Properly fitting footwear ensures overall foot health while preventing injuries like sprains, strains, and fractures. It helps improve your posture and minimize stress on the joints. Good shoes distribute the weight evenly and reduce fatigue caused due to heavy physical activity. Choosing the right footwear is of utmost importance for athletes as it helps in improving their performance and efficiency. It keeps foot problems like corns, calluses, bunions, blisters, and ingrown toenails at bay. Despite these advantages, only about a third of people wear the right shoe size according to a report published in the Journal of Foot and Ankle Research. That’s pretty surprising. Make it your top priority to wear the right footwear to prevent any injuries in the long run and maintain satisfactory articulation and postural health.    

While buying the right footwear, one of the most crucial questions is the size —- whether you should go for wide shoes or regular shoes. 

The Debate of Wide VS Regular Shoes

For better understanding of extra wide vs regular shoes, we have broken down the entire discussion into 5 major specifications of the shoes, including their width, arch support, insoles and padding, heels, and strap flexibility. 

  1. Width of the shoes

The main difference between wide shoes and regular shoes is the width. Regular shoes are engineered for average foot widths whereas wide shoes are crafted for feet that demand for more room. Wide shoes are about ⅛ of an inch wider when compared to normal shoes. While the difference in width is almost indiscernible, it makes a huge difference in the level of comfort. Midsoles and outsoles are broader and sturdier in wide shoes. Hence, it creates a solid scaffold underneath the foot. On the other hand, normal shoes are narrower with a smaller toe box and forefoot width. 

 

Wide shoes reduce pressure points and discomfort by offering a more generous width. They are advisable for people with foot conditions such as bunions, hammertoes, or heat edema. Podiatrists recommend wearing shoes that are neither too loose nor too tight. Wearing too narrow shoes can cause foot problems and/or foot pain. Wide shoes prevent such issues and offer unmatched balance and stability to the wearers. This becomes particularly important for older adults with balance issues. At XLFeet.com, we have exclusively designed orthotic-friendly boots with ample room to replace the removable footbed with prescription orthotics.

  1. Arch Support

If we talk about the arch support of wide fit shoes vs regular ones, the former accommodates a broader foot structure. It helps in ensuring that the foot arch is supported well where it naturally falls. Regular shoes have arch supports according to the average foot width. For wide feet, the arch support might not be in proper sync with your arch and cause discomfort or even pain. If you have big feet and are looking for excellent arch support and stability on the diverse surfaces and rugged terrains, Wide Load boots are the perfect option for you. 

  1. Insoles and Padding

Wide shoes come with special insoles for targeted support to pressure points. Thicker insoles with additional padding in the forefoot or arch area caters to the spread of a wider foot. Contrarily, regular-width shoes have standard insoles following the average foot contours. Although they offer sufficient support, they are deprived of the additional cushioning expected by people with wide feet. Their outsoles are suitable for narrower silhouettes. Despite offering enough support to people with normal feet, it poses a disadvantage to individuals with wide feet as it does not distribute the weight evenly. 

  1. Heels

Another point in question while discussing regular vs extra wide shoes is that of the heels. Wide shoes with heels are designed for increased foot breadth while ensuring best stability. Higher heeled shoes with regular width would be a problem for people with wide feet due to the risk of injury in the long run and overall discomfort.  

  1. Strap Flexibility

Wide shoes feature longer straps, prepared from stretchable materials. Sometimes, they also come with elastic inserts to cater to wide feet. Strap flexibility helps in ensuring that the straps don’t cut into the skin or cause discomfort. These straps are also important for offering a more customized fit and adjust naturally as the feet swell with use throughout the day. The straps on regular-width shoes are designed for snugly fit for an average-width foot and offer minimal stretch. They would limit movement in individuals with wider feet. It can also cause pressure points or chafing, making them a bad choice for extra large feet.  

 

Here’s an image that summarizes the key differences between normal vs wide shoes.

 

 

Image source:- https://www.realmenrealstyle.com/wide-toe-shoes/

 

Now that you know the fundamental differences between normal and wide shoes, I am sure you must be wondering how to measure the shoe width and how to decide which shoes are better for you. 

That’s what we will talk about in the next section.

Measuring The Shoe Width 

Image source:- https://www.ediwfashion.shop/?path=page/ggitem&ggpid=3947664

 

Here are three things to be considered to determine shoe width. 

  1. The length of the foot

  2. The measurements between the widest points on the foot, that is, the outer edge of the foot to the inner edge of the forefoot area (also called the ball width)

  3. The instep’s circumference (instep girth)

 

That being said, we shall now talk about the four different types of feet —- normal, wide, thick, and feet with a large ball girth.

 

Normal Feet

Regular shoes are designed to fit feet with average width and volume. While trying regular shoes, make sure that you get a thumb’s width of space between your longest toe and the end of the shoe for movement. Your toes should be able to wiggle freely and the midfoot should be comfortably snug so that there is no unnecessary pressure. 

 

Wide Feet

Wide shoes are designed to offer the necessary additional space in the forefoot and toe box areas. They are labeled with sizes like “2E” or “WW”. Choose wide shoes considering the potential swelling throughout the day. It is a good idea to buy wide shoes crafted from materials like leather or mesh that can stretch to fit the shape of your feet.  

 

Thick Feet

Individuals with thick feet must buy wide shoes with ample vertical space in the toe box and vamp. Go for shoes with laces or adjustable straps so that you can loosen them according to the height of your foot. Shoes that are too tight over the instep lead to discomfort or damage. So, you must invest in shoes with adjustable closures rather than slip-ons.  

 

Feet With Large Ball Girth

If you have a large ball girth, pay special attention to the width of the shoe at the forefoot. Shoes having a wide toe box prevent constriction and discomfort. However, you should make sure that they are in sync with the natural contours of your feet, especially around the widest part. You can also buy round toe box shoes for additional room and comfort. 

Key Takeaways

 

Through this article, we have tried to facilitate the decision of buying normal or wide shoes. Here’s a quick recap of everything we talked about. 

The selection of regular vs wide shoes depends on several factors. They are:

 

  1. People with big feet notice bulging at the sides of the shoes with toes bunching together and overlapping in the toe box. 

  2. If your feet feel cramped, it is a huge sign that you need extra wide shoes.

  3. You might need wide shoes if you experience discomfort or pain in your feet, especially in the toe area, sides, or ball of your foot.

  4. The need to adjust the size of your shoes again and again is another indication that you should buy wide shoes.

  5. If you notice pressure marks on your feet, bunions, or corns, you must switch to wide shoes.

 

So, the next time you go to buy footwear, consider all these points without making it an afterthought. Purchase the right shoes to warrant better foot strength, balance, posture, and overall wellbeing.