The Best Way to Tie Shoes – The Proven Method to Make Your Shoes Feel Better!

Editor’s Note: This post has been completely revamped and updated for accuracy on May 2022 and reflects up-to-date information on the best way to tie shoes.

I have been working for a specialized shoe store for 10 years now, where we help women with “complicated” foot shapes or foot conditions. My coworker who has over 30 years of shoe fitting experience taught me the best way to tie shoes.

I always explain to women how it doesn’t matter how supportive their shoes are, if you don’t tie them properly, they won’t get any of the benefits that the shoes have to offer.

The way you tie your shoelaces can help relieve pressure points and provide your foot with better support during your walks or runs. Most importantly, the way you tie your shoes can help prevent your heels from slipping off the shoes. I know this is an issue for most women, and something so simple such as tying your shoe the proper way will take care of that problem

I am going to start by describing theist way to tie shoes for women with narrow feet.

The Best Way to Tie Shoes for Women with Narrow Feet

Women with narrow feet have the hardest time finding shoes that fit. However, the way they tie their shoes will make a tremendous difference in the way their shoes feel.

I call this method the “reverse the shoelaces technique”, and this particular shoe tying method will push your feet back, supporting and securing them against the back of the shoe, preventing your heels from slipping off the shoes.

So, if you have narrow feet please follow the steps below to figure out the best way to tie your shoes:

1- Start by leaving the two top eyelets (holes) of the shoes open:

2- Go through the top hole first.

3- Go through the holes you left open.

You are all done! These steps are very easy and simple to follow, but they make a huge difference in the way your shoes feel! You will notice an immediate difference and feel a lot more stable and secure when walking or running.

The Best Way to Tie Shoes for Women with Wide Feet

You can use the same shoe tying method describe above if you have wide or extra wide feet. However, it’s important that if someone has wide feet or a high instep, to relieve the pressure from the widest part of the feet.

If you have wide feet follow the same technique above but make sure you skip going through the following eyelet:

This will help prevent putting pressure in the widest area of your foot, where your pinky toe (small toe) is.

Are Your Shoelaces Becoming Untie All the Time?

This is something we all have experienced. However, when our shoes are becoming untied often, we must find a way to prevent this from happening, since for example we don’t want to stop running or exercising to tie our shoes all the time.

There is a particular shoelace style I use that  has proven to be the most effective when it comes to keeping your shoelaces tied. They come with an adjustable grip for a performance fit and they come in a variety of bold patterns and colors.

It’s important to get the correct length when choosing shoe laces, since a shoelace that is too small will give you a hard time every time you are trying to tie them, and a shoelace that is too long might make you fall since you might step on it and trip. If you are unsure how long your shoelaces should be you need to check how many eyelets (shoe holes) are in your shoes and based on that number order the length shown in the image below:

Below you can find a selection of the most durable shoelaces:

Do you happen to have a child that wants to learn how to tie his or her shoes? I actually wrote an article where I describe the simplest way to teach your child how to tie his/her shoes:

The Easiest Way To Teach Kids Tie The Shoes – It Takes Less Than 30 Seconds!

Have you tried this shoe tying technique before? Do you always feel like your heels are slipping out of the shoe? Please share your thoughts and experiences below so we can all benefit from them!