Podiatrist Recommended Top 10 Comfortable Slippers!

 Top 10 Comfortable Slippers!

Podiatrist Recommended

For those of you who dress for Zoom, wearing professional clothing from the waist up and yoga pants hidden below, this one is for you! These are my top 10 recommendations for comfortable all-day house slippers and I hope that you find the one that works best for you. 

Please remember that if you are wearing one of these slippers and still having foot pain, I recommend that you bump up to wearing more supportive walking or running shoes, such as the New Balance 928 or 1540. If you do this and are still having foot pain, I recommend that you follow up with your local podiatrist for evaluation to ensure that you don't have a more severe problem that needs treatment. 

Crocs

This is my top choice for 90% of people seeking a more comfortable bedroom slipper. They work so well that we actually carry them in our office for our patients to try on as a bedroom slipper option. When you purchase these, make sure that your toes do not touch the front of the shoe. The correct sizing should feel "too big" and it should feel like your feet have plenty of room. You should wear the strap to the back which helps prevent knee, hip, and lower back strain. If you purchase them and they are too tight (toes or bunions rubbing on the inside of the shoe) then you will most likely develop painful blisters. If you order these online, order one-half to one-whole size up from what you normally wear. If you live in a cold climate, you can also order fleece-lined Crocs which are ridiculously comfortable and toasty warm. 

Vionic Relax Slippers

If you know that you like a lot of arch support, then the Vionic Relax slipper is a great choice as it offers the best arch support of all of these bedroom slippers. If you know that you can't tolerate arch support, then stay away from these slippers as the arch support will probably be too much for your foot comfort. This is also a good choice if you have narrow heels or a narrow foot because the strap can be adjusted tighter for a better fit.  

Women's Charlotte Orthofeet slippers

This is another amazing choice for a bedroom slipper. It works particularly well for older patients as it has a stable base and it is still relatively lightweight. It also has an adjustable velcro top to accommodate anyone who has a more narrow foot. If you purchase these, be aware that you need a new pair at least once a year. 

Men's Orthofeet Ashville slippers

This bedroom slipper is so good that we carry this in our office (along with the Crocs) and they work great for anyone who needs an easy slide-in bedroom slipper with lots of stability and is also still relatively lightweight. 

Men's Orthofeet Tuscany Moccasins

The Orthofeet Ashville slipper (previous option) is great, but if I know that a patient needs more rearfoot control (such as a patient with Parkinson's disease who tend to shuffle), I like to put them in the Tuscany Moccasin. It's always best to have rearfoot control, but I think it's better to have a slipper that someone can slip into to get quickly from the bed to the bathroom if needed, but if you know that you feel more secure with rearfoot control - this is the slipper for you. 

Birkenstocks

This is my recommendation for people who prefer a more open slipper so that their feet can 'breath.' This option works well for anyone with a history of athlete's foot infections, hyperhidrosis (sweaty feet), the sensation of claustrophobic feet, or the sensation of having 'hot' feet (hello menopause!). I recommend you find a shoe store that is an official dealer for Birkenstocks, so you can go to the store and get a proper fit. If you purchase these sandals online and you get a poor fit then it will significantly decrease the chance of having all the comfort your feet deserve. Do yourself a favor and go to the store and make sure they fit well and feel great. 

Birkenstock Boston Shearling

This is for anyone who loves their Birkenstocks but wants more warmth. It greatly helps to go to the store and get a proper fit on these (versus purchasing them online). 

 

Fit Flop Women's The Cuddler

Oh la la! Warm and comfortable and an easy on and easy off. It's hard to beat these for all-day comfort around the house! 

Fit Flop Mukluk Shorty

This is a wonderful choice for anyone who needs more ankle support, such as anyone with mild hypermobility or ligament laxity issues. If you have more severe hypermobility, I recommend that you get into a better, more supportive walking shoe or high top boot during the bulk of the day and keep these for 'puttering around.'

Fit Flop Lulu

Got bunions? I am normally not a fan of flip flops of any kind, but when you have large bunions - this is a perfect choice for getting support and no pressure on your bunions. 

For more information, check out my article:

My Feet Hurt! Top 10 Things to do Today to Alleviate Foot Pain.

I hope this was helpful! 

