Excellent Shoes for Girls & Women with Small Feet!

Excellent Running Shoe 
for Girls and Women with Small Feet!

New Balance 860 V9

This is an excellent shoe that fits a women's size 5 up to size 13, which makes it a good choice for girls who need a supportive shoe as well as for women with unusually small feet. 

What makes this shoe so good is that it meets the 4 criteria of what is required for a shoe to be good enough for your feet:

1. It must have a thick, rigid and non-flexible sole for more stability and biomechanical protection. Less motion through foot joints means less inflammation, pain and damage. It also gives the runner a mechanical advantage, which should improve her running speed and decrease the risk of injury. 

2. It must have a wide, soft and square toebox so there is less pressure on the toes, which decreases the progression of bunions and hammertoes.  

3. It must have rearfoot control for more biomechanical control of the ankle and foot, which means less strain of the knees, hips and lower back.  

4. It should be able to accommodate arch support whether it's over-the-counter inserts or custom-molded orthotics. 

This Shoe is Recommended for Patients with:
* Hallux Limitus (limited range of motion of the 1st toe joint)
* Hallux Rigidus (no range of motion of the 1st toe joint because it has been surgically fused or degenerative joint disease)
* Functional Hallux Limitus
* Osteoarthritis 
* Rheumatoid Arthritis
* Metatarsalgia 
* Morton's Neuroma
* Capsulitis
* Tailor's Bunion
* Bunions
* Hammertoes
* Corns and Calluses
* Plantar Fasciitis (heel pain)
* Mild Achilles Tendonitis
* Mild Posterior Tibial Tendonitis 
* Mild Peroneal Tendonitis 
* Previous history of Lisfranc's Injuries 
* Mild Ankle Instability 
* Tired Leg Syndrome
* Muscle Weakness
* Parkinson's Disease 
* The Elderly 

Check with your Podiatrist to see if the NB 860 V9 is appropriate for you if you have any of these conditions:  
* Diabetes
* Peripheral Neuropathy (Nerve Damage)
* Peripheral Arterial Disease (Poor Circulation)
* Severe Ankle Instability 
* History of Foot Ulcerations 

This Shoe is Not Appropriate if you have:
* Charcot Foot


I hope that this was helpful! For more articles, check out:

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 the patient's recovering from Lisfranc's injuries.
http://podiatryshoereview.blogspot.com/2012/04/podiatrist-shoe-recommendations-for.html


Have a great day!

Dr. Cathleen A. McCarthy 

:)



 

Nike Zoom Fly - Podiatry Recommended

Nike Zoom Fly

Podiatry Recommended

The Nike Zoom Fly is a great choice for anyone looking for a comfortable running shoe. Although I still prefer the Hoka running shoes for all-around comfort and stellar shock absorption and the New Balance 1540 for stability and the extra depth toe box, the Nike Zoom Fly is a great choice because it has an excellent sole that is thick, rigid and non-flexible, which allows for miles of comfortable running. 

The 4 things that a shoe must have to be comfortable (and podiatry recommended) are:

1. It must have a thick, rigid and non-flexible sole so that there is no motion through foot joints, tendons, ligament and even muscles. It is counterintuitive, but the concept is that less motion equals less pain, inflammation, and swelling.  

2. It has a wide and soft toe box that decreases pressure on the toes, which helps stop or slow the progression of bunions, hammertoes, neuromas, and corns (to name a few). 

3. It has rearfoot control, which allows for more biomechanical control and stability of the foot and ankle structures. 

4. This shoe will also accommodate a custom-molded orthotic or an excellent over-the-counter insert for better arch support. 

