Footwear for senior citizens and baby boomers should support our arches. For many of us, our feet become wider and flatter with age, making support for the arch of the foot more important.

We should realize we are candidates for corrective insoles if we wake up with pain in the arches of our feet, or in our heels. It may seem strange to have foot pain after six to eight hours of bed rest, rather than during or after activities, but this is how the prolonged effect takes place. Another symptom is if you find that your heels are rolling inward.

The specific part of the foot that is protesting is known as the plantar fascia, which in layman's terms is the padding of fibrous tissue. If we don't support our arches within our footwear, the plantar fascia becomes stretched and irritated and spurs may develop.

For just one example, the basketball star Larry Bird was forced to retire in his prime years, during the early 1990s, because he developed painful bone spurs on his feet, and Larry Bird was only in his mid 30s when he made his swan song on the 1992 U.S. Olympic Dream Team. We are never too young to look out for our feet.

Because we ask our feet to do so much work for us, we need to make sure that as much of the foot as possible shares the brunt of the impact for each step we take. Those of us with high arches require insoles that apply pressure and support up into those arches, or otherwise we are requiring the heel and the sides of the arches to do extra work. Those of us with flat feet need insoles that create a sort of artificial arch. The arches often are supported by lifting the heels slightly higher.

Our feet won't just feel better. So will our knees and our lower back areas. Our mental outlooks also will remain strong, because we'll be able to spend more time on our feet.

SOURCES
http://www.walkfit.com/arch-pain/
http://www.doctorfoot.com/index.html
http://www.footsmart.com/healthcondition.aspx?ailmentId=64

Whether having wide feet is genetic or a result of standing on one's feet for years prior to taking early retirement as a baby boomer, there are now a wide selection of great looking shoes made specifically for the individual with wide feet. The selection of casual shoes, heels, athletic shoes and boots are not only available in sizes for wide feet but also in a wide variety of styles, colors and sizes.

Shoes for wide feet are no longer made in a single style. In fact, there is a wide variety of attractive and flattering shoes for all occasions and activities that are certain to be a great fit for individuals with wide feet. For the baby boomer woman looking for a sharp dress shoe for wide feet, there is an excellent collection available from Fitzwell and Gabriela Rocha. The collection offers a wide variety of pointed-toed high heels with an average heel height of 2 ¾ inches. The attractively designed shoes from Fitzwell are available in a variety of textures including gray suede, dark brown suede, gunmetal kid and black and range from $54 up to approximately $65 per pair.

For those looking for boots to fit wide feet, there are several brands that offer a variety of styles including Fitzwell and Lassen. Fitzwell makes a beautiful boot for wide feet that is available in black or brown and is made with a square toe, genuine leather upper and a 2-inch heel. This is a boot that one can wear throughout the fall and winter and is designed to be comfortable for wide feet. The retail price is approximately $57. The Lassen Beacon style boot is also a fashionable boot designed for individuals with wide feet. The ¾ length boot is available in a variety of colors for $75 per pair.

Finding a fashionable shoe designed for wide feet adds a lot of versatility to one's wardrobe as well as one's fashion look. There is a wide variety of shoes of all styles and heel heights made specifically with wide feet in mind, many of which are comfortable and affordable.