PROPERLY SELECTED AND FIT FOOTWEAR IS KEY TO SUCCESSFUL PATIENT OUTCOMES. -Gone are the days of dispensing an orthotic and instructing clients to go buy a good shoe -Teach your clients the importance of well fit and well selected footwear and then dispense that footwear from your office. -By fitting your clients into the appropriate footwear to match their specific foot type, foot shape and condition; you will experience very successful patient outcomes. -This presentation will provide you with the key tips and techniques to successfully fit your clients with the appropriate footwear - Properly fit shoes will increase your clinics shoe sales and minimize footwear returns to suppliers.
SO WHAT DO I NEED TO KNOW TO FIT A SHOE? ANATOMY OF A SHOE ANATOMY OF THE FOOT THREE BASIC FOOT SHAPES FOOT AND SHOE SIZING LENGTH WIDTH DEPTH BASICS OF SHOE FITTING
ANATOMY OF A SHOE *Add shoe pic with anatomy
ANATOMY OF THE FOOT *add foot pic and describe anatomy
THREE BASIC FOOT SHAPES SQUARE *add pic RECTANGLE*add pic TRIANGLE*add pic
FOOT AND SHOE SIZING The foot has three components to size, the length, the width and the depth. To fit a shoe properly you must know how to determine all three size components. LENGTH WIDTH DEPTH
LENGTH -The measure of how long the foot is from the back of the heel to the tip of the longest toe. -Most people have one foot longer than the other and care must be made to fit to the longest foot. -Most people are not accurately aware of their foot length and are either wearing shoes that are too long or too short. -Length of a shoe is noted in 2 main scales: -AMERICAN: -sizes 5-12 for women, sizes 7-15 for men, sizes 1-6 for youth -this is the sizing scale we are most familiar with in North America -EUROPEAN: -sizes 35-47 -this is a sizing scale commonly seen in orthopedic footwear (especially the ones made in Europe) -the length is indiscriminate of gender unlike American sizi
WIDTH -The measure of the distance across the ball of the foot. -Determining the accurate width of the foot is essential in selecting the appropriate size of shoe. -Width is denoted by the following letters on the shoe box: WOMEN MEN AA-very narrow foot B VERY NARROW FOOT B -regular width foot D REGULAR FOOT WIDTH D -wider than average foot EE-WIDER THAN AVERAGE FOOT EE extremely wide foot EEEE-EXTREMELY WIDE FOOT -You may also see width denoted as N(narrow), M(medium),W(wide),WW(double wide) and WWW(triple wide)
DEPTH -The measurement of how high/thick the forefoot and toes are of the foot. -Usually measured by observation and not an actual physical measurement. -Many people that have swelling or claw toes require shoes that are extra depth -Extra depth feet may be accommodated for with stretchable shoes. FOR ACCURATE SHOE SIZING, THE LENGTH, WIDTH AND DEPTH OF THE FOOT MUST BE DETERMINED AND MATCHED
BASICS OF SHOE FITTING -Determine the type of shoe the client is looking for. (athletic, dress, casual, sandal) -Determine a starting point for size. You may ask the client what size they usually wear, this is a good starting point but NOT ALWAYS CORRECT, most people are unaware of their true shoe size and usually are wearing shoes too small or too big. -You may use a brannock device to help determine shoe size but keep in mind that not all shoe sizing scales will match that of the brannock device --Determine shape of foot to best select which style of shoe will fit best (most useful in athletic shoes and sandals)
-After deciding which shoe and size to try, remove the insole from the shoes and have the patient stand on them(assure heel is sitting properly in the heel cup of the insole) -Once standing on the insole you can determine if the shoe is the correct length in order to try it on. CORRECT LENGTH=1/2 LONGER THAN THE LONGEST TOE ON THE LONGEST FOOT -In a closed shoe you should NEVER feel the toe on the end of the shoe -Proper width is not too tight, not too loose, you should be able to grasp about 1/8 material at the toe box, just enough to slightly pleat. *add pic of shoe on insole
PUT BOTH SHOES ON AND FASTEN THEM PROPERLY -when fastening make sure the heels are sitting all the way back in the shoe, lace/fasten Velcro for the client so as to ensure they are sitting on the foot snuggly but not too tight. -try heel lock lacing for a better fit -Have patient walk around and assess comfort. -ask the patient if they are comfortable (if not double check sizing, fastening and shoe style, never try to sell a shoe to a patient that they are not comfortable in) -if the shoe is the correct length but the client says they feel too small or tight, you need to try a wider width, if the shoe does not come in a wider width; you may have to switch shoes. -watch for heel slippage; a properly fit shoe should not slip in the heel.
-Properly fit shoes should be comfortable immediately for the patient, so comfortable that they want to wear them out the door and put their old shoes in the box!! -NEVER DEPEND ON THE SHOE TO STRETCH IF IT IS TOO TIGHT, IT IS TOO TIGHT -If the patient has orthotics take the insole out of the shoe and place the orthotic inside for the patient to try. Sometimes the orthotic will change the fit of the shoe. *add pic here
MATCH THE SHOE TO THE FOOT SHAPE Add square pic Add pick of shoe
MATCH THE SHOE TO THE FOOT SHAPE Add rectangle pic Add pick of shoe
MATCH THE SHOE TO THE FOOT SHAPE Add triangle pic Add pic of shoe
CONTACT INFORMATION Tina Rainville D.Ch *insertlogo 70 Angonquin Blvd. W Timmins, Ont P4N 2R3 (705)268-3338 tina.rainville@rcpc.ca www.rainvillehealth.com