Popular Q&A: Footwear: Solutions

It's usually possible to wear minimalist footwear even if one of your legs is shorter than the other, but there are a few important considerations to ensure comfort and avoid potential strain. Minimalist shoes are designed to encourage a natural foot strike and optimal alignment, which can be beneficial for your posture and overall gait. However, and as you are intimately aware, when one leg is shorter than the other,... Read more

Most modern footwear comes with a removable liner or insole that sits in the bed of the shoe. Many people try on shoes and wear them for most of their lives without considering how the liner affects the overall fit and function of the shoe. It’s worth asking: If the liner was never meant to be removed, wouldn’t it be stitched into the shoe? Could it be that the shoe... Read more

When transitioning to minimalist shoes or increasing the distance you walk, preventing blisters and calluses comes down to a gradual adjustment process and paying close attention to how your feet respond. The key is to allow your feet to slowly adapt to the new footwear by gradually increasing the amount of time you spend in them. This lets your feet and lower legs strengthen without overwhelming them. Start with short... Read more

Vibram FiveFingers are, for many, the ultimate minimalist shoe. Designed to fit your foot like a glove, these flexible-soled toe shoes enable a high degree of tactile feedback as you move about on varied terrain, and they allow your foot to act like a healthy bare foot inside your shoe. They meet our criteria for foot-healthy footwear—they are, in fact, exemplary of it—so for people who already have some experience... Read more

While footwear alone is not likely to fully correct or heal a bunion, it can certainly have a massive impact on any bunion-related discomfort you experience as well as whether or not your bunion progresses and becomes more severe. The right footwear can also give you the best possible shot at rehabilitating your toes and restoring optimal foot health. So, paying close attention to the footwear you use on a... Read more

Toe spring is a design inclusion or element present in most conventional footwear, including athletic shoes. It’s touted as a positive feature (it’s said to assist in the toe-off phase of walking and running), but in reality, it is neither helpful nor necessary, and is, in fact, problematic for the foot and toes. Defined by the ramping or elevating of the toes above the forefoot, toe spring is a major... Read more

This is a situation we encounter from time to time in those who have made footwear purchases based on our recommendations, and there is a surprising amount of nuance packed into the question and the answer that goes with it. First off, it’s always disappointing to hear that somebody may have had a suboptimal experience with any of the footwear that we suggest using. We take great pride in recommending... Read more

The Shoe Liner Test is an important measure of how foot-healthy a shoe is and whether or not the shoe will accommodate natural toe splay (ideally enabled by Correct Toes). One of the most common questions we receive pertaining to the Shoe Liner Test is the following: “My toes spill over the shoe's liner a little bit. Do you think the shoes are sufficiently wide for my feet and toes?”... Read more

The wear pattern you see on the soles of your shoes provides important clues about your gait and how your feet are interacting with the world. The specific wear pattern mentioned above (outside, or “lateral,” heel) is typical among pretty much all wearers of conventional footwear that incorporates heel elevation, rigid soles, and substantial cushioning, and excessive wear in this location is particularly apparent in running and walking shoes. The... Read more

Most people never consider removing their shoe liner or insole, assuming that it’s a necessary inclusion in footwear, but we’ve found this to be an excellent way to enhance the fit and feel of almost any shoe. Removing the liner provides additional space to allow your toes to spread out naturally and—with the reduced stack height that comes with removing the liner—allows your foot to function more like a bare... Read more