Podiatry Approved Excellent Men's Dress Shoe - Alden for J. Crew

Alden Men's Dress Shoes

For J. Crew

The Alden men's dress shoes for J. Crew are expensive, but they are worth every cent! Consider the money you spend on this shoe an investment in your feet. If you are experiencing foot pain or you have a history of foot issues, the money that you will save in medical bills far exceeds what you will spend on the shoe.  

What makes this shoe so exceptional is that it has a true full-length metal shank that allows absolutely no motion through the bottom of the foot, which achieves maximum protection for your foot. I am horrified by how many shoes falsely advertise that they have a full-length metal shank, but the sole is still soft and flexible. 

The full-length metal shank in the Alden men's shoe will prevent motion through any painful joints or foot structures, which allows less wear-and-tear on the joints and soft tissue structures. This translates into more comfort and decreased chance of injury. If you are recovering from a plantar plate injury, a Lisfranc's injury or have functional hallux limitus or rigidus (limited range of motion through the big toe joint), this is an excellent shoe choice for you.  

I do wish this shoe had an extra-depth toebox, which would be more accommodative for patients with severe bunions and hammertoes. This shoe has a slightly tapered toebox, which can cause pressure on any large bunions or painful 'bumps'. I would recommend that you try them on at one of your local J. Crew stores to get the proper fit. In Phoenix, three locations are Kierland, Biltmore and Fashion Square. 

For added comfort, add a custom-molded dress orthotic, which your podiatrist can have you casted and fitted for. It's a presription device that is custom-molded to your foot and goes inside your shoes to give you proper arch support, which helps decrease mechanical strain and help with foot, knee, hip and lower back pain. Your podiatrist's office staff can call your health insurance and check your benefits to see if the cost is covered under your insurance plan. 

This shoe is recommended for paients with:

*Hallux Limitus (limited range of motion through the 1st toe joint)

*Hallux Rigidus (no motion through the 1st toe joint)

*Plantar Plate Injuries

*Capsulitis

*Mild Morton's Neuroma

*Mild Hammertoes

*Mild Bunion

*Mild Tailor's Bunion

*Over-pronation

*Osteoarthritis

*Mild Rheumatoid Arthritis

*Plantar Fasciitis (Heel Pain)

*Mild Achilles Tendonitis

*Previous Lisfranc's Injury

*Posterior Tibial Tendonitis

*Peroneal Tendonitis

*Hypermobility and Ligment Laxity (wear a dress orthotic if possible)

*Ankle Instability

*History of 'rolling your ankle out' when walking

*Metatarsalgia

*Healing stress fractures of the Metatarsal bones

*Freiberg's Infarction

This shoe is NOT recommended for patients with:

*Diabetes

*Peripheral Neuropathy

*Peripheral Arterial disease

*Excessive swelling

*Severe Achilles tendonitis

*Charcot Foot

*History of Ulceration or Open Sores

*Anyone with prominent 'bumps' on their feet 

*Severe Bunions or Tailor's Bunions 

For the Budget conscious:

You can purchase a similar men's dress shoe with a leather sole and take the shoe to a shoe repair or cobbler and ask them to put a full-length metal shank across the bottom of the sole to limit motion. 

Another idea is to simply purchase a New Balance 928 in black leather and wear that as your casual dress shoe. If your work restricts your shoe choices, I will be happy to write a prescription stating that it is medically necessary for you to wear them.

Thank you to my friend John Z. for introducing me to this amazing shoe!

I hope this was helpful,

Dr. Cathleen A. McCarthy

:)