Dr. Cathleen A. McCarthy

:)

Crocs Neria Pro Graphic Clog - Podiatrist Recommended Shoes

Podiatrist Recommended Shoe

Croc's Neria Pro Graphic Clog 

The Neria Pro Graphic Clog is a slip-resistant shoe that is a great choice for anyone who has to work long hours on concrete floors such as retail, medical or restaurant environments. However, this shoe is not the ideal choice for anyone works on uneven, rocky terrains. 

What makes this clog excellent is that it meets the four criteria needed to make a shoe comfortable:

1. It has a thick, rigid and non-flexible sole. For a shoe to be comfortable it must have a thick, rigid sole with no flexibility. If you are wearing a shoe with a flexible sole then you are allowing excessive motion through joints that may be arthritic, dysfunctional or painful. Motion through these joints will increase pain, injury and promote arthritic joint changes, which then leads to compensating gait patterns which then further aggravates your knees, hips and lower back strain. Flexible-soled shoes speed up the progression of bunions, hammertoes and degenerative joint changes.  

2. Wide toe box. A tight-fitting toe box promotes hammertoes, bunions, corns, ingrown toenails and even toenail fungus. If you are trying to get rid of toenail fungus I can promise you that if you are in tight-fitting shoes with flexible soles that you will never get rid of it. For you to effectively treat fungal nails, it is crucial that you wear shoes with rigid soles, wide toe box and rearfoot control because it is the injury (even micro-trauma) to toenails that allows the fungus to get into the nail and nail bed which is what promotes the infection. Always try to find shoes with a wide and soft toe box that protects the toenails from injury.  

3. Rearfoot Control. If you are wearing shoes without rearfoot control (such as flip-flops or mules) then you are forced to grip down your toes which promotes hammertoes and bunions. It also allows more motion through the rearfoot area which can set you up for Achilles tendon injuries, plantar fasciitis (heel pain) as well as knee, hip and lower back strain. 

4. Arch support. It's ideal if you can find a shoe with a removable insole so that you can replace it with your custom-molded orthotics or an excellent over-the-counter insert such as a full-length Powerstep. Even if you think that you have a high arch and don't need arch support, I always tell patients that bridges have arches and engineers still put struts under the bridges to decrease mechanical strain. Arch support helps prevent midfoot (Lisfranc's Joint) arthritic changes, plantar fasciitis (heel pain) as well as decrease knee, hip and lower back pain.  

This shoe is recommended for patients with:

*Plantar  Fasciitis (heel pain)

*Mild Achilles Tendonitis

*Mild Peroneal Tendonitis

*Mild Posterior Tibial Tendonitis

*Over-Pronation

*Hypermobility / Ligament Laxity

*Hallux Limitus

*Functional Hallux Limitus

*Hallux Rigidus

*Osteoarthritis

*Rheumatoid Arthritis

*Morton's Neuroma

*Capsulitis

*Metatarsalgia

*Plantar Plate Injuries

*Knee, Hip & Lower Back Issues 

*Mild Bunions

*Mild Hammertoes

*Corns & Calluses

*Mild Tailor's Bunions 

*Mild Ankle Instability

This shoe is not recommended for patients with: 

*Charcot Foot

*History of Foot Ulcerations

*Geriatrics

*Foot Drop

*Charcot Marie Tooth Disease 

*Bone Spurs (Exostosis) on the top of the midfoot (Lisfranc's Joint). 

*C-Shaped feet 

*Skew-foot

*Anyone with large "bumps" on their feet 

Check with your podiatrist before wearing this shoe if you have:

*Diabetes

*Peripheral Arterial Disease (poor circulation)

*Peripheral Neuropathy (nerve damage) 

* * *

For more information, please refer to my articles: 

Shoe recommendations for patients recovering from Lisfranc's joint injuries. 

http://podiatryshoereview.blogspot.com/2012/04/podiatrist-shoe-recommendations-for.html

Top 10 things to do to alleviate foot pain. 

http://podiatryshoereview.blogspot.com/2017/07/the-basics-10-steps-to-alleviating-foot.html

* * *

Thank you for reading the blog and have a wonderful day!

Dr. Cathleen A. McCarthy 

:)

Top 7 Podiatrist Recommended Bedroom Slippers.

