Summers coming

So, summer is here and as we cast off our sensible winter shoes, we cast our eyes over our summer footwear and even look to the shops for new inspiration. There’s nothing like “getting your feet out” after a long winter cooped up in closed in shoes and boots, especially after the winter we have just had. However, it’s going to be a summer of foot pain and badly fitting shoes as you can’t get fashionable summer shoes that are good for your feet, or can you? If you keep in mind the Healthy Footwear Guide’s features, then you can apply these to summer footwear too:

• A stable heel of approx. 2.5cm.
• A good, sturdy heel counter that provides good cosseting.
• Good retention of the foot by way of a fastening.
• Made of a good material that allows a healthy climate inside the shoe.
• All areas of the shoe offer adequate width and depth to allow normal foot function.
• The sole is grippy and allows normal foot function.

An increasing number of manufacturers such as DB Shoes, Cosyfeet, Hotters, Padders, Ascent and Vionic, see the importance of healthy fitting summer shoes and have an increasing choice of HFG approved “healthy” footwear. Why not pop along to your local stockist and have a pair properly fitted to see just how comfortable they can be.

But what about insoles if you wear them? Well there are a number of options available. You can purchase summer shoes and sandals which have a removable foot bed allowing an orthotic to be comfortable and discretely inserted in its place. An increasingly popular option is to have custom fitting summer shoes made. They can either be CAD/CAM milled or 3D printed then finished by hand. As they are custom made they can be built to adhere to the HFG guidelines. These surprisingly affordable footwear have to be prescribed so would require a visit to your local friendly Podiatrist/Chiropodist.

If you don’t have orthotics but feel you need an extra bit of support, then there are multiple manufacturers that now sell sandals with arch support built in. Vionic are extremely fashionable and popular and offer great arch support, as well as the newly introduced to the UK Ascent Footwear, have some great sandals.

Whatever you decide to do, it’s comforting to know that summer doesn’t have to be a painful time of the year for your feet. They can be accommodated in properly fitting/ supportive shoes.