Whether you’re an avid runner or just running around to get things done, well-fitting shoes are crucial. To get comfortable, supportive shoes, you need to know your size, arch and width — and then choose styles that compensate for shortcomings and fit the activity you have in mind.

Most people can’t buy one pair of shoes to cover all their needs, said Patty Ostermiller, owner of Cobbler’s Bench Foot Health Center in Frankenmuth. But even with a limited budget, it’s better to have a few well-made shoes than a vast array of cheap ones, she said.

“Due to the support that may or may not be built into the shoe, your activity is so important,” Ostermiller said. “If you hike, I’m not going to put you into a cross trainer, which would be like the exaggerated version of running a marathon in heels.”

Here are tips for choosing shoes.

Measure. It’s best to have a professional fitting at a shoe store. And if one foot is larger than the other, like it generally is, buy shoes that fit the larger foot, Ostermiller said. The best-fitting shoe should have about a thumb’s width of toe room.

Shop at the end of the day. Feet swell as the day goes on, so you’ll get a more accurate fit when your feet are at their puffiest.

Gauge width. Make sure there’s enough room to put a finger between the top of the shoe and the top of the foot.

Don’t break them in. Ostermiller said you should buy only shoes that feel comfortable in the store. Higher-end shoe stores and cobbler shops have stretching machines if you need to accommodate a bunion or relieve a sore spot.

Gauge your arch. The arch is very important for choosing an athletic shoe because you want to make sure a high arch is cushioned when it strikes the ground, and a low arch, which tends to make your feet roll inward, is stabilized. You can gauge your arch at home by stepping in a wet bathtub, then planting your feet on a piece of paper. If your whole foot is visible, you have no arch. If the entire midsection is missing a high arch is the diagnosis. If only a small part is missing from the image you have an average arch. Compare your image to the foot imprints on www.runningshoes.com if you can’t decide where your feet fall.

Know when it’s time to let go. Exercise shoes have a shelf life and if you go beyond it, you could be damaging joints. Regular runners should replace their shoes every 400-500 miles, said Chelsea Earls, a fitter at Running Fit in Ann Arbor, and an avid runner. Someone who works out a few days a week at the gym should get a new pair of shoes each year. “After three years, the cushioning starts to break down even if you don’t wear them very often,” Earls said.

Give ‘em a break. Give your shoes a day off between wearings to let the interior dry.

Know your heels. The best height for everyday wear is no more than an inch and a half, Ostermiller said. “Anything higher than that puts an incredible amount of pressure on the ball of your foot, which leads to issues down the road,” she said.

BY CHRISTY STRAWSER FREE PRESS SPECIAL WRITER (source: freep . com)