SSF and the Healthy Footwear Guide

In 2023 the SSF teamed up with the Healthy Footwear Guide (HFG) to further promote healthy footwear, fitting and foot health.

The HFG aims are as follows:

  • They accredit healthy footwear and promote it to health professionals, the trade and the public.
  • They promote the features of footwear that will provide long-term benefits to your wellbeing.
  • They enable and motivate their stakeholders to promote the vision of the HFG to its audiences.

The Guide aims are:

  1. To help people to recognise the key features of footwear that will most likely offer a healthy and comfortable fit.
  2. To encourage companies to manufacture shoes with these key features.
  3. Encouraging companies to join the Healthy Footwear Guide and actively promote footwear with these key features
  4. Helping people find shoe stores that can advise on the correct fit of this footwear.
  5. Offering advice to people who cannot get to a shoe store on the key fitting properties to look for when trying Healthy Footwear Guide recommended footwear.

The HFG defined, using and expert group process, eleven criteria for the recognition of healthy footwear:

  • Toe box allows normal foot function
  • Adequate width and depth for foot function
  • Sole encourages normal foot function
  • Soft flexible upper and lining
  • Stable heel of approximately 25mm
  • In shoe climate which promotes a healthy environment within the shoe
  • Shoe provides reasonable cosseting
  • Shoe retains its’ fitness for purpose
  • Shoe must offer good foot retention
  • Availability of product advice
  • Outsole grip meets industry standard

This criteria forms the foundations of the Healthy Footwear Group.

Healthy Footwear Guide website

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