The Perfect Shoe
Five Things to Test when Shoe Shopping
You were born with perfect feet. Unfortunately, conventional footwear design features can change your natural foot and toe alignment over time. Learn more about the complexities of natural human foot design.
1 | Shoe Design
1. Lightweight
2. Minimal Stack Height
3. No Artificial Arch Support
4. No Motion Control
2 | Flat
We recommend shoes that are flat from the heel to the ends of the toes. This means that you want to purchase shoes that do not have elevated heels or toe spring (a feature that lifts the ends of the toes higher than the ball of the foot).
3 | Flexibility
Unlike other companies that recommend “supportive” shoes, which can act like a cast, we recommend shoes that allow natural movement and articulation of your foot bones. We test each shoe for flexibility within each point of flexion and extension.
Points of Flexion and Extension
1. Material
2. Heel Counter
3. Arch
4. Ball
5. Ends of Toes
4 | Widest at Tips of Toes
We recommend shoes that are widest at the ends of the toes (like a baby’s shoe), not at the ball of the foot. This shape allows for natural toe splay and will not compress your toes into a deformed position.
5 | Shoe Liner Test
Natural feet are widest at the tips of the toes, not at the ball of the foot. Correct Toes helps place the toes back into their natural alignment. To make sure your shoe is wide enough to accommodate natural toe splay, remove the shoe liner from the shoe and stand on it while wearing Correct Toes. If your foot stays within the margins of the liner, this indicates a foot-healthy shoe. If your foot spills over the shoe liner considerably, then this shoe may be too narrow and could cause adverse effects.
