A shoe should resemble the shape seen on a babies foot. The widest part of the shoe should be the distance from the base of the great toe to the tip of the smallest toe (the toe-box). Wide shoes that are not foot shaped are just as harmful to foot function as narrow shoes.
Wide shoes in most cases do not resemble a foot shape & rather look like a wider version of a conventional, symmetrical shoe.
A flat sole is important but often overlooked within shoe choice. When we say flat, we really mean flat. Arch support or elevated heels are like casts or crutches for the foot & will weaken it over-time if used too much.
Raised areas or supported soles will alter the foots position which will weaken it and may cause alterations in your gait patterns over time. If you have been prescribed an insole and are unsure how long you should be wearing them, then we recommend booking anassessment with My Foot Function
The toes can only perform their stabilising and foot-stearing role if they are in contact with the ground.
By forcing the toes to be unnaturally elevated in rigid toe-springs we are reducing our postural stability and overloading certain parts of the foot. Allowing the toes to have full contact with the surface encourages better stability, control and strengthening of the whole foot.