Shoe Components

Shoes have five major components that we will refer to when discussing the many styles of shoes that women wear. This will come in handy when presented with the question of why we own so many shoes.

·       The toe box is the tip of the shoe that provides space for the toes. The shape of the toe box can be round, pointed, or squared which determines the positioning of the toes inside the shoe. Naturally, a wider toe box is more accommodating to the anatomical arrangement of the toes.

·       The vamp is the upper middle part of the shoe that covers the dorsum of the foot. In this area there can be laces, buckles or some other adornment.

·       The sole has two components, an insole and an outsole. The insole is located on the inside of the shoe, and the outsole, obviously is on the outside and exposed to the ground.

·       The heel is the bottom part of the rear of the shoe that provides height. For women, unless you’re Prince or a member of an 80’s rock band, the heel can range from completely flat to several inches high.

·       The counter is the rear of the shoe that provides support for the heel of your foot and the posterior aspect of the ankle joint. Many of us have had to place band-aids on the back of our feet because in a new shoe the upper edge of the counter rubs against our skin and acts as an irritant.

The material that is used to make the shoe makes a huge difference in fit and comfort. Softer materials like calf leather can decrease the amount of pressure applied to areas that may be irritated due to bunions or hammering of the toe. Stiffer materials like ostrich, rubber or plastic can cause painful blisters where they didn’t exist or inflame the pre-existing ones.

Contributed by: Tomika Coleman

tcoleman@americanwomenpodiatrists.com