Proper foot measuring is important and not understanding how to do this can mean the difference between comfort and pain. Many people have seen a Brannock Device, but few know how to use it correctly. This video teaches you how make sure your shoe salesperson is doing it right. 80% of my patients measure longer heel-to-ball than heel-to-toe. If you also measure longer heel-to-ball then using one finger beyond the longest toe method will not work for you and your shoe will not fit as well as it should.
Here are my previous posts on measuring feet which together with the video should give you a comprehensive overview on how to properly measure your feet.
https://drshoe.wordpress.com/2007/12/05/size-matters-heel-to-ball-vs-heel-to-toe/
https://drshoe.wordpress.com/2008/05/12/mens-vs-womens-shoe-sizes-brannock-device/
Dr. Jenny Sanders Shoe Blog 
Great post ! Really very much informative.I would like to thank you for this nice post now i can happily say i can use the Brannock Device and can got the result even i will suggest my friend how to use it in a proper way…
Our website is also about foot care products and I got very much useful info from your post thanks again.
Thank you so much for all the info you provide in your blogs. It really helps to make an informed buying decision. Re: sizing, would you say that in general it’s a good idea to downsize half a size provided it the shoe still feels ok. Presumably if there is less upper fabric the fit will be tighter (better?). Many thanks and best regards.
If you’re heel-to-ball measurement is the longest, then even going down half size (1/6″) can make a difference in arch or ball-of-the-foot pain https://drshoe.wordpress.com/2011/11/27/plantar-fasciitis-question/. Having said that, given the choice between snug and sloppy, snug is usually better. Thanks for your comment Markus!
I’d love to see a post about when to know a shoe is too large. I find that I have a like having rooms to move my toes around, but sometimes I wonder if I go too large.
Here’s another post I did regarding fit https://drshoereviews.com/2011/11/17/determining-proper-shoe-fit-width-and-depth/. If the volume of the shoe matches the volume of your foot (length x width x depth) then you should be fine and have enough room to move your toes. Also, having extra depth in the toe box area will not be a problems, so long as the shoe laces. Otherwise, the shoe will not secure your foot properly and your foot will move forward, altering overall fit.