With dozens of running shoe manufacturers and hundreds of models and features available today, it can be daunting to find the right shoe for a given activity and foot type. Nike^® is perhaps the most synonymous brand in sports gear, but other brands like New Balance^®, Asics^® and Brooks^® are well-known for producing high quality, good-fitting running shoes.

On her Podiatry Today blog, Jenny Sanders, DPM recently made shoe recommendations for patients with narrow feet. Topping the list was the GEL Foundation^® 9 by Asics for being the most narrow, shallow shoe available. Two Brooks shoes, the Addiction^™ 9 and Adrenaline^™ 10 also made the list.

So what’s the big deal about shoe width and depth anyways?

For people who don’t participate in endurance activities like running, hiking or playing team sports – finding a form-fitting shoe is often considered less important in the decision-making process than chasing fashion trends and sales. But with amateur and professional athletes or diabetics with insensate feet, finding a shoe designed for their particular foot type can make a big difference in foot health. Blisters, calluses, bunions and other foot conditions can be directly traced to ill-fitting footwear. And, therefore, narrow or wide-footed athletes and people with diabetes should do their research to find and appropriate shoe for their foot.