Podiatrist Recommended 

Bedroom Slippers

Specialist Crocs (with no vents)

The Crocs Specialist is my "go to" bedroom slippers and they work for 90% of patients - and myself! I recommend that you wear the strap to the back for more rearfoot control. If you are walking in the house barefoot or wearing only socks or are in flimsy bedroom slippers, if you switch to wearing these Crocs as a bedroom slipper in the house, then you will have 30% improvement in foot, knee, hip and lower back pain within 3 weeks. Don't get the Specialists with vents because the sole is too flimsy and they are not nearly as good. They don't work as well if you have extremely narrow feet. 

Fleece-Lined Crocs

These fleece-lined Crocs are wonderful for anyone who has cold feet, Raynaud's syndrome, peripheral arterial disease or you simply just need more cushioning. They also work great for older people who need something easy to slide into and need to keep their feet warm. 

Orthofeet Diabetic Slippers

The Orthofeet Diabetic Slippers are my recommendation for older patients or anyone with back pain because you can slip into them without having to bend down and adjust any straps. 

Orthofeet Relax Slipper

This is another great choice for older patients or anyone with chronic back problems. What makes this slipper so excellent is that it has a rigid sole with excellent arch support and lots of cushioning. 

Aligning Comfy Toe Slippers 

These weird-looking slippers are excellent for anyone who has flexible hammertoes. These slippers help to resist soft tissue contraction of the tendons that are pulling the toes into the hammertoe deformity, which helps to slow the progression of hammertoes. They are not going to fix the hammertoes, but they will help slow down the progression of the deformity.  

Uggs

For those of you can't deal with the aesthetics of the Crocs, this is a great alternative for bedroom slippers. Especially if you have teenagers with challenged feet that need to wear better slippers in the house, this is a great "starter drug" to better shoe gear. 

Birkenstock Sandals

The Birk sandals are an excellent choice for anyone who has hallux limitus, functional hallux limitus, arthritis of the 1st toe joint or the Lisfranc's joint. I recommend that you go to a Birkenstock dealership in your area and be properly fitted for them. I highly recommend that you get the Birks with the rearfoot strapping as helps to biomechanically control the rearfoot. Without rearfoot strapping, you are gripping down your toes to stay in the Birks, which can promote hammertoes and mechanical strain to the tendons and joints. 

For more information, please refer to my other articles: 

Podiatrists top 10 recommendations for alleviating foot pain. 

http://podiatryshoereview.blogspot.com/2017/07/the-basics-10-steps-to-alleviating-foot.html

Shoe Recommendations for Patients Recovering from Lisfranc's Injuries. 

http://podiatryshoereview.blogspot.com/2012/04/podiatrist-shoe-recommendations-for.html

I hope this was helpful and have a great day!

Dr. Cathleen A. McCarthy

:)

Scared Straight: Foot X-Rays that will scare you into better shoes.

Halloween Edition:

Scared Straight: 

X-Rays that (hopefully!) will scare you into better shoes...

I wanted to talk about why having a shoe with a thick rigid sole is so crucial for proper foot care. 

I have a patient who was kind enough to give me permission to use his story and his x-rays. He is a healthy thirty-something year old man who had a horrible motorcycle accident nine years ago. 

When I walked in the exam room, I immediately noticed that his complexion was grey and he looked like he was going to vomit. We talked and he told me that the last time he saw a Podiatrist he was told that he might need an amputation. I quickly eased his fears by telling him that we would only be talking about shoes and inserts and that we should be able to greatly improve his foot by making some simple, non-painful, non-surgical changes to his current shoes and inserts.  

He said that three days ago he was walking and heard a 'pop' and felt a pain in his right foot. He stated he didn't have any specific injury but was simply walking. I checked the shoes that he had been walking in and they had an extremely thin, flexible sole. 

Let's take a look at his first x-ray (Ignore the arrows please):

The three screws were placed across his Lisfranc's joint after the motorcycle accident. On the day of the accident, he was wearing a shoe with a flexible sole and, when his foot twisted, multiple bones were broken in the midfoot area and ankle. The surgeon had to perform a joint fusion by placing screws across the Lisfranc's joint. The idea behind this is that if you fuse the joint - you stabilize the joint, limit motion and thereby limit pain. Since the accident, he's always had some degree of foot pain but has managed to stay active. 

