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Thursday, August 28, 2008

The Basics...

The first and most important rule is you have to stop walking barefoot! I tell my patients, "If I had a sign in my reception room that said stop walking barefoot and my patients followed that advice, I'd lose most of my business." 
If you stop walking barefoot, you will have a significant decrease in foot, ankle, knee, hip, and lower back pain over the next several week. I'm not kidding!
It's that crazy simple...
Some patients argue that "Cavemen walked barefoot so therefore it must be natural and good for your feet." 
I would argue that cavemen weren't walking around on concrete and often probably didn't live past thirty so they didn't have to worry about developing degenerative joint disease that would plague them when they are seventy and wanting to retire and relax. 
People fight this rule. I don't know why. What's so great about walking barefoot? It's the perfect way to:
1. Pick up verrucae (Warts).
2. Foreign bodies like cactus spines (remember, I'm in Arizona) and glass - which can turn into an out-patient surgery under anesthesia. 
3. Tendonitis.
4. Plantar Fasciitis (If you've had it, you know how debilitatingly painful it can be)...
5. Breaking a toe slamming it into a bedpost or door in the middle of the night. 
6. Stress Fractures from continuous low-grade micro-trauma (I see it all the time).
7. Callused heels (painful and ugly).
8. Fungus. And once you have an athlete's foot fungal infection of the skin, it's just a matter of time until it infects the toenails. 
9. There's lots more but it's time for me to put on my walking shoes and hit the treadmill...

I plan to review shoes and give recommendations based on:
1. Types of shoes (Running, sandals, dress, ect...) 
2. Types of pathologies (Heel pain, bunions, hammertoes, ect...)
3. Types of patients (Pediatrics, Sports Enthusiasts, Geriatrics, and, yes, the fashionista with foot issues!) 
  

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Wow Dr. McCarthy
Thank you so much for your shoe recommendations. After years of lower back pain from my job as a heavy lifter I did not realize what aworld of difference a good arch support orthotic shoe could do.
God Bless you Dr. Mccarthy and Thank God for Orthotics
(-:

Allan said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Allan said...

Hi Dr. McCarthy,

I would like to do a link exchange with you to benefit both our readers of our blogs, at the same time invite you to a podiatry forum.

I am the website owner of http://footcareadvice.blogspot.com/ & http://talk.foot-care.org/ and I would like to take this opportunity to do a link exchange with your blog, http://podiatryshoereview.blogspot.com/.

As a sincere gesture, I have linked to your blog from http://footcareadvice.blogspot.com/ and if you are agreeable to exchange links, please use the following to link to my site:

Title: Foot Care Tips
URL: http://footcareadvice.blogspot.com/

Thank you.

Allan

Mark said...

i like this post really very informative I am shoes lover especially Trainers Shoes
i always like to read about shoes

Lindsay said...

please please please tell me what are the best type of shoes to buy my 14 month old... she has a wide foot and i've seen all these sites saying they are podiatrist recommended but they all vary so much. Is stride rite better than pedipod or jumping jack? I don't wnat to mess her feet up.. thanks.

Doctor of Podiatry Discusses and Recommends Shoes. said...

Hi Lindsey,
I'm sorry it's taken me so long to respond! I somehow missed your email - sorry!! Kid's shoes don't have to be expensive to be good and within each brand are good and bad shoes. The best way to test the shoe is to make sure it has a rigid sole. You can purchase over-the-counter arch support from most Podiatrist's offices or online - I would not recommend custom-molded inserts as children outgrow them very quickly and they are expensive. Make sure that there is a wide toe box and good rearfoot control. For a sandal, you will need a rigid sole, arch support, forefoot and rearfoot strapping. No barefoot or flip-flops! Get her used to wearing a Croc Clog (with the strap to the back) around the house (you will save lots of money in medical bills as this will prevent warts, foreign bodies, broken toes, ect). If you go to one of my more recent postings, I did an interview on pediatric foot care with Blythe Lipman which may be helpful. Also, ask the salesperson to help you measure your little girls foot and once you purchase the shoes make sure to check frequently to make sure she has not outgrown them. As far as shoe brands go - Stride Rite is usually very good but you can go to Target and, as long as you follow the rules of what makes a proper shoe, you can find very good shoes at good prices.
I hope I've helped and, once again, I apologize for being tardy on responding!
Dr. Cathy McCarthy