It’s prom season, and if you’re a parent of a high school student, odds are that they will soon be looking for the perfect outfit for the occasion. Buying the dress or suit gets most of the attention, but be sure not to overlook the importance of picking out the right pair of shoes, otherwise your feet may be really sore the next morning. In today’s blog, we share five tips for buying prom shoes that won’t leave your feet in pain.
Prom Shoe Buying Tips
Picking out the right shoes for prom can go a long way in helping to ensure your feet aren’t sore or injured by night’s end. Here are five tips to keep in mind:
1. Function Over Fashion (to an extent) – In most of our shoe buying guides, we preach that you should choose function and comfort over fashion. That’s great advice for a running shoe or a sandal, but it is going to be harder to convince a teenager not to make a choice based on anything other than fashion. We’re not saying you need to ditch the heels for the evening, but try to avoid overly high heels, because these will shift your feet into a stressful position.
2. Wider Toe Box – Men and women will want to avoid shoes that have a narrow toe box. Shoes that put pressure on the sides of your feet will put a lot of stress on your toe joints. While a bunion will not develop overnight, regularly wearing shoes with a narrow toe box will increase your bunion risk, so try to avoid these footwear options altogether.
3. Buy In Store – A prom shoe will fit differently than an everyday shoe, so you’ll want to make sure that the fit is correct. That’s much easier to ensure if you are professionally fitted for a shoe in store. If you insist on buying online, check the return policy and consider buying two or three pairs so that you can find the pair that fits you best.
4. Pack A Pair Of Flats – If heels or dress shoes are the footwear of choice, be sure that your child packs a pair of comfortable flats that they can slip into after pictures or if their feet start to feel sore. Wearing high heels or stiff dress shoes all night is a clear recipe for foot pain, so try to limit heel height and bring a pair of flats so that you’re not stuck in an uncomfortable pair all night.
5. Break Them In – Finally, try to break your shoes in a bit before the big night. Wear them around the house for 10-15 minutes a couple times a day in the lead up to prom. Your foot muscles will get better at handling how stress is dispersed in the shoe, and while it may be a little uncomfortable at the beginning, eventually your feet will become stronger and better able to handle this strain. Your feet will feel better if you break in the shoes a bit in the days and weeks leading up to prom.
We hope you have a a wonderful prom, but if you wake up with foot pain or you want to treat a foot issue so that prom doesn’t lead to more discomfort, reach out to Dr. Silverman and the team at Silverman Ankle & Foot today at (952) 224-8500.
