You must be buying your dress shoes primarily because of the quality of leather, color, texture and decorative design but in exercise walking shoes it is what is under the foot that's more important. If you are a serious walker and looking for good shoes ,then you must understand the fact that the way the walking platform of a shoe is designed from the heel, where the walking motion begins, to the toe, where the foot must bend for toe off, determines how your foot will function. An issue of the University of California at Berkeley wellness letter observed " ill fitting shoes,it is thought, cause 80% of all foot problems. Besides causing corns, bunions, nail deformities and other problems, painful shoes can alter gait and your outlook for the worse." Anything which inhibits the natural motion of the foot will affect the foot's biomechanical efficiency. Your foot and the muscles in your legs will fighting the restrictions of the shoe. Thus, it is important to know what kind of exercise walking shoes should be bought.

A good exercise walking shoes platform should not be stiff at the forefoot, the ball of the foot, as many jogging and cross training shoes are. Rigid sole at the forefoot on exercise walking shoes interfere with toe – off, which is an essential part of the foot's contribution to your forward progress and speed. Some rocker type shoes, most cross trainers and jogging shoes are too rigid for the biomechanical juncture. They restrict the foot's ability to contribute to forward propulsion at the toe-off and cause the foot to labour against the stiff walking platform as it tries to bend in its natural manner. An exercise walker wearing such shoes and trying to accelerate beyond the brisk pace will experience unnecessary shin fatigue and stress in the leg muscles.

A good exercise walking shoe should have a comfortably wide toe box to accommodate the widening of the forefoot when the body weight is loaded onto it. The toe box should also be high enough to give the shoe adequate clearance. The platform of an exercise walking shoe should be essentially neutral. It should not try to manage the foot's biomechanics but should let it move from the heel plant to toe-off in its most natural manner. It should be just thick enough to protect the bottom of the foot, and provide a moderate amount of cushioning. The heel should be closer to half a inch because it is easier to walk at a fast pace with a lower heel.

But keep in mind that your buying decision should always be made on the basis of 'fit and comfort' over any technical features.

Things you should keep in mind while you go to buy exercise walking shoes :

• If the shoes don't fit right and feel good the moment you put them on , those may not be good shoes for you.
• It is best to buy the shoes after you have had your daily walk or at midday. Feet may swell up to a half a size over course of the day.
  
  
• When you go to shop for exercise walking shoes, do not assume the show clerk knows anything about walking as an exercise or how an exercise-walking shoe should differ from a jogging shoe.
  
  
• Always stand and load your weight onto the foot being measured. Your forefoot widens when it is bearing weight.
  
  
• Get both feet well measured with the measuring devise that shoe store use when you buy shoes. Foot size can change particularly if you have gained or lost weight.
  
  
• Always fit shoes wearing the kind of socks you walk in.
  
  
• Put both shoes on and lace them up evenly when you are trying shoes.
  
  
• Many people have one foot a bit longer that the other. Always accommodate the longer foot when sizing.
  
  
• Check the forefoot area for flex. Check whether you can easily bend it to the angle at which your foot naturally bends at toe off.
  
  
• While trying shoes walk in shoes on a hard surface. Most people stand on the carpet trying to make a buying decision. They end up looking in the mirror down on their shoes if the shoes look attractive on their feet and buy them more for cosmetic reason than for biomeachanical functionality.
  
  

Note: An exception to this rule is a hiking shoes. Hiking shoes have a stiffer, thicker sole for protection of the foot in off-pavement walking. Hiking is much slower than brisk walking.

By keeping these things in mind you can enjoy healthy body with healthy feet.