The Importance of Comfortable Footwear: How to Make Shoes More Comfortable

Did you know that about half Australians aged 18-60 suffer from some type of foot alignment? Did you also know that most of these foot problems are a result of wearing improper footwear? No matter whether you’re wearing casual sneakers or dress shoes, you shouldn’t have to go endure constant pain and suffering throughout the day. Taking the right precautions when choosing men’s comfortable shoes, and knowing how to make them more comfortable than they already are is essential to getting the comfort you deserve and need for having healthy feet.

Many shoes forgo comfort for style, and while that’s acceptable for some occasional wear, when looking for men’s comfortable shoes, you should consider features such as ankle collar, an Achilles notch, a midsole, and a toe box. The Achilles notch is a groove featured at the back of shoes where the shoe meets the Achilles tendon, and its purpose is to reduce the rubbing and friction near the heel, preventing tearing of the skin and blisters. The ankle collar is the area of the shoe that wraps around the ankle, providing support and preventing friction and rubbing. The midsole is the floor of the shoe that helps control foot motion and absorb shock. It’s important for the shoe to fit your foot properly. And the toe box is, as its name implies, the part of the shoe that houses your toes.

wide fit men's sneakers

Furthermore, make sure the shoes you pick are flexible. Flexibility is very important when it comes to comfort, especially if you’re going to be wearing the shoes multiple hours a day. Running shoes, for example, are usually firmer, as they need to support the force and weight of a running stride. You can test the shoes for flexibility by bending the toes upwards. The shoe should bend under the ball of the foot, and not halfway along the arch. You can also twist the shoe to test it for support, and there should be slight resistance when you do so. Additionally, you want the shoes to be lightweight so that you can move around in them more comfortably. Shoes made of lightweight materials are particularly useful for people who spend most of their workday on their feet. Lightweight materials also allow your feet to breathe more easily in warmer and drier weather.

Lastly, you want to pick shoes that have good cushioning. The type of cushioning in the shoe can vary greatly depending on the type of shoe. For instance, running shoes usually have more cushioning on the heel, whereas walking shoes have extra cushioning on the ball of the foot. Make sure you get shoes that are designed for the activity you need them for. Try the shoes on a soft and hard surface to see how they perform. Even the most formal dress shoes can be extremely comfortable to walk in for multiple hours a day if they’re made of quality materials and have all the comfort-promoting properties.

If you already have a pair of dress shoes that aren’t as comfortable as you want them to be, it doesn’t mean that you should just throw them away and look to buy a new pair. There are a few different things you can do to make them more pleasant to wear.

So, how to make men’s dress shoes more comfortable?

man wearing comfortable dress shoes

First and foremost, you should break them in before you use them. Don’t wait until the day comes when you need to wear the shoes for you to break them in. Instead, wear them for half an hour or so at a time while you’re indoors. If there are many tight spots, you can put in some padding, such as rolled-up socks, or use a shoe stretcher to break them in. Shoe stretchers are affordable accessories that help you expand tight-fitting footwear to provide relief and comfort. Furthermore, avoid wearing slip-on shoes, no matter how easy it is to put them on and take them off. The reason I say this is because no matter how convenient they are, they won’t provide you with the comfort and injury prevention you need. With that said, get shoes that can either be laced up or have adjustable straps.

How comfortable are men’s dress shoes for walking?

man wearing comfortable shoes

They can be as comfortable as you make them. While yes, they might not be the most comfortable footwear right out the box, by breaking them in, adding some accessories that loosen them and making them fit your foot’s form better can definitely go a long way in making them ideal for wearing even for prolonged time periods. However, this doesn’t mean that you should settle for footwear that’s uncomfortable, hoping it would magically get better one day.