• Make sure your shoe is rigid
  The shoe should have a stiff shank and flexibility at the toes. Take the shoe and flip it over. Grab the toe and the heel and try to bend it. If it bends in half, it is too flexible. If you have trouble doing this, place the toe of the shoe on ground, hold the heel and press down, as shown in the picture below. If the shoe collapses on itself, it is too flexible and it won’t be supportive. In this picture of a boot, notice that the boot only bends at the toe area

• Make sure the shoe is not too rigid
  The shoe should bend at the toes. This is the area of the foot that bends when pushing off. If the shoe does not bend at all, it may be too rigid. Squeeze the heel of the shoe (called the heel counter - see the diagram below).

It should be stable and retain its shape, but not collapse. If it does not bend at all it could be too rigid and cause blisters. In this picture below of a trail running shoe, when the heel counter is pressed down, it collapses. It is a little too flexible.

• Check for toe spring
  One rigid shoe that does work well for those with with foot problems (especially neuromas and plantar fasciitis) is a Dansko shoe. Most Dansko shoes will not bend at the toes and the heel counter is very rigid. But, the rocker type sole helps compensate for this and many people with plantar fasciitis do very well with Dansko shoes. In the picture below you can see how the dansko does not flex at the toes when pressed on with a vertical force. The picture to the right shows "toe spring". When you set a shoe flat and you press on the tip of the toe with a small amount of force, the heel should come up. With a Dansko, the heel rises and allows for a rocker motion. This puts very little stress through the arch and the forefoot.

• The toe box should be wide
  The front of the shoe is called the toe box. This area should be wide enough for the toes to wiggle. The toes should not touch the tip of the shoe.
  
  
• Check the insoles
  Many think the cushier the insole the more comfortable the shoe, but this is not necessarily true. In most cases, the foot will be more comfortable in a slightly more rigid insole with a soft cover. Many of the spongy, bouncy insoles cause too much movement inside the shoe, especially at the heel. Other manufacturers will build in a high arch pad into their insole and advertise this to people with flatfeet. For individuals with flatfeet, they will typically find a high arch insole extremely uncomfortable. An arch pad does not support the arch. A soft cushion certainly cannot support the weight of the body, but it will cause excess pressure to the area. For a foot that is collapsing into a flatfoot, the arch pad will only cause discomfort. Take those insoles out and replace with a sport orthotic or custom orthotic which are stiffer and will help correct the foot collapse.
  
  
• Check for medial to lateral support
  Medial means towards the middle of the body. Lateral means towards the outside of the body. Your big toe is medial and your little toe is lateral. To check for medial to lateral support, stick your hand in your and extend your hand out to the toe area. Move your hand medial first and then lateral, trying to move the shoe material from side to side over the sole. If there is a lot of movement, the shoe will not support your forefoot. If your foot is not supported on the sole of the shoe, it has to work harder to maintain balance which results in overworking the tendons and stressing the plantar fascia. In this picture below of a new running shoe, you can see that there is some bulging with pressure, but not much. For individuals with wide feet or bunions, this is actually a benefit. If there is a considerable amount of bulging, then the shoe will offer no support and there is a greater chance of injury. Since this shoe below is a new shoe, it is possible that this will stretch and break down within a few months. Having little to no stretch or bulging in this area is best.
  

• Twist the shoe
  Pick up the shoe and grab the toe area and the heel area. Twist your right hand clockwise and your left hand counter clockwise. The shoe should not twist around on itself. There should only be a few degrees of motion.
  
  

Tips for picking out a running shoe.

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Disclaimer: The advice on this website is not intended to substitute for a visit to your health care provider. We will not be held liable for any diagnosis made or treatment recommended. Consult your doctor if you feel you have a medical problem.