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Thursday, December 26, 2013

Podiatrist Recommended Women's Alegria Boots for Winter 2014.


Alegria Boots

Great Boots for All Day Comfort.


I appologize for my 'radio silence' but between our annual vacation which was followed by one week of jet lag and two weeks of a wicked cold and then the Holidays, I have gotten behind. 

The good news is that our vacation gave me a chance to test the Alegria boots. My husband and I went to Paris with three dear friends and, fueled by cheese, bread and red wine, we walked (and ate) our way through 10-12 miles of Parisian streeets on a daily basis. If there was something to climb (Notre Dame, The Arc d'Triumph, The Catacombs, The Metro stairs) we did it all! I would have never guessed that Paris had so many stairs. There were some days that, by the end of the day, by the time we got back to the hotel - I was so tired I was staggering - but my feet never hurt!


Alegria Raina



Alegria Cami






Alegria Cami





I wore the Alegria Raina on our eleven day walking trip of Paris. I wanted a boot that would keep me warm and dry but be comfortable for long days of walking cold city streets and standing on unforgiving museum floors. The sole is thick and rigid and I added a dress custom-molded insert for superior arch support. I highly recommend this boot and, although it wasn't nearly as fashionable as the other Parisian women's boots, I was able to walk all day long with no pain. 

About halfway through the trip I asked my husband what he thought of my boots and he replied, "I'm not sure what to think." When questioned further he said, "Well, they're shiny so they look classy - but they look different." I have to agree with him that the wide toebox does make them look different - but they were just too darned comfortable and kept me walking in comfort all day and into the Parisian night.

Plus, I got them on 6pm.com for $29!

These Alegrai Boots are Recommended for Patient's with:
*Mild to Severe Bunions
*Mild to Severe Hammertoes
*Morton's Neuroma
*Metatarsalgia
*Hallux Limitus (limited range of motion of the 1st toe joint)
*Hallux Rigidus
*Anyone recovering from a Lisfranc's Injury 
*Plantar Fasciitis (Heel Pain)
*Mild tendonitis
*Mild to Moderate Ligament Laxity
*Over pronation (Wear a dress orthotic on top of the insert that comes with the boot)
*If you are Diabetic - clear this boot selection with your Podiatrist to see if it is appropriate for you)


If you have any of the following conditions, get approval from your Podiatrist before wearing this shoe:
*Diabetic 
*Peripheral Arterial Disease (Poor Circulation)
*Peripheral Neruopathy (Nerve Damage) 


This boot is NOT approved for Patient's with:
*Charcot Foot

Overall, this is a great boot and if you add a custom-molded dress orthotic on top of the insole that comes with the boot, it will maximize comfort. This is also a light boot which decreases leg fatigue and 'tired leg syndrome'. 

I hope this was helpful and I am working on a top ten boot list which I hope to have on the blog in the next week so that we can all take advantage of some post-Christmas boot sales. 


Happy Holidays!

Dr. Cathleen A. McCarthy

:)


7 comments:

Anonymous said...

I can hardly wait for your top ten boot list! I have my crocs specialists, a couple of pairs of dansko sandals with rear foot control for summer, a dansko clog for fall, the dansko Veda for spring, a dansko dress shoe and am ready for boots to round out my healthy footwear. I cannot thank you enough for your blog. I found you through barking dog shoes a couple of years ago and my feet have never felt better once I started following your advice. Thank you again for all your help! Nicole in Modesto, California

Anonymous said...

I love your blog. What are your thoughts on vivo barefoot shoes?

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

Dear Anonymous,
Thank you so much for reading and the kind words!

The vivo barefoot shoes are a disaster. The thin and flexible sole is setting the wearer up for injuries such as fractures, sprains and progression of such problems as osteoarthritis and damage to joints and soft tissue. Half of my patients come in because of problems caused by poor shoegear. All if takes is one bad move in a bad shoe and you've now got a foot problem that could land you in a boot and out of commission for 4-10 weeks. Stay away from flimsy shoes with a flexible sole and opt for shoes with a thick, rigid sole, arch support, wide and soft toebox and rearfoot control. It will save you time, money and pain!
Happy New Year!
Cathy
:)

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

Hi Nicole,
I really appreciate you reading and thank you so much for all the kind words! You just made my day.
Cathy
:)

Anonymous said...

Have you tried Aquatalia boots? I would love to hear your thoughts on them.

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

Hi Anonymous,
I have not seen the Aquitlaia boots in person so I don't know if they fit the criteria for what makes a good boot. If the sole in the forefoot area is too thin or bends or flexes, they are not good enough. If the sole is thick and rigid and does not bend or flex, they should be fine.
Hope that helps!
Cathy
:)

Winter Boots For Women said...

The good news is that our vacation gave me a chance to test the Alegria boots. My husband and I went to Paris with three dear friends and, ... wwinterboots.blogspot.com