After the surgery, he didn't realize that he needed to stop walking barefoot and wearing flip-flops and that, after an injury like this, he needed to limit himself to shoes with a thick rigid sole for maximal protection. Not knowing this, he spent the last nine years wearing improper shoe gear.

 Let's take a closer look at those screws...

  

If you look closely, can you see that two of the three screws are broken? The two that are most vertical are the broken screws and, unfortunately, it is harder to see that the one on the right is broken in half - but it is.

My point being, if nine years worth of walking barefoot and wearing flip-flops causes enough stress through the Lisfranc's joint to break two titanium screws - what is all that stress and strain doing to your joints?

The strange part of this story is the problem is not the broken screws or the Lisfranc's joint. 

The problem is that he was wearing a flimsy sole shoe and the one  titanium screw that is intact and doing it's job of limiting motion across the joint was not allowing any motion and his body needed motion to walk. The stress on his foot was too much and his body found the motion he needed by breaking the third metatarsal. 

Take a look at the arrows. The real problem - the thing that is currently causing him pain - is the new broken bone on the third metatarsal. 

We placed him in a below-the-knee walking boot for two weeks and had him come back two weeks later for x-rays. 

Two weeks later, the third metatarsal fracture is more easily visualized because it is forming a 'bone callus', which is the body's way of trying to heal itself.

What's interesting is that the broken screws don't matter. They aren't causing any pain so they don't need to be removed. The plan is to heal the current fracture and, once it is healed, make sure he:

*Wears Rx Crocs 'Relief' around the house as a bedroom slipper

*Never walk barefoot or wear flimsy shoes or flip-flops

*Wears New Balance 928 as a walking shoe

*Wears custom-molded inserts 

*Wear dress shoes that have a thick rigid sole with a metal shank

*Wear a Tri-Lock Brace for sports and increased activities 

 

And he should be able to lead a normal, healthy, active life! 

 

The moral of the story is: protect your feet!

You'll have a healthier, happier life with less pain and injuries...

My best to all of you!

Dr. Cathleen A. McCarthy

:)

If Your Feet Hurt - Read This!

 This is a 're-run' of my most 
comprehensive article...

Although this article is focused on patients recovering from Lisfranc's Injuries - this article covers everything you need to know about finding comfortable shoes and getting significant improvements in foot, knee, hip and lower back pain.

***

Shoe Recommendations 

For Patients Recovering From

Lisfranc Injuries...

(As well as any Sprain or Fracture of the Foot)

I know this sounds terrible but 
I love treating fractures...

I enjoy treating patients with fractures because:

1. On the 1st visit, patients will leave the office in significantly less pain than when they walked into the office using simple non-painful conservative treatment. 

2. Once the fracture is healed - we focus on getting patients into proper shoegear, arch support and possibly bracing so they can get back to doing all the activities they enjoy! 

I love my profession because I have the opportunity of helping people heal from foot and ankle injuries and get back to their lives.

Over the years, I have discovered that if patients follow the recommendations below - our success rate is amazingly high!

LISFRANC'S INJURIES.

So, let's talk about Lisfranc Injuries...

The Lisfranc Joint (also known as the Mid-Tarsal Joint) is in the midfoot and, in my opinion, it is the most common foot injury. 

Although it can be caused by direct trauma (and if that happens - you are going to the Emergency Room and possibly having surgery), I find that the wide majority of Lisfranc Fractures or Sprains are caused by an often minor twisting of your foot on a stair or curb and, if you happen to be barefoot, wearing flip-flops or a shoe that bends through the midfoot area - there is a very high probability that you are going to break a bone or pop a ligament.  

I see this type of fracture every single day. 

One day last week I saw four Lisfranc fractures before lunch. The amazing thing was not one of them knew how they did it!

In my opinion, this fracture is caused by taking a

wrong step in a crappy shoe!

And it's not you're fault because 

80% of shoes out there are crappy 

and there is tons of misinformation about what makes a good shoe...

One of the main reasons I started the blog was because of my frustration with all of the misinformation about shoes.

I'm passionate about this topic because I have spent the last twelve years in private practice striving to help people heal foot injuries and get back to their lives.

So...

