Buying Shoes for Seniors: 11 Shopping Trends to Follow

22 Jan

Buying Shoes for Seniors: 11 Shopping Trends to Follow

We spend a lot of time on our feet. When we get older, it is necessary to buy shoes for seniors that both alleviate the pains and problems we have developed over the years. The best shoes for seniors should also offer stability and support as we start to lose our own.

Even for seniors who are still very active, or who are not yet feeling the effects of old age on the feet, should consider investing in the right types of shoes. As a senior, you want to feel as comfortable as possible while you are enjoying the best years of your retirement.

When buying shoes for seniors, follow these ten shopping criteria to keep those aches and pains at bay:

1. Shoe Cushioning

As we get older, we lose that extra fat that pads the bottom of our feet. As a result, walking can become more painful and difficult. Cushioned insoles are a great feature for seniors’ shoes, as they provide that extra cushion that has been lost to make walking easier, more comfortable, and less painful.

2. Shoes with Support

Shoes with support allow the feet to relax a little, since they don’t have to provide their own support. Especially for elderly individuals, whose feet will begin to weaken over time, it is important to offer as much support as possible to avoid falls, sprains, strains, and breaks.

3. Breathable Shoes

Having a breathable shoe can help decrease the weight of the shoe, and can increase comfort, depending on the shoe’s intended use. Shoes with breathable mesh won’t insulate as well, but will be comfortable, especially in hot weather.

This is an especially practical feature with shoes for seniors, since the shoe will be worn all the time around the house.

4. Lightweight Shoes

A heavy shoe can be hard to manage and can be difficult to control for elderly individuals. Heavier shoes are likely made from harder material – seniors may feel more comfortable with a fabric that is a little softer and moves better with their feet.

Lightweight shoes don’t inhibit the movement or abilities of the user at all, while simultaneously offering a more comfortable shoe for the wearer.

5. Shoes with Motion Control

This feature helps to decrease the foot’s ability to move around within the shoe. This is another important feature for safety and comfort, and will help to increase the stability of the foot of the wearer to decrease both short and long-term injuries to the foot.

6. Non-Binding Shoes

Too-tight shoes will add to an individual’s already pained feet. Bunions or sore muscles will become more agitated with tight shoes. This is why shoes that are non-binding, but which still offer good support and motion control, are ideal for elderly users.

7. Easy to put on

One difficulty of getting older may be in a person’s range of motion and ability to easily bend down. Shoes that are easy to put on or easy to do up – such as slip-on shoes or Velcro shoes – are popular in the senior community.

Shoes with laces are more difficult and time consuming to do up, and can be dangerous in the event that the laces come undone.

8. Wide Shoes

Over time, the elasticity in our feet decreases and so it is natural that our feet will lengthen and widen as a result. Seniors can expect that their feet will grow a half size. In addition, they may also experience swelling as a result of medication, certain conditions, or injuries, and so having a wide-foot shoe can help accommodate that extra space requirement.

In addition, they may also experience swelling as a result of medication, certain conditions, or injuries, and so having a wide-foot shoe can help accommodate that extra space requirement.

9. Shoes with Grip

For safety reasons, shoes with good grip are another important feature for seniors. In fact, it’s a great feature for anybody. The reason it becomes more important for seniors is that as we age, we lose a bit of the balance and stability we once had. Grip helps to decrease the chances of the user slipping and falling, and helps increase a sense of stability.

10. Orthopedic Shoes

Orthopedics are a medical shoe that provide specific support and corrective features for skeletal deformities and problems. They help everything from bones, muscles, and ligaments to joints, nerves, and tendons. Although many people of all ages require orthopedics to help them heal and correct issues, it is more common in the senior community because of the increased issues that occur over time in these areas.

11. What shoes to avoid

There is also a laundry list of shoes for seniors that will do more harm than good when worn by individuals who may already be struggling with foot problems and issues of balance and stability. Anything with a high heel – that is, higher than 2 ¼ inch – and anything with a pointy toe should be avoided.

In addition, anything with a slick sole that is flimsy or doesn’t have support or a back that goes around the heel should be avoided. And don’t hang on to old shoes! Even the best shoes will grow old and won’t offer the benefits they once did.

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ByAlice

Alice is the original founder of We Are The In Crowd. Her qualifications include a university degree in psychology and a second degree in marketing. She is currently employed as a Marketing Specialist, which means she gets to analyze trends all day for a living!