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You should leave about a thumb's width, roughly half an inch, between your longest toe and the front of a walking shoe. This space lets your foot lengthen naturally as it bears weight, prevents your toes from hitting the front of the shoe on downhill slopes, and accommodates the mild swelling every foot experiences after walking for more than a few minutes. At Van Dyke & Bacon Shoes, we have used the thumb-width rule in our Baltimore fitting rooms since 1938, and it is the first thing we check on every pair of shoes a customer tries on. The thumb-width rule...

Walking Shoe Fit Guide: How Much Room Should You Leave in the Toe Box? You should leave about a thumb's width, roughly half an inch, between your longest toe and the front of a walking shoe. This space lets your foot lengthen naturally as it bears weight, prevents your toes from hitting the front of the shoe on downhill slopes, and accommodates the mild swelling every foot experiences after walking for more than a few minutes. At Van Dyke & Bacon Shoes, we have used the thumb-width rule in our Baltimore fitting rooms since 1938, and it is the first...

A professional shoe fitting starts with measuring both feet on a Brannock device, checks your arch type and gait pattern, measures your width across the ball of the foot, and then puts you in multiple brands and sizes until you find the shoe that matches your foot shape rather than forcing your foot to match the shoe. At Van Dyke & Bacon Shoes, this process takes about 20 minutes and costs nothing. We have been doing it this way in Baltimore since 1938, and the result is shoes that feel supportive on day one, not shoes you hope will stretch out...

Fall brings cooler temperatures, changing leaves, and the return of boots to your everyday wardrobe. But if you deal with plantar fasciitis, choosing fall footwear based on appearance alone can leave your feet uncomfortable by the end of the day. The right fall boot should give you the support, cushioning, stability, and fit you need while still working with your seasonal wardrobe. Plantar fasciitis is one of the most common causes of heel pain. It involves irritation of the plantar fascia, the band of tissue that runs along the bottom of the foot and connects the heel to the toes....

Back-to-school shopping means new clothes, backpacks, supplies, and, of course, a dependable pair of shoes. For parents of children with flat feet, finding the right back-to-school shoes can take a little more consideration. Kids may spend hours each school day walking through hallways, standing in class, playing at recess, and participating in gym or after-school activities, so their shoes need to keep up. Flat feet are common in children, and having flat feet does not automatically mean a child will experience pain or need special footwear. However, if your child experiences discomfort, fatigue, or other symptoms, a supportive and properly...