These Rules Are Stringent 

BUT

You ARE Recovering from a Foot Fracture

and you need to protect your foot!

You went through a lot of pain and time in "the boot" or on crutches to take the chance of wearing bad shoegear and re-injuring...

So...

THE RULES 

FOR WHEN YOU ARE RECOVERING FROM A FRACTURE OF THE FOOT:

1. No barefoot! 

Ever. 

The only time you are barefoot and standing is in the shower. 

2. No Flip-Flops. 

I don't care how "good" they say the flip-flops are - they're not. 

3. No Walking Around the House Wearing

Only Socks.

 Zero biomechanical protection. 

4. No Flimsy Bedroom Slippers.

Any slipper that bends or flexes is garbage.

5. As a bedroom slipper around the house - wear Croc RX Clogs with the strap 

in the back.  

As soon as you get out of the shower, dry yourself, put on your Crocs.

If you get up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom, when you get out of bed, straight into your Crocs and off you go.

Yup, the strap MUST be to the back. 

IF YOU ARE RECOVERING FROM A FOOT INJURY / FRACTURE / SPRAIN 

ANY SHOES THAT YOU WEAR 

MUST HAVE:

1. A Thick Rigid Sole

If you can bend or flex it - it is garbage.

Put some muscle into it, please - no wimpy "bends"...

2. Arch Support

Whether it is Custom-Molded Arch Support or an Excellent Over-The-Counter Insert - you need arch support.

Unless you are one of the 10% of people who can't tolerate arch support in which case, do not wear arch support. 

3. A Wide, Soft Square Toebox. 

Google: Extra-Depth Shoes and there are many brands of shoes that have extra-depth for the toes.

No cock-roach kickers, please -- they are bunion factories. 

4. Rearfoot Control. 

Every single shoe MUST have rearfoot control. 

If you are not biomechanically controlling the rearfoot - you are not controlling the mid-foot - which will lead to more chance of re-injury, pain, strain as well as knee, hip and lower back mechanical strain. 

To stay in a backless shoe, you are gripping your toes down when you walk. There are tendons that start below the knee and go all the way down to your toes - they are also passing through or connecting into the bones that make up the Lisfranc's Joint and a biomechanically uncontrolled rearfoot equals more strain, more pain and more chance of re-injury. 

ONE "SHOE DAY"

IN  THE LIFE OF SOMEONE RECOVERING FROM A LISFRANC'S FRACTURE

(Any midfoot fracture or Injury)

 6am

Good Morning!

 I have to let the dog out so I guess I'll get out of bed and right into my Crox RX Clogs 

(making sure that the strap is to the back) and let the dog out. She's fascinated with the Geckos and Hummingbirds...

6:30am

Exercise

I'm going to put on my Diabetic socks (even though I'm not diabetic), my Tri-Lock Brace, which I got from my Podiatrist and I use when exercising (for at least 6-12 months after a Lisfranc's Injury) and I'm going to put on my 

New Balance walking shoes so I can take my dog for a thirty minute walk. 

Luckily, my Podiatrist sent me to the New Balance store and gave me a prescription for:

RX:
New Balance Walking Shoes

with Roll Bar Technology and

a wide base for more stability

(Because it's an RX and medically necessary it should make them tax deductible...)

9am

Work

My foot feels pretty good so I don't need to wear my brace to work today -- but I'm going to take my Tri-lock brace to work so that if my foot hurts I can put it on. 

I went to Dr. McCarthy's blog and found the search box (top right hand corner) and searched for:

"Top 20 Women's Comfortable Dress Shoes"

and found a great shoe for work. 

I wrote down what I liked and went to the store to try them on -- my brace fit into some of them but not all so, in the early days of recovering from my injury, I wore the chunkier shoes with my brace and once I was further along in the healing process, I didn't need my brace anymore. 

Anything on this list would be fine with someone who has healed from a foot fracture

because I know all of these shoes meet her criteria on that stringent list from her blog...

2pm

Go Play!

Wow, I can't believe it! Work shut down early and now I can go do whatever I want! 

Let's look and my options...

Beach:

I'm going to wear my Amphibious Teva's or Chaco's (with a rearfoot strap) whether I am on the sand or in the water because it'll be more comfortable and I'll have more fun. 

