Why don’t you take the simple wet foot test and come back to me with the results?” asks Gurugram-based chiropodist Dr Ruchi Sridhar to many of her patients who complain of common foot-related ailments
such as hammertoes, bunions, shin splints or sprains.
All these have a common enemy: the wrong choice of shoe. The most effective way to treat this is by wearing footwear that supports your arches based on whether you have a normal, low or high arch.
A 10-second wet foot test helps you determine that. “Dip your feet in a medium-sized bowl of water and then place them firmly on absorbent paper to get an imprint of the soles. The findings help you make the right shoe selection as it’s one of the most effective ways of understanding the biomechanics (structure and alignment) of the feet,” Dr Sridhar says.
Normal arch
After taking the wet foot test, if the foot impressions show the middle part of your arch half-filled, you have a normal arch. This is ideal as the arch supports your body weight appropriately and permits for effortless pronation or the way your foot rolls inward for impact distribution when walking or running. “The best kind of shoe for you is one with a neutral midsole and a modest to straight last (shoes that are
symmetrical),” says Dr Sridhar.
High arch
The results of the wet foot test in this case will come back with arches that are about half the diameter of a normal arch. “You run the risk of over supination—the condition when the posterior of the foot does not roll in enough. This makes shock absorption difficult, leading to pain that sometimes travels up the leg, hips or spine. “You need well-cushioned shoes with high arch support. For firm support for the ball and heel of your foot and stability in movement, buy good quality insoles,” according to the chiropodist.
Low arch
If you have a low arch, the wet foot test will show a wide foot imprint, almost double the size of a normal arch. In most cases, such people will have a flat foot or a condition where the feet have little to no arch. “This occurs due to excessive pronation or when the arch of the foot collapses downward. This is the most problematic arch type as the flatting of the foot muscles, tendons, and ligaments strain the area, leading to the inflammation of soft tissue and leg fatigue,” says Dr Sridhar, suggesting customised foot insoles and arches to combat foot ailments. She adds, “Purchase a slightly raised heel and make sure the toe box has enough room to accommodate the feet to get some weight off your feet, literally.”