Here is an uncomfortable figure to start with.
A systematic review of the literature on footwear fitting found that between 63% and 72% of participants were wearing shoes that did not accommodate either the width or the length dimensions of their feet.
Not shoes they disliked. Not shoes that were merely uncomfortable. Shoes that physically did not match the feet inside them.
The same review found that incorrect fitting was associated with foot pain and with foot disorders including lesser toe deformity, corns and calluses. In certain groups the width problem was worse still — with somewhere between 46% and 81% wearing footwear that was too narrow.
Most people buy shoes the way they always have: pick a size they’ve used for years, try one shoe on, walk to the mirror, and buy. Here’s a better process.
Step 1: Have Both Feet Measured, Properly
Why both: feet are frequently different sizes. The rule is to fit the larger foot and accommodate the smaller one with lacing or an insole, not to split the difference.
Why measured: shoe size is not a fixed personal attribute. Feet change across adulthood — they tend to lengthen and, more importantly, widen with age, and after pregnancy or significant weight change. Plenty of people are buying the size they wore at twenty-five.
Why width matters as much as length: this is the single most overlooked dimension. The review above found width to be the particular problem, and there’s evidence that older people and people with diabetes sometimes select an inappropriate length simply to obtain enough forefoot width — buying a longer shoe to get a wider one, which creates a different set of problems.
Measure standing, with weight through the foot, because feet spread under load.
Step 2: Shop at the Right Time
Later in the day. Feet swell over the course of a day, sometimes considerably. A shoe fitted first thing in the morning can be uncomfortably tight by evening.
Not immediately after exercise, when feet are at their most swollen.
If your feet swell substantially — with certain medical conditions, in warm weather, or during pregnancy — fit for your feet at their largest, not their smallest.
Step 3: Bring What You’ll Actually Wear Inside Them
Your usual socks. Fitting in thin liners then wearing thick walking socks changes the fit entirely.
Your orthoses or insoles, if you use them. A prescribed device takes up volume, and a shoe fitted without it may not accommodate it. Removable footbeds are worth looking for specifically, because they free up depth.
Step 4: The In-Shop Checks
Length. A thumb’s width — roughly a centimetre — between your longest toe and the end of the shoe, standing up. Note “longest toe”: for a substantial minority of people that isn’t the big toe.
Width. The widest part of your foot should sit at the widest part of the shoe. You shouldn’t feel pressure at the sides, and the upper shouldn’t be visibly stretched or bulging over the sole.
Depth. Your toes shouldn’t press against the top of the toe box. This matters particularly if you have any toe deformity, or thickened nails.
The heel. It should feel snug without gripping or rubbing. Excessive heel slip means the shoe is too big, too wide at the back, or the wrong shape for your foot.
Both shoes, always. Fitting one is how mismatched feet get missed.
Walk in them. Not two steps to the mirror — a proper walk around the shop, ideally on a hard floor rather than deep carpet.
Step 5: Assess the Shoe Itself
Systematic review evidence on optimal footwear for older adults identifies a fairly consistent set of features, and they’re sensible for most people:
A well-fitting toe box with adequate room.
Limited heel height.
A broad enough heel for stability, and a bevelled heel edge.
A firm insole and midsole rather than a flimsy one.
An outsole with sufficient tread — genuinely important on wet Dublin footpaths.
A firm heel counter with a snug fit — the cup at the back should resist being squashed.
An easy and effective closing mechanism. Laces, straps or a fastening that lets you adjust the fit and hold the foot in place. Slip-ons that stay on only because they’re tight are a compromise in both directions.
Step 6: Reject the Break-In Myth
This is the belief that costs people the most.
Shoes that hurt in the shop will hurt at home. Leather uppers soften slightly with wear. They do not lengthen, they do not meaningfully widen at the widest point, and they will not create room that doesn’t exist.
If a shoe presses on a bunion, rubs a toe joint, or squeezes the width, that pressure will still be there in three weeks — by which point you’ll have a callus, a corn, or a blister, and a pair of shoes you feel obliged to keep wearing because you paid for them.
Walk away. It’s the cheapest decision you’ll make.
Step 7: Know When to Replace Them
Shoes wear out invisibly. The upper looks fine while the midsole cushioning has compressed and the tread has gone.
Check: the tread on the outsole, compression wrinkles in the midsole foam, whether the heel counter has softened, and whether the shoe has developed a lean when placed on a flat surface.
And rotate. Two pairs alternated last longer than one pair worn daily, because foam needs time to decompress.
Shopping With a Foot Problem
Bunions: width and a soft, accommodating upper over the joint matter more than anything else. Avoid seams sitting directly over the prominence.
Hammer or claw toes: depth is the priority — a deep toe box that doesn’t press on the tops of the toes.
Plantar heel pain: a firm heel counter, some cushioning, torsional stability, and a modest heel-to-toe drop rather than completely flat.
Back-of-heel pain: a rigid heel counter pressing directly on the sore area is a common aggravator. Softer backs, or a temporarily modified shoe, often help.
Neuroma symptoms: width, and avoiding tight lacing across the forefoot.
Diabetes or reduced sensation: this changes the calculation entirely. If you can’t reliably feel pressure, you can’t rely on comfort as a guide to fit. Ill-fitting footwear has been associated with ulcer formation, and professional fitting advice is genuinely important rather than optional.
The Wider Point
Footwear fitting is one of the few areas in foot health where a small amount of knowledge produces a large return. It costs nothing extra to buy the right size, and the review evidence links getting it wrong to pain, deformity, corns and calluses.
Given that the majority of people are currently wearing shoes that don’t match their feet, the odds are reasonable that some of your foot discomfort is fixable at the point of purchase.
When to Get Advice
Worth having a proper look if you have persistent foot pain despite trying different shoes; recurring corns, calluses or blisters in the same spots; toes that are changing shape; difficulty finding anything that fits comfortably; or diabetes, reduced sensation or circulation problems.
Seek prompt assessment for any wound, blister or ulcer that isn’t healing, particularly if you have diabetes or reduced sensation.
Bring Your Shoes In
Sometimes the most useful appointment involves a bag of footwear rather than a symptom.
Foot Focus offers a free discovery visit at no cost and no obligation. Bring the shoes you actually wear most — work, walking, and the pair you keep going back to. You’ll get a proper assessment of your feet and how your footwear is loading them at our Finglas or Mount Merrion clinic, plus practical guidance on what to look for and what to avoid.
If your presentation warrants a prescribed device or a GP referral, we’ll tell you plainly.