Last week, I talked about my feet and my tendency to sometimes treat them not-so-nicely.

It’s funny because shortly after I wrote that entry, I recevied my latest issue of SELF magazine in the mail and came across this article: Find Your Sole Mate!.

Was it a sign? Were my feet sending me messages via an article in a national publication?

Probably not. But the article was a solid affirmation of so many of the points I had discussed last week. Number one? Choosing the right shoe will reduce your risk of injury!

Now, while the SELF piece is solely (there I go with the puns again—ha!) focused on athletic shoes, the information it includes about figuring out your foot type is invaluable. And even though the process of figuring out your foot type may seem a bit time consuming, it’s worth it—I promise! After years of struggling with foot issues—primarily the result of my long distance running habit—I decided to do a test similar to this one. Discovering I had high arches and a pronation problem really helped me to hone in on the shoe that would work best for me.

The SELF article also does a fantastic job at delivering facts that make you think. Like this one: 85 percent of people wear shoes that don’t fit, according to the American College of Sports Medicine in Indianapolis.

That’s nuts-o, right?

There is just no reason why we should be torturing our feet like that!

Do me a favor: If your feet are achy and sore from improper shoes, then check out this article. After you gauge what kind of shoes you need, head to your local fitness store and talk to a professional who can analyze your feet, fit you for proper shoes, and even watch you run or walk on a treadmill to be sure they work for you.

You’ll be glad you did.

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Caroline Shannon has been a journalist for six years, working for several publications, including Ideal Bite, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, First30Days, Maniac magazine and The Glass Hammer. She is a certified Pilates instructor and takes a long, hard run just as seriously as she does several Hint ‘O Mint Newman-O’s. She can be reached at www.carolineshannon.com.