Not every foot requires a wider toe box. “Someone who has any kind of deformity in the forefoot (the widest part of the foot) would need a shoe with a wide toe box to avoid pain and crowding in the toes,” Dr. Lobkova says. This could include bunions, arthritis in the big toe joint, hammertoes, or neuroma. “Those who feel tight in standard-width shoes,” she counters, “should opt for a wide-width shoe.” Of course, the best way to determine the right fit is to try the shoe on. Otherwise, it can be difficult to assess the qualities you need from a specific brand or style.
Note that wide-fit shoes are more of a solution than a precautionary measure. “Tight fitting shoes do not actually cause foot and toe deformities, such as bunions, however they contribute to the worsening of them,” Dr. Lobkova warns. “Specifically, shoes with a narrow toe box press against the joint and irritate the capsule overlying the bones….they also exaggerate or worsen toe deformities by increasing abnormal pressure onto the foot bones.”
