Wear supportive shoes
Choose shoes that fit well and suit your activity, and replace them when they wear out.
- How often
- As needed
- Recommended for
- 23 factors
How to do it
- Try shoes on at the end of the day or after a workout, when your feet are at their largest, and wear the socks you will use with them.
- Look for a snug heel, good cushioning and room for your toes. Shoes should feel comfortable right away.
- Match the shoe to the activity, such as running shoes for running and supportive work shoes for long hours standing.
- Replace running shoes regularly. A rough guide is 75,000 divided by your weight in pounds, about 500 miles for a 150-pound runner, or sooner if the cushioning or tread is worn.
Why it helps
Your feet absorb your body weight with every step. Shoes that fit poorly or have lost their support pass more of that stress to your feet, ankles, knees and back, especially in jobs or hobbies that keep you on your feet.
Be careful
Persistent foot, heel or ankle pain is worth checking with a doctor or podiatrist. People with diabetes should have their feet checked regularly and choose footwear with their care team.
Recommended for
Assembly line worker
The same motions, hundreds of times an hour, at the pace of the line.
occupationBarista
Tamping, pouring and steaming, hundreds of drinks a shift.
hobbyBasketball
Jumps, hard landings and sudden cuts, game after game.
occupationCashier
Scan, bag, repeat, for hours in the same small space.
hobbyCooking and baking
Sharp knives, hot surfaces and hours on your feet in the kitchen.
hobbyDancing
Jumps, turns and hours on the balls of your feet.
occupationElectrician
Crawl spaces, ladders, overhead work and live circuits.
occupationFlight attendant
On your feet in a moving cabin, across time zones, lifting bags overhead.
occupationHairstylist
Arms up, scissors in hand, standing behind the chair all day.
hobbyHiking
Miles of uneven ground, steep descents and long days outdoors.
occupationJanitor
Mopping, lifting and scrubbing, often on night shifts, with strong chemicals.
occupationLine cook
Heat, knives, hot oil and a ticket rail that never empties.
occupationNurse
Twelve-hour shifts on your feet, lifting, turning and rarely sitting down.
hobbyPickleball
Quick lateral steps, sudden lunges and plenty of falls on hard courts.
occupationRestaurant server
Miles on your feet, heavy trays and a dining room to keep happy.
occupationRetail worker
On your feet all shift, stocking shelves and helping customers.
hobbyRunning
Thousands of footstrikes a week, mostly through your shins, knees and feet.
hobbySkateboarding
Hard concrete, high speed and a lot of falling while you learn.
habitStanding desk user
Swapped the chair for standing, and found standing has its own costs.
occupationTeacher
Talking all day, on your feet, with a classroom of needs to manage.
hobbyTennis
Thousands of swings, serves and sprints, mostly on one side of the body.
occupationWarehouse worker
Picking, packing and lifting at speed, miles of walking a shift.
habitWearing high heels
Raised heels and narrow toes, for work, events or every day.