Water Aerobics

Am I going to do water aerobics barefoot? 

Oh heck no! 

My Pod told me she sees a surprising number of fractures from women bouncing around in the swimming pool -- I think I'll wear my Amphibeous Teva's (with rearfoot strapping). Right after I was recovering from my foot fracture, I had to wear a pair of New Balance Walking Shoes with Roll Bar Technology and a wide base (for more stability) in the pool. 

Hiking

I didn't like any of the hiking boots Dr. McCarthy featured on her blog so I went to REI and I picked out a boot I liked but I made sure that the sole didn't flex or bend. The salespeople must have thought I was crazy because I walked around -- bending and flexing all the shoes before I tried them on. I then picked a great boot that felt the best on my foot and met all Dr. McCarthy's criteria for proper shoes. 

She told me that no matter what she says, 

I'm the acid test. 

 If I try on a shoe and it's not comfortable -- 

I don't get it. 

Yoga

I don't care what anybody thinks! 

I went through too much to get my foot healed to risk re-injuring it by being barefoot so I am going to wear my New Balance walking shoes with Roll-Bar Technology and a wide base. 

I love Yoga and I want to keep doing it so 

Dr. McCarthy wrote me a prescription that I gave to my Yoga studio that says it's medically necessary for my to wear my shoes in class. 

7pm

Home at Last!

I used to not want to wear my Croc RX Clogs around my husband because I thought they were goofy but, guess what -- I got him in Crocs Rx around the house and he had the following benefits:

1. 

30% Improvement in knee, hip and lower back pain within 3 weeks.

2. 

We saved a truckload of money in medical bills - everything from foreign bodies, warts, tendonitis, fractures, heel pain, calluses, ect.

3. 

His feet are prettier! 

Turns out that kooky Dr. McCarthy was right! She said, "You're either beating up your feet or you're beating up your shoes -- think what your shoes look like after a couple of years -- that's what's happening to your joints."

10pm

Good Night!

I'm so glad that my day tomorrow doesn't include going to see my Podiatrist! 

We got the fracture healed and as long as I do the right things when it comes to protecting my feet, 

I don't need to see her. 

I can live my life and have fun!

Gee, 

I wonder why a Podiatrist would be giving out advice that would decrease her business?

 Hmm, I wonder if it's because she figures it's a better marketing plan to fix people's foot problems and then protect their feet with proper shoes so they don't need to keep constanly coming back and she gets new clients from "Word of Mouth" referals from happy patients? 

That must be it...

Have a Great Day!

Dr. Cathleen A. McCarthy

:)

 

Podiatrist Shoe Recommendations For All Day Comfort At Work.

 

OCCUPATIONAL FOOTWEAR: WHAT TO LOOK FOR WHEN CHOOSING A SHOE FOR ALL DAY COMFORT

Dr. Cathleen A. McCarthy

www.pinnaclepeakpodiatry.com

After I completed my first two years of Podiatry school where I basically sat all day in classes and then went home and spent more time sitting and studying, I was unceremoniously tossed into my third year where I was expected to stand on hospital floors for ten to twelve hours a day.

To make a long story short: I was in agony!

I finally understood why all those lectures on ‘Heel Pain’ were so important – and relevant! Throughout the third year, I had a recurring nightmare where I would wake up in the middle of the night convinced that an evil ogre was hammering a nail straight up into my heel and I desperately tried various kinds of shoes – searching for that illusive, magical shoe that would help me get through the day comfortably. 

Ironically enough, even though I was in Podiatry school, we spent most of our time learning surgery and medicine but I don’t remember a lot of lectures on what constituted a ‘good shoe’. Our professors did talk about advising patients to wear ‘good shoes’ but few ever specified exactly what that meant.

Once in private practice, I began to realize what a crucial role proper shoes play in a helping patients get better faster. I also realized that what works for one patient may not necessarily work for another patient with a very different foot issue. In other words, proper shoes for patients are pathology specific and depend on the patient’s biomechanical foot structure as well as history of previous problems and injuries.

I came up with some basic rules for picking comfortable shoes for all day wear on concrete floors and, although there are always exceptions to the rules, these rules work for most patients.

