Here’s something that never occurred to me: you can adjust your shoe-lacing method according to the shape of your feet and whatever aches and pains they might be sending your way. For instance:
Wide forefoot with narrow heel
1. Separate the lacing into two sections—bottom and top—using two sets of short shoelaces. Lace the bottom three eyelets with one shoelace. Lace the top eyelets with the second shoelace. For a good heel fit with no slippage, use the “lace lock” technique at the top.
This is from the Web site for Propet shoes — a line I found about from a comment by DropKick, a long-time reader. He’s quite fond of them … haven’t used ’em myself but judging from the expansive variety of shoes in multiple widths, they may well be worth looking into.
I do not lace the bottom of my left shoe. For extra room. Both right and left I use the heel slip lace technique. I think it helps. But every bodies feet are different.
I think the balls of my feet have experienced some “middle-aged spread,” so this is a fascinating link.