Your feet may be telling you something | Pierce County

We walk all over them but most of the time there’s no complaint – until it’s too late. The average woman will own 450 pairs of shoes in a lifetime.

We walk all over them but most of the time there’s no complaint – until it’s too late. The average woman will own 450 pairs of shoes in a lifetime. Men will own about half that many. Yet few people have their feet measured professionally, trusting only their feel. But a lifetime of ill-fitting shoes can result in pain and discomfort in our later years.

“If the Shoe Fits…The Secrets of Walking for Health” is a free, information-only presentation about feet, shoes and the science of selecting the right fit to last a lifetime. Participants will learn about how and why feet change and how shoes should be evaluated for long-term benefit.

The presentation will be held four times in September:

Sept. 15

• 12:10 to 12:50 p.m. (Pierce County Annex Main Meeting Room, 2401 S. 35th Street in Tacoma)

• 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. (Lakewood Senior Center, 9112 Lakewood Dr. SW in Lakewood). Please RSVP for this site at 798-4090

Sept. 17

• 12:10 to 12:50 p.m. (County-City Building 7th Floor Conference Room, 930 Tacoma Ave. S. in Tacoma)

• 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. (Summit Branch Library, 5107 112th St. E., Tacoma)

“We talk all the time about aging in place,” said Aaron Van Valkenburg, manager of Pierce County Aging & Disability Resources. “The most important way to age in place is to stay physically active. Owning the right pair of shoes makes all the difference in the world if someone wants to keep moving. Good fitting shoes are the best way for families to support their loved ones – and themselves – into their later years.”

“If the Shoe Fits…The Secrets of Walking for Health” will be presented by Bobby Lozier, who is certified by the American Board for Certification in Orthotics, Prosthetics and Pedorthics. Lozier will speak about foot anatomy, balance and circulatory issues, shoe design and features, shoe fit, how feet change, diabetes and foot care, health issues that are revealed in feet and specialized pedorthic products.

The workshop is an information-only presentation sponsored by the Pierce County Aging and Disability Resource Center. The event is free and open to the public. RSVP is requested for the Sept. 15 presentation at the Lakewood Senior activity Center by calling (253) 798-4090. No RSVP is needed for the other three presentations. For more information call (253) 798-4600.