1. Heels for every day use should not be more than 2.5cm high.

2. If buying slip-on shoes, get a pair about a 1/2 size larger than your normal shoe size. Shoes with fasteners are best, especially for flats.

3. Buy shoes in the afternoon as feet tend to swell in warm weather.

4. Pregnant women should get their feet measured again as feet tend to swell during pregnancy.

5. Check the heels and soles of shoes regularly. Worn heels and soles should be replaced immediately.

6. Children below 14 should not wear high heels often as their feet are still growing.

7. Over-the-counter products like silicon gels, cushions and inserts can help relieve pain in the short term. One, the Insolia insert, was designed by an American podiatrist and a rocket scientist. The front of the insert is built higher than the heel cup, so body weight is shifted off the ball of the foot and concentrated at the heel.

8. Take into account the width of feet as well as the length when buying heels.

9. Feet expand with age, so have feet measured frequently when buying shoes.

10. Calf-stretching exercises help to keep feet supple.

This story first appeared in The Straits Times' Mind Your Body supplement on Dec 19, 2007.