We know that much of our height can be attributed to genetics, but what about geography? Let’s take a look at some averages of height numbers around the world:

In Latin America, males measured an average height of 167cm and females scored 156cm. Argentina had the tallest subjects, while Peru had the shortest of the sample nations.

In Africa, males were approximately 168cm tall on average and females were 158cm. The tallest nation was Cameroon and the shortest numbers came from Nigeria.

European males were 179cm on average, while females were 166cm. Netherlands had the tallest men at a height of 184cm, and the tallest women who measured 168cm on average.

In Asia, males were an average of 166cm tall, and females scored an average of 155cm. China and South Korea claimed the tallest subjects with males of both countries standing at 173cm and females being 163cm and 15cm tall respectively.

The English- speaking nations of Australia, North America, Canada, New Zealand and the United Kingdom all had identical results. The males were an average of 177cm tall, and the females were 164cm tall. The US and Canada had the tallest and shortest subjects respectively, which only differed by an inch or two.

It’s no wonder that we have such a wide array of customers… there are short people in every country. But interestingly enough, we have not seen more Asian customers than white customers or more Latin American clients than European.

Nonetheless, when we compare these statistics with our client base, it explains a lot! Men from all over the world log onto our site every day to purchase height increasing shoes, improving their lives and themselves.

Have you ever considered how far footwear has come since ancient times? Footwear has evolved from protective sandals (purely serving a survival purpose) to aesthetically appealing (even flashy in some labels), offering even more protection than before - which is especially the case for high quality footwear anyway.

We all understand how important shoes are, most of us even reward ourselves with a great pair after the tough period at work that has finally paid off. Interestingly however, the function and purpose of shoes goes far beyond looking good as a fashion accessory - while this is, of course, also important to us at Altitude Shoes.

People judge you and make assumptions about you based on how you look and dress. There are two ways to take this advice: complain about how unfair it is to judge, or accept the reality of it, take pride in your appearance and look good as a result.

Since you have found this site and want shoes that look and feel good, you are most probably the latter; the type of guy who people look at and respect because they see a man who obviously respects himself.

Shoes can also provide a confidence boost. Think of a teenage basketball player who buys the same shoes Michael Jordan wore, or a soccer player with the same boots David Beckham wears - these are huge confidence boosters. The same concept applies off the sporting field and into social, academic or professional situations. The right shoes will make you feel amazing at a party, in a meeting or in a job interview.

Lastly, humans are active creatures and when you couple this with the hard surfaces we are required to walk on, safety and protection become relevant

issues in the importance of footwear. Imagine walking on hard, uneven surfaces all day in a bad pair of shoes, even softer surfaces such as grass or carpet have specific risks such as broken glass. When considering this, you owe it to yourself to choose high quality footwear over poorer quality footwear (which you would have to replace so many times that it ends up being more expensive than the high quality footwear you would only have to purchase once).

Here at Altitude Shoes, we know this, so when we design our footwear, durability is just as important to us as comfort and appearance.

Physiology is an important component of Altitude Shoes technology, so we have spent quite some time studying the anatomy and function of the foot. As a result, we have not only designed footwear based on science on the cutting edge, we have also discovered:

• Some interesting facts about feet
• What you can do to take better care of your feet
• Why high quality footwear is so important

Your feet are more important than you probably think - in fact, 52 of the body’s 206 bones are located in the feet! And since the average person walks 10,000 steps a day, it is worth investing in some knowledge about how to take better care of your feet.

With over a quarter of a million sweat glands each, your feet generate more perspiration than most other body parts. How much exactly? The foot sweats a cup (sometimes more) of moisture every day. This explains why we all have that friend/ brother/ uncle who can single-handedly clear out a room by taking his shoes off to relax!

Sweat, at its most basic chemical level is primarily salt and water. This is why when athletes perspire; sports drinks such as Gatorade are superior to most other forms of hydration - because while plain water re-hydrates the body, it does not restore depleted sodium stores.

Now of course, there is nothing wrong with sweating - it is a natural bodily function. So why do our feet differ so much to other body parts that sweat, such as our hands? Because the sweat from our feet cannot evaporate and escape into the atmosphere through the thick material of a sock and shoe.

Basic tips for hygiene and foot care include using strong anti- bacterial soap, wearing clean socks and letting your shoes air out for at least a day before wearing them again.

Well- ventilated shoes, cotton (or other absorbent material) socks and deodorant are also great accessories for your feet.

Stay tuned for Part 2 of this Article - The Importance of Footwear.

There are literally hundreds of famous individuals who have disproved the theory that being short impedes success. Take a look at some names below of successful musicians, actors and performing artists - all of whom were under 5′5″.

·         At 5′4″, Ludwig van Beethoven made it to the top as a composer in his time. He was famous for being a pianist of great fantasy and spirit, admired in particular for his amazing improvisations.

·         At 5′5″ Phil Collins’ height proved to be no barrier to success. He was a true master in his field, dominating the rock ‘n’ roll and jazz scenes among many other achievements.

·         Danny Devito is an outstanding example of a successful man. Standing at 5′ 0″ the actor turned director has put his name next to leading roles of many big budget hollywood films, going on to producing a few of his own including Pulp Fiction. Not bad for a guy 5 feet tall.

·         At 5′3″, Jermaine Dupri still achieved enormous success as an American record producer and rapper. Starting out as a teenage break-dancer, Dupri founded his own label and became the president and CEO of So So Def Records.

·         ‘Back to the Future’ star Michael J. Fox was 5′4″ tall and became a household name after earning his reputation as a talented actor in his home country of Canada. He eventually moved to Los Angeles where he took advantage of bigger and better acting prospects, despite some hiccups in his success.

·         Pablo Ruiz Picasso was an artist of the early 20^th century whose work remains famous today. Picasso was 5’4”, regarded as a boy genius, he and his art inspired many 20^th century movements.

·         At 5′5″, Dustin Hoffman was a pioneer in Hollywood’s use of average- looking actors. What he lacked in height, he made up for with charisma and explosive presence on set leading to his acquisition of Academy and Best Actor awards.

Being short is clearly no barrier to success, but being taller opens even more doors. Imagine if these

gentlemen had the opportunities we have today to increase their height.