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The BIRKENSTOCK footbed – Ultimate comfort

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Walk and stand comfortably for long periods of time, exercise your legs and feet or simply feel comfortable right down to your toes: your shoes are the key. When your individual foot’s anatomy is perfectly underpinned during each step, you’ll feel the positive effect throughout your entire body. The result: healthy feet, knee and hip joints, an upright posture and healthy and strong feet, allowing you to feel truly good.

Why a good fit is so important.

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The foundation for the BIRKENSTOCK feeling is detailed knowledge of the anatomy of the foot. The result is a fit that allows for the greatest amount of freedom while simultaneously providing your feet with optimum stability. The original BIRKENSTOCK footbed offers exactly the level of support your feet need when walking or standing. And, of course, a shoe should fit well. Not too big, not too small or wide. This all sounds like common sense, but even so some 80 per cent of Germans wear shoes that don’t fit correctly. This is because people do not take enough time when they buy shoes to receive proper sales advice or they make compromises.

An important point to note in this regard: your feet are the foundation of your body! They are connected to all parts of the body that allow you to walk upright. So the wrong shoes will lead to constant stress on your entire musculoskeletal system. This can lead to head, back and joint pain. Yet most people only start thinking about this when they are already experiencing problems. We aim to change this – by providing information about the right fit.

How a shoe should fit.

A shoe should surround the foot to protect it against external influences and provide it with a natural environment and support, without constricting it. When it does these things, it is said to fit well. Important factors for a good fit are the shoe size as well as the correct width, breadth and volume. Feet most definitely need sufficient room in front of the toes. This is because as the foot rolls, the toes slide forward – there must be room for movement.

What to avoid.

Shoes that are too short: If the shoe is too tight at the front, the toes will be pinched with every step. That could damage your feet. Shoes should therefore always be one thumb width longer in the toe area than your foot. That’s especially true for kids’ shoes. As their feet are still growing, the bone, muscle and tissue structures are still very soft and malleable. Not only do too tight, too narrow or too pointed shoes that pinch not feel good to children – over the long term, they can also lead to the development of foot problems or problems of the musculoskeletal system.

Shoes that are too big: Nor should the shoe be too big, as this will prevent your foot from rolling correctly and can, in some cases, affect the way you walk. If your toes have too much room, your foot will lose control of the shoe. A natural walking motion with a stable connection to the ground you’re walking on is therefore not possible.

Shoes that are too wide: There is a similar effect when shoes are too wide. In this case, too, the feet do not have sufficient stability and slide from side to side in the shoe. Your foot can also slide back and forth in the heel area. This poses a risk to ligaments and muscles.

How it works at BIRKENSTOCK.

A good fit promotes healthy feet and the footbed as the “foundation” ensures healthy walking and standing. That's why the original BIRKENSTOCK footbed is available in two widths: normal and narrow. The anatomically shaped footbed supports the natural form of the foot. Our models are also adjustable. So BIRKENSTOCK sandals and shoes can be adapted to fit to your individual foot. You can feel this in the high level of comfort.