Buying a sneaker that is slightly larger than your foot allows for better circulation which minimizes swelling. If one foot is slightly larger than the other go for the bigger size and always consider the kind of socks you plan to wear with your shoes.
Another way to check this is to slip a finger between the heel of your foot and the heel of your shoe. There should be just enough space for your finger to fit nice and snugly. If your finger slides in easily with space to spare, you should probably go down a half size, while if it's a tight squeeze, go up half a size.
A half-size represents a 1/8” difference. It may not seem significant but is enough to distinguish between comfort and discomfort. Because there is no standardisation for shoe sizing, a half size difference will also depend on the brand of shoe. With some makes, a half size will be more significant than others.
When you measure your foot for shoe size, add about 0.6 inches (or 1.5 centimeters) to the length. If you're between sizes, we recommend going up. As you can see, the difference of one whole size is only about a half-inch (less than 1 centimeter).
That is, while a 7 B and 7.5 A differ in overall length by 1/6th of an inch, they are essentially identical in width and interior volume. Given the very small differences in length, the shoe will work well with your foot from a mechanical basis.
There is approximately a 1/6" difference between each half-size (e.g., between 9 and 9.5, between a 9.5 and a 10, and so on) For every half size up, the width (across the ball) will increase by 1/8"
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.
For the most accurate measurement, it's best to measure your feet at the end of the day. Feet tend to swell throughout the day and may have a slightly larger measurement in the evening than in the morning.
There are a few things you can do if you brought shoes that are 1-2 sizes too big. One option is to stuff the shoes with socks or newspaper to make them fit better. Another option is to wear thicker socks or put on heel inserts. You could also try using shoe stretchers to help make the shoes bigger.
Christine Luff from verywell.com recommends going up half a shoe size because one's feet swell when they run and it is important to have plenty of room in the toebox. If one's toes are crammed in the front of the running shoe, you could develop blisters or black toenails.
Assuming that you're talking about shoe sizes, an 8.5 shoe on a size 9 foot might fit, but it will be tight and uncomfortable, not to mention bad for your foot.
There is a significant difference between a size 10 and a size 10.5 shoe. A size 10 shoe is significantly smaller than a size 10.5 shoe, and as such, it will not provide the same level of comfort or support. If you are looking for a comfortable, supportive shoe, then you should opt for the larger 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.
If one foot is 1½ sizes bigger than the other (or more), it's best to buy shoes in non-matching sizes. Some retailers have 'split-size' policies: you could buy one shoe in size 8 and another in size 9 ½, say.
Insoles are your new best friend
Although often intended to help with posture problems and other discomfort, insoles are also useful to make shoes smaller by taking up extra space in footwear that's a tad on the big side. Full insoles are a fantastic solution if your shoes are too big across the length of your foot.
The difference is only about 1/3rd of CM in length but its overall change is as much that it can accommodate more volume of feet. Now the correct way to explain the half size is that its very small difference – you can convert any shoe to its half size by inserting an extra cushion layer at the bottom of shoe.
The most common shoe size in the US is 10.5, and the size increases as your height increases.
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. But if they are too tight and uncomfortable to wear in, try some of these easy hacks to stretch your shoes up to half a size or so to accommodate your feet.
If your shoes are too narrow or short, the extra pressure placed on your toe can lead to the edge of a toenail growing into your skin. Ingrown toenails can cause pain and the skin around your nail to become red or infected. Ingrown toenails are most common on the big toe, but can also occur on other toes.
Australian shoe sizes are equal to American shoe sizes, so if you're purchasing footwear from a US-based retailer, you should find the fit is the same. If you're buying from a UK-based store, go down 2 sizes. If you're a 7 in Australia, you're a 5 in the UK.