THE | DIET DETECTIVE^®

The overriding answer is a shoe that feels comfortable and works for you. You might have a friend that recommends a shoe that was really good for him or her, and you try it and it's very painful. Everyone has different feet, different body builds, different leg lengths, etc. You know your body better than anyone else; trust it when you try on a shoe.

Here are some more specific guidelines for choosing a shoe.

Choose a shoe that has a supportive heel cup, so that your ankle doesn't move much from side to side. This is absolutely essential for people with lower leg/ankle problems. You want to be as stable as possible in the heel area.

The forefoot of the shoe should be flexible. Try bending the toe of the shoe back toward the top of the heel. As you need a lot of flexibility when you push off on your toes, you need the shoe to flex with your foot. If the shoe is too stiff in the forefoot, you could get pains in your lower legs.

Look for a light (as opposed to heavy) shoe. While you need enough cushioning to make your walking comfortable, you don't want to overload your shoe with weight. Remember, your goal is to go forward, not to carry extra weight!

Make sure the heel of the shoe is not significantly higher than the forefoot, otherwise it could affect your stride.

The bottom of the shoe should have a smooth surface from the heel to the toe. You want to roll your foot from heel strike to push off. If it's a smooth surface, you have less resistance.

Your dream shoe may look exactly like this, or exactly the opposite. These are just some guidelines to use when looking for a shoe. Unfortunately, all many shoe store clerks know to do when you ask for a walking shoe is to point you toward the walking shoe section. Many running shoes are good if you are serious about your walking.