A good pair of athletic shoes, that properly fit, go a long way to making your exercise more enjoyable, reduce injury, and protect your diabetic feet. Remember, most of the lower leg amputations in the US are a result of DM, and former Surgeon General C. Everett Koop believes many are preventable.

One of the problems that many people have with athletic shoes is that they seem to come in one width - average . Some type Is have skinny feet while many type IIs have wide feet. Here are some sources that may help you find a shoe more to your liking - and then you can have your local shoe store order one for you. (I advise against buying shoes mail order unless you have a guaranteed return policy - and then be sure to return the shoe if it doesn't fit right!) Some of the national sports shoe chains are listed here - it may take them a few days to get in a special model or size (took 8 days for me once) - but it is worth the wait to get the right shoe. Just call ahead to make sure the store carries the brand/model you are interested in - I have found that not all national outlets carry the same lines.

Some general comments - New Balance has got the widest range of sizes I have seen, but Etonic now offers some EE and EEEE models as well, and ASICs has added some wide and narrow models. Saucony has been known for their wide toe box, possibly making a comfortable fit in a size that wouldn't from another manufacturer. Nike (whose WWW site is currently back on the air),on the other hand, seems to have the smallest shoes around, so if you have tiny tootsies, look to them (or men might try a women's model, which are cut narrower). With the Nike's, everything seems to be smaller - so try going up 1/2 size in length beyond your normal shoe if you aren't getting a good overall fit.

Other links:

Runner's World Hands on Guide to selecting a running shoe. This is a great site if you're into running, and has lots of good info on foot type, pronation etc... even if you aren't a runner.

Adidas - An e-Zine with Feature stories, sports, product info

Reebok - shoes, sports, sign up to win goodies (if you can get past all the cookies!)

The Athlete's Foot - worldwide store locator, differences between shoes, info on picking sizes and types

Sneaker Source - an online store - New Balance, Etonic, Saucony running and walking shoes with descriptions and ratings

FootZone - an online store carrying Asics, Brooks, New Balance, Nike, and Saucony

Sneaker World - another online store, wholesale and retail, with searchable index by type of shoe and manufacturer.

Rockport Dressy looking shoes that are COMFORTABLE and great for that long walkabout.

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