If your shoes often feel painful by the end of the day and you’re noticing unsightly changes in your feet, it could well be because you’ve been wearing the wrong shoe size for years. Studies showed that 50% of women wear the wrong shoe size and 70% of men as well!!

Obviously, wearing the wrong size shoes is a problem from a pain perspective, but in the long-term, it can also cause larger issues, like bunions, foot deformities (like hammertoes or toenail damage), and pain even when you’re barefoot. Best way is to measure your feet regularly at a store but that is not always available or handy. Therefore, the common and easy way to know the right measurement is by using the steps provided below to ensure the perfect size.

Measuring the feet at home is done by tracing the feet on paper and measuring the length and width of each foot. In order to get the most accurate figures:

• Gather paper (legal size is good for most adults), a pencil, and a long ruler or tape measure.
• Trace feet in the evening, after the feet have swollen to their maximum size.
• Trace feet in the hosiery that will be worn with the shoes in question.
• Sit down on a chair and place a sheet of paper on the floor.
• Place one foot on the paper and allow it to rest naturally.
• Holding the pencil perfectly vertically and perpendicular to the paper, trace around the perimeter of the foot as closely as possible without angling the pencil in or out. It is not necessary to draw the outline of each toe; the longest toe is of primary concern.
• Using the ruler, measure the distance from the very bottom of the heel to the top of the longest toe. Subtract 0.20 to 0.25 inches or about 0.50 centimeter to account for the diameter of the pencil. Record the resulting measurement in both inches and centimeters.
• Measure the distance spanning the ball of the foot at its widest point, from left to right. Again, subtract 0.20 to 0.25 inches or 0.50 centimeter from this figure to account for the width of the pencil, and record the final measurement in both inches and centimeters.
• Flip the paper over and repeat these steps with the other foot