Most people lace their shoes the same way they were taught as children and never think about it again. But the lacing pattern determines where pressure is concentrated across the top of the foot, and changing it can make a shoe that felt wrong feel right. Or at least better. We have a drawer of 40-plus lace types and we think about this more than is probably normal.

High instep: the window lace

If you have a high instep. The top of your foot is tall. Standard lacing creates a pressure point across the highest part of the arch. The window lace (also called the box lace) skips one or two eyelets at the point of highest pressure and creates a gap. The lace runs straight across at the bottom and top of the gap, with no crossing in between. It looks slightly unusual but relieves the pressure immediately. We use this pattern on about one in five fittings.

Wide forefoot: the parallel lace

For a wide forefoot, standard cross-lacing pulls the sides of the shoe inward and creates pressure on the widest part of the foot. Parallel lacing (also called display lacing) runs the lace straight across each eyelet without crossing, which allows the sides of the shoe to spread slightly. It works best on shoes with at least six eyelets. The trade-off is that it is slightly less secure than cross-lacing, so it suits walking more than running.

Heel slippage: the heel lock

Heel slippage. The heel lifting slightly with each step. Causes blisters and wastes energy. The heel lock (or runner's loop) uses the top two eyelets to create a loop on each side, then crosses the lace through the loops before tying. It locks the heel into the back of the shoe without tightening the forefoot. This is the lacing pattern we use most often for people who are going to be walking long distances.

Toe pressure: the straight European lace

If you feel pressure on the top of your toes, the straight European lace reduces the number of crossings over the toe box. The lace enters the bottom eyelets, runs straight up one side, and crosses only at each eyelet rather than diagonally across the full width. It is a tidier look and distributes pressure more evenly across the toe box. Satsuki uses this pattern on most of her own shoes.

If you want to try a different lacing pattern, come in. We will re-lace your shoes in about five minutes. It costs ¥300 for walk-ins, or it is free if you are buying a pair. We have the laces to match.