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That shoe you recently bought may have cost you a fortune and are perhaps the best looking pair you have ever seen. But if they do not fit you well, neither its beauty, nor its cost is going to matter. It is going to be pure pain for you, with each step you take with it. The way your shoe fits you, matter a lot for the health of your feet, especially if you are someone who walks or runs a lot.

Researchers from Loyola University Medical Center are all set to conduct a first-of-its kind study of marathon runners to determine if there is link between foot injuries and ill-fitting shoes.

For the study, the researchers would survey those runners in the Bank of America Chicago Marathon, who seek treatment for foot and ankle injuries in the podiatry tent.

The runners will be quizzed about their shoe and sock size and the main complaint that brought them to the podiatry tent. Further questions to the participants will include the number of marathons completed by them, the brand and style of their shoes and socks and for how many miles they have wearing the same shoes.

The recommended time to replace shoes, according to adults is after finishing about 500 miles, but even then, some runners do keep their shoes for much longer.

Runners who use minimalist shoes that mimic barefoot running will not be included in the study, the report said.

"There have been studies conducted previously which examined the shoe fit and foot injuries in special populations such as in diabetic patients and the elderly. However, the current study is the first ever to examine the link between show size and foot injuries among marathon runners," said principal investigator of the study, Katherine Dux.

According to the report, about 200 to 400 runners usually seek treatment for such injuries as blisters, toenail injuries, plantar facilities (heel pain), foot stress fractures and sprained ankles during a marathon.

"Most of these injuries are related to improper shoes, socks or training," Dux said.

The size of the shoes we buy, and the way it fits us makes a lot of difference in the comfort level the shoe offers us. Many runners buy shoes which are half to one size bigger than their actual size, leaving space for the foot swelling during running and to make room for their orthotics.

However, Dux advises runners to buy shoes of their normal size and to buy shoes late in the evening, after their legs are already swollen up with walking around all day.