1 Heels for every day use should not be more than 2.5cm high.

2 If buying slip-on shoes, get a pair about a 1/2 size larger than your normal shoe size. Shoes with fasteners are best, especially for flats.

3 Buy shoes in the afternoon as feet tend to swell in warm weather.

4 Pregnant women should get their feet measured again as feet tend to swell during pregnancy.

5 Check the heels and soles of shoes regularly. Worn heels and soles should be replaced immediately.

6 Children below 14 should not wear high heels often as their feet are still growing.
7 Over-the-counter products like silicon gels, cushions and inserts can help relieve pain in the short term. One, the Insolia insert, was designed by an American podiatrist and a rocket scientist. The front of the insert is built higher than the heel cup, so body weight is shifted off the ball of the foot and concentrated at the heel.

8 Take into account the width of feet as well as the length when buying heels.

9 Feet expand with age, so have feet measured frequently when buying shoes.

10 Calf-stretching exercises help to keep feet supple.

This story first appeared in The Straits Times' Mind Your Body supplement on Dec 19, 2007.