Sports Specific Shoes - Podiatrist Recommended.

Podiatrist Recommended

Sports Specific Shoes

Although this list is not comprehensive, I did my best to give you some excellent options for various sports specific shoe options. 

First, the most important thing to remember is that any shoe that you wear must have a thick, rigid and non-flexible sole. The concept is counterintuitive but the idea is that if you have a painful joint then the last thing that you want to do is wear flexible shoes that force motion through joints that can’t handle it. When it comes to the foot, less motion equals less pain, inflammation and joint damage. A sturdy sole with no motion will also stop or slow the progression of bunions, hammertoes, stress fractures, and osteoarthritis. 

Second, it is also important to find shoes with a wide, soft toe box that puts less pressure on toes, which helps to prevent corns, ingrown toenails and even will decrease the risk of developing toenail fungus. 

Third, all shoes that you wear should have rear foot control because shoes without rear foot control force you to scrunch down your toes to stay in the shoe, which promotes hammertoes and mechanical strain on your tendons and ligaments, which can cause tired leg syndrome.

The fourth thing is to wear shoes that will accommodate a custom-molded orthotic or an excellent over-the-counter insert for better arch support, which will help with preventing knee, hip and even lower back pain. 

Running:

Wearing a running shoe with a thick, rigid and non-flexible sole actually will improve your speed and performance. It works off the lever principle, which means that if you wear a rigid sole while running than that will translate into a significant mechanical advantage, improved efficiency, and energy conservation. 

New Balance 1540 V2
(There is also a women's version of the NB 1540)

New Balance 1080 V8

(Men's version also available)

Hoka One One Gaviota

Hoka One One Arahi 2 




Men's Brooks Beast

Walking:

New Balance 928

New Balance 990 V4

Hoka One One Bondi Leather

New Balance 1300 V1

New Balance 1400 V1

Brooks Addiction Walker

New Balance 813

NB 813 is great for older patients with balance issues. It also comes with velcro strapping for added ease of putting on and taking off.

Trail Running:

Hoka One One Speed Goat 2

Hiking:

Hoka One One Tor Ultra Hi

Hoka One One Tor Summit 

Salomon Quest 4D 3 GTX

Soccer:

Tekela Pro Fg

Men's Tennis and Pickleball:

New Balance 806 V2

Beach and Pool Activities:

Keen's Newport H2 

Chaco Z1 or Z2

Men's Golf:

Footjoy Originals

New Balance Golf 1701

Women's Golf:

Footjoy Pro SL/BOA

I hope that this list was helpful! I will try to add to the list as I find more shoes that fit the criteria. For more articles and information, you can refer to:

My feet hurt! Top 10 things to do to alleviate foot pain today. 

http://podiatryshoereview.blogspot.com/2012/05/my-feet-hurt-top-ten-things-relieve.html

Shoe recommendations for patients recovering from Lisfranc's injuries. 

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

Thank you for reading the blog!

Dr. Cathleen A. McCarthy

:)

Oboz Luna - Podiatrist's Review of Women's Hiking Shoe.

Oboz Luna

Podiatrist's Review of the Oboz Luna

Women's Hiking Shoe

Since the older 5-10 Camp Four hiking boot was updated and "improved" I have been hard-pressed to find a decent hiking shoe to recommend. The new and improved 5-10 Camp Four is pretty terrible, so I no longer recommend it. When the 5-10 Camp Four shoe company discontinued the older version, I made my husband go online and buy 5 pairs! 

The Oboz Luna for women is a pretty good hiking shoe. It's certainly not perfect, but it is been the best I could find on a recent search of hiking stores. The major fault of the Oboz Luna is that the forefoot has too much flexibility (meaning it has mild flexibility), but, compared to all the other hiking shoes in the store, it was the most rigid sole available. If you are a serious hiker and have a history of forefoot issues, you may have to replace this shoe every six months. What I do like about the Oboz Luna is it does have a wide toebox, good rearfoot control, and good traction. It would be best if you could wear this shoe with a custom-molded orthotic from you local podiatrist or the over-the-counter full-length Powerstep insert, which would replace the insole that comes with the shoe. 

My husband and I spent the weekend visiting friends in Sedona and we visited a local hiking store. The salesperson told us that they sell a lot of shoes to newbie hikers who try to hike in the minimalist shoes and come off the trail limping and looking for a sturdier shoe. If your local hiking store doesn't carry the Oboz Luna then I would suggest you find the hiking shoe that has a thick, rigid, and non-flexible sole with excellent traction on the bottom. Make sure you have the salesperson measure your feet (while wearing socks) so that you get proper sizing and a good fit. If they are not comfortable then do not buy them. You should not have to break-in shoes! 

This shoe is recommended for patients with:

* Mild to moderate Hallux Limitus (limited motion through the 1st toe joint)

*Mild to moderate Bunions 

*Mild to moderate Hammertoes

*Mild to moderate Morton's Neuroma

*Mild Plantar Plate strain

*Mild Capsulitis

*Mild Metatarsalgia

*Plantar Fasciitis (heel pain)

*Over-Pronation

*Ligament Laxity (wear orthotics or Powerstep OTC insert) 

*Mild Ankle Instability (you may need to wear an ankle brace for more support)

*History of a healed Lisfranc's Injury (wear orthotics and maybe even an ankle brace -- talk to your local Podiatrist or Ortho who treated you)

*Well-Controlled Diabetes with no history of previous ulcerations (please get this cleared with your Podiatrist first)

*Peripheral Neuropathy with no history of previous ulcerations (please get this cleared with your Podiatrist first)

*Peripheral Arterial Disease (please get cleared this with your Podiatrist first)

This shoe is not recommended for patients with:

*Hallux Rigidus (no motion through the 1st toe joint -- you will need a more rigid-soled shoe - something that has absolutely no motion through the forefoot area) 

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

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

*Moderate to Severe Metatarsalgia

*Severe Morton's Neuroma

*Severe Hammertoes

*Severe Bunions

*Moderate to Severe Plantar Plate Strain 

*Moderate to Severe Capsulitis 

*Peripheral Neuropathy with a history of previous ulcerations

*Peripheral Arterial Disease with a history of previous ulcerations

*Diabetes with a history of ulcerations and complications

*Ulcerations or open sores 

*Charcot Foot

I hope that this was helpful!

Dr. Cathleen A. McCarthy

:)

For more information, check out my other articles on this blog:

Shoe recommendations for patients recovering from previous Lisfranc's Injuries:

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

Top 15 shoes to help with foot, knee, hip and lower back pain:

http://podiatryshoereview.blogspot.com/2016/07/top-15-shoes-that-will-change-your-life.html