Every shoe on this site is worn, measured and scored by Tom Biernacki, DPM, FACFAS, a board-certified foot and ankle surgeon — not a staff writer working from a spec sheet.
What makes a review here different
We measure it
Weight in grams, heel and forefoot stack, drop, and internal toe-box width at the widest point — on the actual pair. Measured numbers are labeled measured. Manufacturer numbers are attributed to the manufacturer.
We say who should skip it
Every review names at least two people who should not buy the shoe. Competing affiliate pages leave this out because it costs them commission. That is exactly why it is here.
The score is reproducible
Nine criteria, weighted, with published anchors — so the same shoe scores the same way twice. Where a criterion can be measured, it is derived from the measurement, not from impression.
The seal cannot be bought
A shoe earns the Podiatrist Tested seal only by scoring against a published standard. No brand has ever been offered one, and none will be. See the standard →
What we have not done yet
This site is new. Reviews are being built from a testing library recorded over years of practice, and each one is published only after the measurements and scores are checked. Rather than pad the site with pages about shoes nobody has worn, we are publishing the method first — so you can judge the reviews when they arrive.
Shoes we have not physically tested will always be labeled “Spec analysis — not yet tested”, carry no score and no seal, and be kept separate from tested reviews.
Who is doing the testing
Tom Biernacki, DPM, FACFAS is a double board-certified foot and ankle surgeon practicing in Michigan. He sees the downstream result of bad footwear every clinic day — the bunion that a narrow toe box made symptomatic, the heel pain that a collapsed midsole kept going — which is the perspective this site is built on.
Podiatrist Tested is an independent publication of Foot & Ankle Web Services LLC. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or accredited by the American Podiatric Medical Association or any other professional body.
How this site makes money. Podiatrist Tested is reader-supported. We earn a commission if you buy through links on this site, at no additional cost to you. Commissions never influence a score or a ranking, and we publish shoes we recommend against. Read the editorial policy →