In this article, I am going to talk about how to fit your training shoes. First off, this is not going to be an end-all-be-all guide. Everybody has their own ways and preference that they like to wear their shoes and these are just a few pointers that I had to give you guys because sizing is one of my most asked questions when it comes to shoes. Now as I said there’s no right or wrong way to wear your shoes. Wear them however you like but are some things that I think you should take into account when sizing your shoes.
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We have mentioned some ways in which you can figure out how to make your training shoes fit before and after you buy them. This way you will learn how to buy the correct size so that it keeps your feet secure inside.
Sizing and Fit
First off, there’s no real sizing standard. For example a 9 in Nike would be US 10 whereas a 9 in Reebok would be US-M 10 or US-W 11.5. The next thing I want to talk about is how much space you should have between your feet and the front of the show. Make sure you’ve got about a thumb’s worth of space between the end of your toes and the end of the shoe so you can scoot your heel back in the shoe and then just press your thumb down right at the top.
You have to take an account that the shoes are going to fit a little bit differently. When you start to move around, your feet are going to swell up and they’re going to fill up the shoes a lot more than they will when they’re at rest. If your toes are touching the front of the shoe, the shoes are too small and you need to go up in size.
Why is it important to have shoes that fit?
This is a very important question. You need to get yourself shoes that are neither too big nor too small but just right for your feet. Improper shoe fitting can lead to bruising, and chaffing as well as ingrown toenails and cause corns and bunions on your feet. The list of problems of an ill-fitting shoe does not end there. There can be an increased amount of pain in your joints including the hip, knee, and ankle. It can also cause your muscles to be pulled and give you decreased stability overall.
The right fit will keep your feet protected from all these ailments. It will also provide comfort to your feet and allow nominal space for your feet to expand and do various movements. The right training shoe will keep everything from your ankle to the tipoff your toes well protected.
The two main problems
Shoes that are too small
- Your toes would not have enough space to stretch
- The front is not wide enough for your feet
- The toes tend to expand up to half an inch when on the ground, most shoes have one-third of an inch available
Shoes that are too big
- You may end up tripping on them
- The exercise you do may not be effective if your shoes keep slipping off of your feet
- It adds extra weight to your feet as the size is bigger than what your feet are compatible for
What to do?
Mentioned below are some tips as to how to make your training shoe fit. It is a good idea to buy the right size as it is much more difficult to break into the wrong size.
Before buying the Shoes
Before you go out to the shop or search online, make sure you do most of the following things so that you get the right pair of training shoes:
- Get your feet measured: Go to a proper shoe shop for this. Get your feet measured multiple times a day. This is because your feet tend to expand around midday to afternoon. A size that allows room for expansion is a better choice than one that is too small.
- Try on both shoes: It happens that one of your feet is bigger than the other one. This is quite common. If you know which one is the larger foot, wear the shoes in that size. As a safety precaution wear both shoes to make sure the size is right.
- Measure against the insole: When you choose shoes, take out the insoles from them. Place this against the sole of your foot and measure it out. Insoles spread out throughout the shoe. If your feet are bigger than the insoles, then it is highly likely that the shoe will not fit yours either.
- Run or move around in the shoes: This is great for physical shoe shops. Wear the shoes and move around in them to make sure there is enough room for your feet. Try clenching and unclenching your toes to ensure they are comfortable on the inside.
- Try it on with a sock: Most people forget to factor in the space that the sock will take. If you wear socks while you train, carry that socks with you to the shoe store. Wear the sock and then the shoe to make sure you still have an ample amount of space for movement.
After buying the shoes
It is a little trickier when it comes to fitting into a new shoe after you have brought it home.
- Consider heating it up: Put some rolled-up socks in the shoe and use a hair dryer to heat it up. This can cause some types of shoes to increase in size.
- Use socks: If your training shoe is too big, get a new one. But if you are pressed for time, you can wear thick socks to fit into shoes that are too large for your feet.
- Walk, walk and run: Walk around, and run a lot in the new shoes. This may help in increasing the size of your shoes by a tad bit.
Conclusion
It is preferable to buy the right size for the well-being of your feet. Take your time when buying the training shoes as they need to meet the requirements of the shoe. There are many tips that you can use to buy the right size of shoe for you. However, if you end up getting the wrong size, you can still use some techniques to make the shoes work.