This shoe is recommended for patients with:

*Plantar Fasciitis (heel pain)

*Mild Achilles Tendonitis

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

*Hallux Limitus (limited range of motion through the 1st toe joint when you are non-weight bearing)

*Functional Hallux Limitus (limited range of motion through the 1st toe joint when you are weight bearing)

*Morton's Neuroma

*Metatarsalgia

*Capsulitis

*Sesamoiditis

*Mild to Moderate Bunions

*Hammertoes 

*History of mild to moderate Lisfranc's Injury

*Tailor's Bunion

*Osteoarthritis

*Mild to Moderate Degenerative Joint Disease

*Mild to Moderate Over-Pronation

*Mild Hypermobility / Ligament Laxity

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

*Diabetes

*Peripheral Neuropathy (nerve damage)

*Peripheral Vascular Disease (poor circulation)

*History of a severe Lisfranc's Injury

*Rheumatoid Arthritis

This shoe is not recommended for patients with: 

*Charcot Foot

*History of diabetic foot ulcerations

I hope that this was helpful. For more information, please refer to my other articles: 

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

Have a great day!

Dr. Cathleen A. McCarthy

:)

Podiatrist's Secret to Giving Your Child The Competitive Edge in Sports.

Podiatrist's Secret to Giving Your Child 
the Competitive Edge in Sports.

My name is Dr. Cathleen McCarthy and I am a doctor of podiatric medicine and I've been in private practice since October 2, 2000. I treat patients of all ages and I have the privilege of treating many pediatric patients with a wide variety of biomechanical foot types and sports-related injuries. 

You can give your child a major competitive advantage by making smart choices when shopping for athletic shoes. And the good news is you don't have to spend a fortune! All you have to do is know what you are looking for when shopping for athletic shoes. 

To simplify matters, I will be referring to the child as a 'he', but, of course, this method also works for girls.  

What makes a superior athletic shoe? 

The answer is surprisingly counter-intuitive. To give your child a competitive advantage in sports using better shoegear, we have to refer back to the 3rd century when Archimedes mathematically discovered the 'lever principle'. The lever is the most simple and perfect of human-made machines. Archimedes stated, "Give me a place to stand and I shall move the Earth with the lever."

Imagine the sole of the shoe as the rigid board in the above picture. If you put your child in a running shoe with a thick, rigid and non-flexible sole, then when he runs, the sole of the shoe will provide more snap, which translates into:

1. Mechanical Advantage.  With a rigid-soled shoe, when your child runs, he will be placing less mechanical strain through his foot structures such as joints and tendons, which gives him a mechanical advantage. Instead of the child forcing his tendons and muscles to do all the work, the rigid-soled shoe is now doing more of the work, which translates into more...

2. Efficiency! Once the rigid-soled running shoe makes your child a more efficient runner, now he can put the previously lost energy (while wearing a flexible-soled running shoe) into speed and performance. Not to mention a decreased chance of injury! 

3. Energy Conservation. If your child is running in a flexible-soled running shoe, then he is forcing the foot joints, tendons, and muscles to work harder, which means he is now expending more energy trying to stabilize his foot as well as putting more energy into compensating for an underlying foot-issue (such as flat-feet). This will make him slower, more prone to injury and can cause tired-leg syndrome. Running in a flexible-soled running shoe, your child could be wasting 15-20% of his energy in trying to stabilize his foot because he is dealing with an underlying foot issue (injury, flat feet, ect) or an old injury. 

The secret is to get your child into an athletic shoe that has a thick, rigid and non-flexible shoe. If you add arch support (orthotics or a good over-the-counter insert such as Powersteps) then that translates into superior biomechanical control of the foot and now your child can put the previously lost 15-20% of energy into speed and performance and decreased chance of injury.  

Try an experiment: Buy a pair of rigid-soled running shoes and add the Powerstep inserts and then time your child running a certain distance. Now place him into flexible-soled running shoe with no arch support and then time him running the same distance. As I always say, the proof is in the pudding. 

An intriguing study showed that children with flat feet have a higher chance of going to college. Why? When a child has flat feet (pes planus), he has to expend more energy to keep up with the other kids. The child with flat feet often feels slow, clumsy and gets 'tired-legs' that makes running an unpleasant experience. The study shows that children with flat feet tend to drop out of sports in the 6th grade. Kids do not say things like, "Mom, I don't want to play soccer because I'm slower than the other kids and my legs ache." They are more likely to say something like, "I don't want to" or simply refuse to play the sport and will not offer a logical explanation, which leaves the parents confused and frustrated. 