First, you should always look for a shoe with a thick, rigid sole. This is counter-intuitive because most people look for a ‘soft flexible’ sole thinking that it will be more comfortable. In reality, it’s the exact opposite! You need a thick, rigid sole with less motion and less flexibility so that it is more protective of the foot joints, muscles and tendons. Think of it this way, if you broke your wrist, your doctor would put you in a cast and you would instantly feel more protected and have less pain. Less motion equals less pain. 

Second, you should try to find a shoe with good arch support. Most shoes come with removable insoles so that you can replace it with either a custom-molded insert or an excellent over-the-counter insert that offers arch support. Ninety percent of people will benefit from arch support while ten percent of people cannot tolerate arch support. Proper arch support can help with knee, hip and lower back pain and decrease ‘tired-leg syndrome’ at the end of a long day on concrete floors.

Third, you need a wide, soft toebox. Avoid any shoes with pointy-toes as they can cause hammertoes, bunions, corns and calluses.

Forth, make sure that whatever shoe you choose has proper rearfoot control. In other words, your shoes should have no open backs. If your shoe doesn’t have rearfoot control, you are forcing your tendons, muscles, knees, hips and lower back to work harder to keep your foot in your shoe. This causes more ‘mechanical strain’, which leads to increased discomfort and chance of injury. 

Here are some specific shoe recommendations that are pathology specific:

For the young, healthy person with strong legs and no significant foot or ankle deformities, I would recommend the Dansko or Sanita Clog with rearfoot control.

For a young, healthy person with no history of balance issues, Achilles Tendonitis, nerve damage or weak legs, I would suggest you try the MBT, Sketcher-Shape-Up or the New Balance Rock and Tone shoe. Each of these are ‘rocker-bottom’ shoes, which can be extremely comfortable. I do recommend that you wear arch support with these shoes – whether it’s custom-molded or over-the-counter inserts.

For a person who may have more serious foot issues such as diabetes, nerve damage, balance issues or weak legs, I recommend trying the New Balance 928, which is an extra-depth shoe with a thick, rigid sole and a wide base. If you have trouble reaching your feet due to hip and knee replacements, you can get the NB 928 with Velcro-strapping. I highly recommend that if you do have these more serious medical issues, please consult your Podiatrist to make sure this shoe is right for you.

For virtually anyone, try the Crocs Rx clog and make sure to wear the strap to the back so that you get some rearfoot control. These are not for everyone but there is a reason why you see so many nurses and doctors in Crocs!

Let’s not forget the guys! For the man who is on his feet all day in tough conditions, my personal favorite is the p.w. Minor Hercules, which is an extra-depth boot with a hidden shank in the sole that is very protective and comfortable.

I hope this has been helpful!

Sincerely,

Dr. Cathleen A. McCarthy

My Feet Hurt!! Top Ten Things Relieve Foot Pain Today...

My Feet Hurt!

Top Ten Things 

To Relieve Foot Pain Today...

The following advice may not be popular but it is highly effective! 

It's straight forward, common sense medicine and --

it sure beats surgery! 

Give it a try and I would love to hear how it works for you...

1.

Stop Walking Barefoot.
Forget about what people say about being barefoot being "natural" -- being naked is "natural" but we all wear clothes to protect our bodies from the elements.
It's wise to protect your feet also. 
There's nothing "natural" about walking around on concrete all day!
Plus, if your feet weren't hurting, 
you wouldn't be reading this.

2.

Stop Wearing Flip-Flops.
Zero biomechanical control.
Try an experiment -- have someone video you on their cell phone from behind as you walk barefoot or wear flip-flops.
Now video you doing the same thing while wearing proper shoes with arch support.
Pay attention to what is happening to your feet, ankles and knees.
Not pretty, is it?
Lots of extra wear-and-tear on your joints, muscles and tendons.  
Remember, you're either beating up your feet -- 
or you're beating up your shoes.
If you think what you're shoes look like after several years of wear, 
what do you think is happening to your joints?
 

3.

Stop Walking Around the House Wearing Only Socks.
Minimal protection!
Zero biomechanical control. 
Although I do recommend wearing socks with shoes, if you are walking around the house in only socks -- that is only slightly better than being barefoot. 

4.

