*Deciding what type of shoe you need -

The type of walking shoe one will likely purchase should depend a lot on the type of walking one plans to do. If you are going to be traveling and will be doing a lot of walking to do your sightseeing, you will probably want to consider purchasing a different type of walking shoes than you would if you wanted to do walking for cardiovascular exercise. Believe it not, most of the time, serious walkers who are walking for fitness would be better off if they were to purchase running shoes.

*Why choose running shoes?

Depending on the type of running shoe, the ones that are best for walkers are flexible and lightweight. Running shoes tend to be wider around the ball of the foot, something that is necessary to accommodate foot swelling that occurs after walking for a bit.

*What to look for in a walking/running shoe -

Ideally, the shoe should be flexible enough to bend where your foot bends, which is at the front of your foot near the ball of the foot. The shoe should not fit snugly and there should be plenty of room for the toes to wiggle around, since this will ultimately be more comfortable as your feet sweat and swell. Look for a shoe that has enough cushioning so you don’t feel like your feet are pounding on the pavement. Make sure that if your ankles are weak, the shoe has plenty of heel and ankle support.

Check out the soles of the shoes and make sure that the traction is sufficient for the kind of surface that you’ll be walking on. If you are going to walk on a fitness trail, you will want to have shoes that can grip the ground to keep you from falling. If you plan to walk indoors, make sure that the soles are not going to be slippery on tile floors.

*Where to buy a shoe for walking -

The best place to go to get shoes is a place that specializes in fitness shoes, or a place that specializes in running shoes. You may think that you know your size, but ask the sales clerk to measure your feet, just so you can be sure that you’re getting the proper size. Many people make the mistake of buying a walking/running shoe in the same size as their street shoes. They forget that they need to accommodate for foot swelling and that when walking for exercise, the feet need to be able to move around and breathe in the shoes. Most people need a shoe that is 1/2 size larger than their street shoes.

*How often to replace them -

The general recommendation is that one replace their walking or running shoes every three to five months, or every 500 miles. Unfortunately, people often make the mistake of thinking that if the shoes look okay, aren’t all torn up or worn out, that they’re still perfectly okay to wear. There are parts of a shoe that one cannot see. The cushioning inside the shoe will wear down with prolonged use, but one will not be able to see the wear and tear.

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*Finding the shoe that works for you -

Once you find a shoe that works for you, that fits well, that feels comfortable and that consistently performs well, stick to that shoe. As long as the manufacturer still makes the shoe, there is no point in testing the waters to see if other shoes are as good as the one to which you’ve grown accustomed.

If you are an avid walker, it is a good idea to consider purchasing two pairs of shoes. That way, one can alternate between the two pairs of shoes and have twice the wear. Alternating will also allow the shoe to have a rest between uses. Consider purchasing additional cushioning insoles that you can use to replace the existing ones if you need to do so before it is time to replace the shoes.

Walking is one of the best forms of exercise that one can do. It doesn’t cost anything except what one pays for the shoes they wear. One is not tied to someone else’s schedule and it is possible to fit the walking in at one’s convenience. It is something that can be done alone, or with a group of people. If you have kids, you can use a jogging stroller and walk with your kids that way. If you have a dog, you can use your walking time to give the dog a nice long walk.

A successful and enjoyable walk depends more on the comfort, fit and flexibility of the shoe than it does to other factors such as the weather, the traffic, the time of day, or the enjoyment of the company of the people with whom you may be walking.

Before embarking on an exercise plan that involves regular fitness walking, check with your doctor to make sure that you don’t have any type of medical problem for which walking would be ill advised.