Is it better for shoes to be tight or loose? Shoes that are on the tighter side are likely to rub, and since this friction can cause blisters, it's best to have a bit of wiggle room.
Not only does wearing tight shoes cause damage to your feet, but it can also cause damage to other parts of your body. As your body adjusts your gait and posture due to the pressure from your tight shoes, your legs, hips, lower back, and other muscles can become strained.
The new shoes feel tight around the toes, they rub at the heel, and they pinch with every step. They felt great at the store. What happened? It's the dreaded break-in period, when a new shoe rubs against tender feet, causing blisters and abrasions, until shoe and foot find a way to conform to each other in harmony.
Many people feel that a shoe needs to be tight on the heel when they are new. There is no such thing as heel width. This fallacy causes many people to buy their shoes too small. A properly fitted shoe may slip on the heel slightly when new.
It's normal for new shoes to feel tight around the toes, rub at the heel and pinch a little bit with every step. Because leather is an organic material and it stretches as it adapts to your feet, every new pair of shoes requires a break-in period.
Shoes that are too loose can lead to poor arch support, shin pain, and arch collapse. Loose-fitting shoes may also cause trips and falls, as your foot can't feel the surface as well as it should.
Typically shoes loosen up naturally as you wear them from place to place, but that entire process could take weeks of tiptoeing around with crunched toes and blooming blisters.
They should also have a little bit of wiggle room in the toe box — if your toes are rubbing against the front of the shoe, your shoes are likely too tight and may cause pain or discomfort on your toes and toenails.
Generally speaking though, Nike tends to have more and stiffer padding in their modern sneakers. This results in a narrower fit than many adidas releases. With some adidas, I'm able to wear a half size smaller than normal, which is way more rare for a pair of Nikes.
Proper toe fit: You want a thumb's width of space between your toe and the end of the shoe. Midfoot and heel fit: You should have a snug (but not tight) fit at the midfoot and heel.
While most shoes will stretch and mold to fit your feet over time, many can be manually stretched. Leather shoes are easiest to stretch, but most fabrics and materials can also be stretched.
As a result, many adults are wearing shoes that are not appropriate for their foot shape and size. Women especially are more likely to purchase a shoe that is too small, putting them at risk for corns, bunions, and other deformities that may require surgery to correct.
Even if you do get the right fit, realize that shoes shrink over time, particularly if you get them wet often (either from excessive sweat or precipitation).
Other painful effects of wearing shoes that are too big include: Corns and calluses: caused by excessive pressure on the toes. Metatarsalgia: caused by too much pressure on the balls of your feet. Disrupted natural stride: resulting in Achilles tendonitis, arch pain, and pain in the calf muscles.
Wear thicker socks (or multiple pairs).
Perhaps the easiest thing you can do to make a loose pair of shoes fit better is to "bulk up" your feet with thicker layers of socks. For example, you might try exchanging a skin-tight pair of dress socks or tights for a padded set of crew socks.
It's normal for new shoes to require an adjustment period, it is not normal for new shoes to cause more than a slight discomfort to your feet. If you're finding yourself getting excessive blisters or feeling pain as you wear the shoes, it's best to return them for a different style or brand.
A good way to stretch out your sneakers overnight is by getting a Ziploc bags, filling them with water, and stuffing them inside of your shoes. You'll then put your shoes in the freezer overnight, where the water will freeze, causing it to expand and open up your shoes some more.
Shoes will typically stretch all on their own as you wear them. Leather shoes, whether it be men's dress shoes or women's heels, will fit over time.
Stand up and make sure there is 3/8" or 1/2" (about the width of your finger) between your longest toe (usually the second toe) and the end of the shoe. Always stand and walk around in the shoes to see if they are comfortable, fit well, and don't chafe or rub anywhere. Your heel should not slip or slide while walking.
On's high performance running footwear generally fits true to your usual size. On themselves, however, recommend that with their acclaimed waterproof range that you go up one on your usual size.
As a rule of thumb (or toe), you should have about 3/8″ to 1/2″ of room from the tip of your longest toe to the end of the shoe. Your big toe is not automatically your longest toe. Pick the shoes that match your foot shape.
There should be about half an inch between the end of your longest toe and the front of the shoe. If you have small hands, this is about the size of the tip of your index finger. If you have large hands, it's about the size of the tip of your pinky finger.