Dear Podiatrists—

I have read a lot about how important it is for your foot health to wear properly fitting shoes. However, most of the advice on the internet regarding how to properly fit a shoe is not written by podiatrists and is subjective and vague.

Can real podiatrists from reddit tell me, for the good of all who care to read, how should footwear fit?

How do you determine if a shoe is too big or too small? When you recommend leaving “extra room”, how much room is too much and how much room is insufficient? What does this look like with a sandal, a sneaker, a hiking shoe/boot, a snow or rainboot? (Photos of properly fitting sandals or shoes or diagrams appreciated)

When compromises must be made (getting a shoe with too much width to accommodate a longer but skinny foot, for example) when is a compromise valid or best avoided?