Of all the advice my mother has instilled in me, wearing shoes inside the house took the longest to sink in. Some days, she’d threaten that I’d get sick if my feet touched the cold ground. Others, she’d warn of the agonizing pain I’d suffer if I were to step on a rogue shard of glass or catch my pinky toe on a corner. So many everyday dangers could befall me, I quickly lost count.Turns out, she was right.For many people, wearing some sort of footwear inside the house is a good idea — and not just because of old wives’ tales. Slippers can help protect your feet, as well as aid with recovery and prevent long-term foot issues. This is especially true for people with chronic pain or those who walk or stand inside the house for long periods of time, as Megan Ishibashi, DPM, a Los Angeles–based podiatrist, explained.And your choice of indoor shoes matters. “It’s not just slapping on a ’shoe,’” Ishibashi said. “It’s the same tenets that we discuss about what makes a good supportive shoe or recovery shoe.”Here’s who should wear house shoes and what you need to know before you slip into a new (or old) pair.