Finding shoes that fit perfectly for people with narrow feet is very hard. Only a small handful of shoe brands create shoes geared for people with narrow feet. Most people with narrow feet thus have to suffer in regular width shoes. However, wearing them can cause a variety of problems. If your shoes do not fit snugly, your feet can slip and slide around in the shoes, which causes irritation, blisters and even ulcers. Shoes that don't fit properly can also cause you to twist an ankle if your feet slip around inside your shoes. This is especially true for people who are physically active and participate in running or any other sports activity.
In other words, it is very common to injure your feet and ankles because of poorly-fitting shoes. So what can you do if you have narrow feet? If you cannot find the shoes you want in a narrow width, there are a few things you can do to help regular width shoes fit more snugly. With the right techniques or added devices, your regular width shoes will fit much better and you will reduce your chances of injuries in the future.
Shoe Insoles
The first thing to do is purchase a cushioned insole to insert into your shoes. You want to make sure that the insole offers heel, arch and shock support. A well-cushioned insole will not only add support to your feet and joints but will also fit snugly inside your shoe to help reduce friction. An insole also helps to stabilize your foot inside your shoe to keep your foot in place and reduce slipping.
Other Shoe Inserts
There are a few other items you can add to your shoes to help make them more snugly. Gel pads and inserts for shoes can be placed where the ball of your foot sits to lift it up and prevent slipping. If it's the back of your foot that's sliding around, heel inserts will cup your heel to hold it in place while also filling the extra space. Some people add a basic arch support in place of (or on top of) the regular sole to make them fit. These solutions are available at most drugstores or grocery stores as well as shoe stores.
Tie Your Shoes Right
Another technique that can help your shoes fit better if you have narrow feet is the way you lace up your shoes. If your shoes have two sets of eyelets on each side, lace through the ones furthest from the tongue. This will help bring both sides of the shoe together more tightly. There are several different types of lacing techniques, and many of these techniques can help cure a lot of shoe problems.
Reinforcing laces is an additional way to help your shoes and feet remain stable. You can do this for free by crossing both laces horizontally between the second and third eyelets. Special lace reinforcing products are available at most shoe stores. If you are not quite sure how to lace your shoes, there are several websites that offer pictures and step-by-step guides to different lacing techniques.
Things NOT to Do
Now that we've offered some tips about how to wear normal width shoes with narrow feet, here are two things you should never do:
- Stuff cotton balls, tissues or toe pads into your shoes. These are unstable and often do their own slipping and sliding, creating even more problems than you had before.
- Tie your shoes as tight as you can. Shoes that are too tight will reduce circulation to your feet, which can cause them to fall asleep or feel cold.
Final Thoughts
If you have narrow feet, try following these suggestions to reduce irritation and pain with your normal width shoes. You no longer have to worry if a brand comes in narrow width; with these techniques, you can now wear any type of shoes that you wish.