Ankle health is essential to the health of the whole body. Ankle problems can result from injury or from wearing the wrong shoes.
Do you know the feeling when, after a long walk or jog, you literally fall off your feet due to severe discomfort? You may feel pain in your heel or ankle and a burning sensation in your foot. It may indicate that you are severely overloading your ankle. There are many methods to strengthen your ankle muscles, but if you constantly wear the wrong shoes, all your efforts will be in vain.
How to Choose the Right Shoes for Weak Ankles
Of course, the issue of health is very individual. If you are tired of the fact that the shoes constantly bring you discomfort, you can go to a specialist to accurately determine your foot’s features. That will help you choose walking shoes with ankle support based on the individual characteristics of your ankle. However, a few general guidelines will help you understand what to look for when shopping for ankle support shoes.
- Focus on the material. The material from which the sneaker is made is significant. It should not be too rigid but still strong enough. For example, if you prefer leather products, make sure that it is genuine leather and not a substitute. Natural leather will be more supple than artificial material.
- Choose shoes with good cushioning. The shoes should fit the shape of your foot. For example, support the foot arch, so the load is distributed evenly over the foot. Sneakers with poor cushioning can cause your feet to wrap to the side. That negatively affects the condition of your ankles.
- Buy shoes that fit. Sneakers should be like your second skin. Make sure they are suitable for fixing your foot, especially the heel and ankle. Shoes that are too tight or too roomy are very uncomfortable. But it can also cause ankle pain, knees, hips, and back.
- Sneakers should not hinder the movement of the foot. If you like some sneakers but they are too stiff, immediately put them aside. Good sneakers allow your toes to flex and push off the ground properly.
- Look not only at the outer sole but also at the intermediate one. It should also follow all the curves of your foot.
Some Good Pieces of Advice for the Health of Your Ankles
Even if you don’t have serious ankle problems, the wrong shoes can cause them. So, don’t treat sneakers just as a fashionable closet item.
Do not buy one sneaker for all occasions. For example, if you need sneakers for walking and jogging, it should be two different pairs of shoes.
Pay attention to shoes with ankle support. Such shoes can protect you from sprains, strains, and other injuries. However, do not get carried away. Too much support around the ankle will not allow your ankle to move naturally. Therefore, such shoes can have the opposite effect.
Your sneakers should allow your foot to roll naturally. But shoes with too flat soles can’t provide that. You can consult an orthopedist to help you understand your foot to choose the right shoes.
Wear Your Sneakers With Pleasure
Your sneakers should give only a feeling of comfort. Even the most expensive and fashionable sneakers will not be happy if they make your feet hurt. Hopefully, now you understand how to choose the right shoes for weak ankles. The tips above will help you select such shoes, so a long walk or run is always a pleasure.