Do I Have Wide Feet Chart
In addition to the style and material, paying attention to the footwear fit is highly crucial.
People who don’t wear footwear that fits them well are more likely to suffer from foot deformities. This includes painful conditions like hammertoes, bunions, and calluses.
Moreover, it can lead to a severe condition called neuropathy, where the feet feel numb, which eventually increases the risk of falls.
These problems are pretty common when people have wider than usual feet. So, keep on reading if you ask yourself, “do I have wide feet chart?”
Do I Have Wide Feet?
Each person has a different shoe size, and shoe manufacturers consider these individual differences.
But sometimes, your feet have very specific needs that prevent you from wearing the style you like.
If you struggle with finding a good pair of footwear that really fits no matter how larger you go, you could definitely have wide feet.
This means that you don’t need to go a size up to find a longer pair of shoes that won’t restrict the movement of your toes, but you actually need a different fit.
Looking at your feet won’t help you determine if you have wide feet. But, here is how you can decide.
- Get a white piece of paper and draw the contour of your feet using a pen. Keep the paper on a flat surface because an uneven surface will result in inaccurate measurements.
- Try this technique at night. After a long day, your feet might be swollen and expanded to relieve pain, so this is a good time to measure them at their widest.
- If you always wear thick socks with your shoes, put them on before you start measuring your feet.
- Make sure that you’re trying to draw the outline as accurately as possible. If this seems too challenging, you might ask a friend or a family member to help.
- Use a measurement tape to measure the widest part of your feet.
- Measure both feet, as one foot can be larger than the other. In this case, you need to get a pair of footwear that fits the largest one.
- Compare this measurement to the size chart of the footwear you want to buy.
Most shoemakers have two or even three charts; regular, narrow, and wide.
Some even offer extra-wide fits. In the same size range, the length will be the same, but the width will differ.
If you measure your feet, and they tend to be wider than the regular chart, then you definitely have wide feet.
Buying and wearing regular-sized shoes will only result in agony and can cause multiple health issues in the long run.
Generally, wide shoes measure about 0.4 or 0.5 inches wider than regular shoes. Extra-wide shoes measure about 0.7 or 1 inch wider than the regular ones.
Why Do I Have Wide Feet?
Finding a pair of good shoes or sandals that fit wide feet is no longer a problem.
As a matter of fact, most reputable shoe brands make the same models in different fits to guarantee that everyone is well-accommodated.
People can have wide feet for various reasons.
- The first and most common reason is genetics. People are simply born with wide feet because this is the way they’re made. It’s considered an individual difference and not a disease that needs to be cured.
- People who have flat arches tend to have wider than usual feet because the foot collapses. Some people are people with these conditions, while others suffer because of a problem with their tendons. People with fallen arches need to wear special footwear with arch support because this condition can cause extreme fatigue and pain.
- Wearing too narrow, ill-fitting shoes can actually make your feet wider in the long run. Shoes that are too pointy might look cute, but they actually shift your bones and joints out of their natural place.
As a result, you begin to develop bunions because of the continuous friction, making your feet look wider than usual. Having hammertoes and big calluses can also make your feet look wider, and they are pretty painful.
- Weight gain can make your feet wider. This is because when you gain weight, the extra fats tend to accumulate in different parts of the body, and your feet are no exception, especially if you’ve gained a substantial amount of weight.
- Edema or the accumulation of fluids like blood in the feet can make your feet bigger. Some people suffer from temporary edema after sitting for too long, and it can also be related to an injury or different, more serious health conditions like heart failure.
- Lymphedema is a special kind of edema that also makes the feet look wider. The lymphatic fluid gets trapped in the tissues and eventually makes your extremities, including your feet, look swollen and wider.
- Age can affect the way your feet look, just like the rest of your body. Our ligaments and tendons become weaker as we grow older, so your feet might become wider.
- Some women experience a widening in their feet during and after pregnancy. As the weight increases over a short period of time, the ligaments and tendons tend to loosen, and the feet widen to be able to carry the extra pounds. In some cases, this condition is irreversible.
Can I Slim My Wide Feet?
The answer to this question depends on the reason why you have wide feet, to begin with. If you’re born with wide feet, there’s nothing you can do about it.
However, this should never be an issue because you can still wear a lot of styles, and you’ll find numerous trendy pairs that fit every occasion.
If you suffer from a medical condition, you need to address this particular problem to keep your feet in perfect shape. Fallen arches are sometimes treatable, depending on the reason.
Even if you’re born with them, wearing insoles will keep you comfortable and prevent the issue from getting worse.
Having wide feet because of an injury that leads to edema is treatable by taking a medication that reduces the swelling.
If your feet are swollen because you sit for too long, you need to take a walk for 20 to 30 minutes and see if the swelling resolves.
Try to shed off a few pounds if you notice that your feet got wider because of your extra weight. It’s good for your overall health and will definitely make your feet look slimmer.
How to Find Shoes that Fit Wide Feet?
Today, finding shoes that fit your feet is no longer a problem. Here are some factors to consider to help you find the perfect pair.
- Always get your feet measured, and don’t rely on a past measurement in case something changes with your feet’s anatomy.
- Leave between 3/8 inches to 1/2 inches of space for your toes to move freely. This will guarantee that you won’t suffer from hammertoes or bunions and will leave room for your feet to expand if they tend to swell.
- Pick a brand that offers a wide option. This shouldn’t be a real problem as most brands offer wide and extra-wide options in different footwear styles.
- Buy a pair with removable insoles if you can. This way, you can insert an orthotic device if you have fallen arches or one foot tends to be bigger than the other.
- In very severe cases, the doctor might recommend bunion removal surgery. The recovery can be a pain, but in some cases, it’s essential.
Final Thoughts On Do I Have Wide Feet Chart
Some people tend to have wider than usual feet, and this shouldn’t be an issue.
All you have to do is find a pair of footwear that fits well and doesn’t restrict your feet because narrow shoes will hurt you and actually make your feet wider in the long run.
It’s always recommended to measure your feet before buying a new pair of footwear to get the perfect fit.
Go for a brand that offers wide or extra wide models, and you’ll definitely find something that works for you.