Stop Wearing Flimsy Bedroom Slippers.
If your slippers are flexible or bend too easily, 
you may be causing damage to your joints as well as setting you up for potential injury.
If you like to wear slippers in the house, 
at least look into getting"Diabetic Slippers" 
even if you are not diaabetic. 
These slippers offer more protection and are probably ten times more comfortable. 
Foot Solutions has a great Diabetic Slipper 
and you can find many others online. 

5.

Around the house - as a bedroom slipper - 

wear Crocs RX clogs 

with the strap to the back.
Do you have heel pain? 
Knee, hip, lower back pain?
This is the cheapest and best medical advice you will ever get!!
If you wear Croc Rx Clogs with the strap to the back around the house, you will probably have a significant improvement 
in a very short period of time. 
The only time you should be barefoot and standing is in the shower! 

6.

For a great Walking Shoe - 

go to a New Balance Store and purchase a 

New Balance Walking Shoe 

with Roll-Bar Technology 

and a wide base with an extra-depth toebox.
I often write my patients prescriptions for this shoe, which can make it tax deductible and give them a 10% discount at any New Balance store. 
I truly believe that proper shoes are medically necessary for many patients because it will decrease pain, risk of injury and prevent surgery. 
Not to mention make your life more pleasant because you will have less pain and you can concentrate on staying active and having fun! 

7.

Elevate and Rest Your Feet 

and use a topical pain reliever like: 

Biofreeze or Traumeel -

both are over-the-counter and safe. 
Don't underestimate the power of rest!
As a physician, I am always amazed at the body's healing power so --
at the end of the day, 
grab a good book and put those feet up... 

8.

Wear Arch Support.

Either Custom-Molded Orthotics or 

a good Over-The-Counter Insert, 

which you can purchase from your local Podiatrist or your local running shoe store.  
Ten percent of people cannot tolerate arch support, which means you have a ninety percent chance that arch support can improve your life.
I wish Las Vegas had those odds! 
Good arch support can also significantly help with knee, hip and lower back pain.
I've had patients say, 
"I have high arches -- I don't need arch support"
and my response is, 
"Bridges have arches but engineers design them with struts for support."
It's the same with your foot -- 
support under the arch means less strain on the joints, tendons and muscles. 
Custom molded orthotics from your Podiatrist are far superior to over-the-counter inserts but, if you are constrained by a budget, at least get the over-the-counter inserts so that you get some degree of arch support.

9.

Wear Diabetic Socks 

for extra cushion 

and comfort. 
It sounds silly but I've been to lectures entitled "Current Technological Advances in Socks and
Sock Strategy."
Proper socks can decrease friction and thereby decrease calluses, corns, blisters and 
heel fissures. 
Diabetic socks may cost a couple dollars more but hopefully will be well worth it! 

 

10.

Make an Appointment with your 

local Podiatrist!

Try to find a Podiatrist that specializes in conservative, non-surgical treatment. 
In my opinion, less than five percent of patients with foot pain need surgery. I am not referring to foot "procedures" that can be done in the office such as fixing ingrown toenails -- I am referring to more serious surgeries such as bunions and fusions of joints that will permanently change your foot and ankle biomechanics.
Foot surgery is more than you think!
The foot heals slower, hurts more, and swells more because while you are trying to heal it -- 
you are walking on it!
Not to mention, recovering from foot surgery poses many risks and the results are never guarenteed.
I always tell my patients that 
the goal of surgery is 
to take an "abnormal painful foot" and turn it into an "abnormal non-painful foot."
The only time you should consider having foot surgery is if you have tried everything and completely exhausted conservative treatment and you cannot perform your normal daily activities because of the pain.
Before you have foot surgery, please get a second or even third opinion!
 Most biomechanical foot pain can be resolved using conservative, non-surgical treatment. 

***

For more information, 

please see the article on this blog for:

Shoe Recommendations for Patients Recovering from Lisfranc's Injuries.
(Continue to Scroll Down)

On this Blog, you can also look up:

Top Ten Comfortable Sandals

Top Twenty Comfortable Dress Shoes

Top Five Comfortable Walking Shoes

Top Twenty Womens Comfortable Boots


Please feel free to explore the blog!
I have lots of information, articles and shoe recommendations for people who suffer from foot pain.

Have a Great Day!

Dr. Cathleen A. McCarthy

:)