Use a Shoe Stretcher to Make Your Shoes Fit

If you are still walking around in shoes that are too tight for your feet, you must stop this and now. This is so bad for your feet and your body in a number of ways.

For one, your feet are connected to all other parts of your body. So if they are hurting, you are hurting your whole body indirectly. Also, a poor shoe fit can also negatively affect your back and posture. Finally, tight shoes damage your feet in the form of corns, bunions, and sores. Hammer toes can make it extra hard to sport your sandals in the summer time and forget about getting a foot rub from your girlfriend or boyfriend any time soon! These three reasons alone should be enough to get you to stop wearing those too-tight shoes just because they're "cute."

You don't necessarily have to trash the shoes. You can stretch the shoes out with a two-way shoe stretcher tool. These are available online and possibly at your local shoe repair shop. Note that I specifically suggested a "two-way" stretcher-regular stretchers only increase the width of the shoe. A two way stretcher increases both the width and the length of the shoe (heel to toe).

So here's what you do. Spray some shoe stretching solution on the shoe (if leather or similar), which you can also find online or in a shoe store to loosen the material. Then insert the two-way shoe stretcher, toe first, into the shoe. Turn the handle several times until the shoe stretcher is pushing right up against both the heel and sides of the shoe. Twist it a few more times as you see fit, to assure that it is expanding, but don't overdo it. If you do, you could end up with a shoe that's too floppy and wide!

Let the shoe sit overnight, or at least for about six hours. You can then slide your feet and enjoy a more comfortable walking experience. Use the shoe stretcher on all of your too-tight shoes. That $20 or $30 investment in your feet will be well worth the expense. If a pair of shoes won't stretch, then trash them.

One last thing. Don't buy cheap shoes, even if they're "cute." It's just not worth it! Again, think of well-made, well-fitting shoes as an investment in your comfort.