Shoe Lacing Tips

You may find that these shoe lacing tips from the American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society can help you prevent foot injuries, reduce pain, relieve some foot problems and improve shoe fit for 'difficult' feet.

The Society encourages people with specific foot problems to use these shoe lacing patterns and techniques.

First the 'just in case you forgot' stuff that include:

Loosen your laces before you put on your shoes. This reduces stress on the lace eyelets and the back of the shoe. In other words use your hands to put on your shoes, don't just step into them!
Begin lacing nearest the toes and snug up one set of eyelets at a time. This can help with a more comfortable and even fit.
The more eyelets your shoes have, the easier it is to adjust your laces for a custom fit
Conventional crisscross lacing right to the top of the shoe works for most people

Now for some 'good lacing stuff'. These will help you adapt shoes to your feet even if they weren't the perfect fit right off the shelf.

These shoe lacing patterns can also be used in conjunction with other foot issues such as described on the society website above. More 'secret stuff' to make sure you feet and your shoes are working in close harmony.

Narrow Feet

Use the eyelets furthest from the tongue of the shoes. This helps bring up the side of the shoe and snug it up a bit more.

Wide Feet

Use the eyelets closest to the tongue of the shoes. This technique can give your foot a little more space

Heel Problems

Use every eyelet of the shoe. Make sure the area closest to the heel is tied snuggly while less tension is used near the toes. When you reach the next to last eyelet on each side, thread the lace through the top eyelet, making a small loop. Then thread the opposite lace through each loop before tying it.

Take your time here. It's a little tricky until you do it once!

Narrow Heel & Wide Forefoot

Use two laces. Thread one lace through the top half of the eyelets and the other lace through the bottom half of the eyelets. The lace closest to the heel (top eyelets) should be tied more tightly than the other lace closest to the toes (bottom eyelets). You may have to experiment a bit with this until it feels best for you.

Is This Helpful?

Just a few little lacing tips to help you out in special situations. Stuff that not a lot of people are aware of. These special shoe lacing patterns can be very help and turn 'blah' fit into a 'wow' fit.

Try them out. We hope they can help you.

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