what causes wide feet and what you should look for in footwear for the best, most comfortable fit.

WHAT CAUSES WIDE FEET?

Wide feet can result from a variety of causes, ranging from simple genetics to the effects of bunions and flat feet. Wide feet can be a naturally-occurring, hereditary trait, and should be nothing to worry about.

In other situations, wide feet can develop due to other health conditions. Bunions, for instance, often develop genetically and are noticed when wearing shoes that are too small. As the fabric of the shoe rubs and irritates the sides of the feet, a bunion becomes painful.

Sometimes the shape of the shoe encourages the big toe to point inwards towards the other toes. The additional size of the bunion on the outer portion of the foot can affect the width needed for your footwear. Excess weight can also affect the feet by increasing their overall size to include the width and throwing off weight distribution, which can lead to imbalance or alignment issues.

If one of these is the cause of wide feet, you may consider lifestyle changes or consulting with your personal physician for options to lower weight or remove your bunion. If you are unsure if you have wide feet, get your feet measured at a store or at home. It is best to measure your feet at the end of the day and while you are standing as this is when your feet are typically the most swollen and at their widest. This will ensure that you take the most accurate measurement.

Wide feet also happen when there is a loss of the transverse arch of the foot. This can be seen with muscle atrophy, arthritic conditions and after trauma. The long-axis arch is what is generally thought of when considering the ‘arch.’ However, the transverse arch is equally as important. When this arch drops, the forefoot is wider.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN FOOTWEAR

If you are wearing shoes that are too narrow for your feet, the tightness can lead to the development of pain associated with bunions, blisters, and other forefoot problems. This is why finding your correct shoe size and choosing the best footwear for your feet is crucial to your overall foot health. There is no data that shows shoes can cause pathology, but they can certainly make the pain worse.

When searching for the right shoes, don’t just look for a shoe in your size. Footwear with a wide toe box allows extra room for the toes and ball of the feet. Look for shoes made with breathable fabrics that can help your feet feel less crammed during wear. Shoes with adjustable straps or custom-made footwear, though more expensive, can also provide you with a perfect fit.

TAKE THE GUESSWORK OUT OF SHOE SHOPPING

The Healing Sole makes it easy to choose shoes that are comfortable and good for your feet, no matter the width. For wide feet, choose our Palmer or original flip flops. Our footwear is designed with raised-arch support, a rocker bottom sole, a combination compressible/non-compressible heel, and a metatarsal bar that alleviates pain from plantar fasciitis, Morton’s neuroma, and other conditions.

If you have bunions or hammertoes, choose the Palmer flip flop without the elevated toe raise of our original flip flop. This style has the same pain-fighting features of the original while allowing more comfort and accessibility for a sensitive forefoot. If you are not finding that your pain is affecting your toes or the balls of your feet, then our original flip flops will be a fantastic choice for you.

Interested in trying The Healing Sole for yourself? Order today with our 30-day, risk-free guarantee for comfort, stability, and better foot health packaged together in one simple shoe.