Walking Shoes

Did you know that walking uses up roughly the same amount of calories as running does? It's one of the best types of exercise around, but the wrong pair of shoes can make walking hurt more than it helps.

The first thing you need to know when you're choosing a new pair of walking shoes is that feet are like fingerprints--no two pairs are the same. It's a mistake, then, to simply buy the brand of walking shoe your best friend wears. You also want to avoid ordering your walking shoes online, since you can't try them on.

The best pair of walking shoes is the pair that fit your feet. It really is as simple as that. However, there are some basic points to take into account when you head out to buy them.

Why Do I Need Walking Shoes?

Many people don't understand why they need a special pair of shoes to walk in. We walk every day, after all.

What's wrong with the shoes we always wear? Plenty. For example, if you try to walk more than a block in your pointy-toed stilettos, you're going to wish those shoes were anywhere but on your feet. Even flats, if they don't have the right amount of support and grip, can prove treacherous if you try to walk any kind of distance in them.

If you take time to buy the right shoes, you can avoid blisters, bunions, corns, calluses, and other nasty foot problems.

How Walking Shoes Help Your Feet

Walking shoes keep your body balanced and aligned correctly. Unlike high heels which pitch you forward over your center of gravity, or flats which encourage you to lean back, your walking shoes will encourage you to keep your back straight and your body balanced. Your walking shoes will also provide a "cushion" for your feet as they land on the ground, minimizing the impact on your joints.

Not only do walking shoes help prevent injury to the spine and joints, they also help you get the most out of walking as an exercise.

Shopping Tips

Try to think about comfort more than style when you're buying your walking shoes. Here are some other things to take into account, too:

• Buy your shoes in the afternoon. Your feet will swell as they day passes, so make sure you try on your shoes when they're at their largest.
• Try on both shoes. Most people have one foot slightly larger than the other, so don’t be tempted to try on one shoe and then buy the pair. Try on both shoes. If one doesn't fit properly, you don't want to wait until you're hiking to find out!
• Walk in them! Take a couple of turns around the shoe store to make sure that your new shoes will be just as comfortable in action as they are when you're standing still.
• Check the soles. Walking shoes should have good, sturdy soles with a lot of grip. That's why regular flats are no good; the soles are typically too smooth to be of much use when you're out walking. Running shoes, meanwhile, have rubber soles will that will slip on ice and water just as easily as your flats will.

Further Reading

• Guide to picking the right walking shoes, from About.com
• Adventure Sports Online's guide to buying walking shoes
• A wide selection of walking shoes from Shoebuy.com
• Kids' selection of walking shoes from UniqueHomeStore.com