Once kids drop out of sports, they will get more into sedentary pursuits such as computers, the chess club or books, which is fine, but we also want to keep them having fun in sports and staying active. 

So, if your child is trying to drop out of sports when they are in the 6th grade, I recommend that you try placing them in a rigid, non-flexible-soled shoe with the Powerstep inserts. If that is not helping, then take the child to your local podiatrist for a biomechanical foot evaluation. 

Avoid surgery! Your child probably does not need surgery. Your child needs to be wearing excellent shoes with arch support. If the underlying biomechanical foot issue is severe or if they are hypermobile and have something called 'ligament laxity', I place those pediatric patients in a tri-lock brace for additional biomechanical control and support, which significantly enhances their game. I have the pediatric patient run up and down the halls of the office (or around the parking lot!) while wearing rigid-soled running shoes, arch support and a tri-lock brace. I love watching their eyes light up with happiness as they realize that they are now able to run faster! 

Recommendations for Running Shoes:

Brooks Beast
For boys - once they are in adult-sized shoes
"Brooks Men's Beast '12 Running Shoe,Deep Royal/Silver/Black,9.5 D US"

New Balance 1540 V2
Boys and girls - once they wear adult-sized shoes
New Balance Women's W1540V2 Running Shoe Running Shoe,Silver/Grey,10 B US

Nike Boys and Girls Air Max 90 Running Sneakers

Nike Men's Air Max 90 Essential White/White/Silver/Dark Grey Running Shoe 10.5 Men US

Stride-Rite Shoes (for younger kids)

http://www.striderite.com/en/home

Powerstep Kid's Arch Support

ProTech PowerKids Pediatric Orthotics by Powerstep, 3/4 Length Size Youth 3 - 4

Arch Angels Comfort Inserts for Kids

Arch Angels Children's Arch Support Youth Shoe Size 4-5, Pair

Not all Brooks, New Balance, Nike or Stride-Rite shoes are good enough for your child's feet.  When shopping, remember that you are looking for the athletic shoe with a thick, rigid sole that has the least amount of flexibility that you can find. This can be challenging as 80-90% of all shoes are too flexible and do not meet the criteria required to make a shoe good for your feet. The reason for this is that shoe companies are selling people what the want and not what they need. 

I hope that this was helpful!

Dr. Cathleen A. McCarthy 

:)

Denzel Washington kicks butt in podiatry approved shoegear in his new movie 'The Equalizer'.

Denzel Washington kicks butt in his new movie 'The Equalizer'

while wearing New Balance 1540 - 

podiatrist approved shoe gear! 

Anyone who knows me knows that I am a huge movie fan! I've always been a Denzel Washington fan and I love a great revenge flick. When I saw that Denzel was wearing the excellent New Balance 1540's that I have been recommending to patients for years, I was thrilled. 

Sure, maybe it was product placement that got the New Balance 1540's into the movie, but I prefer to imagine that Denzel had it written into his contract that he needed to wear podiatry recommended shoegear as he wreaked blood-splattering havoc on the bad guys. Maybe he's been reading my blog? Hey, a podiatrist can dream, right?

By the end of the film, Denzel switched over to a more conservative orthopedic looking black oxford and I'm hoping that they were as comfortable as the NB 1540 shoes. 

The New Balance 1540's is a running shoe and has 'roll-bar technology', which creates a thick and rigid sole for more protection to the foot joints. The NB 1540 has good heel shock absorption, which helps with anyone suffering with heel pain as well as knee, hip and lower back pain. The extra-depth toebox is made of mesh and is great for anyone who has bunions, hammertoes or prominent bone spurs. To maximize comfort, wear a custom-molded functional orthotic, which you can from your Podiatrist, or wear a good over-the-counter insert like 'Footsteps' or 'Powerstep'. 

NB 1540 is recommended for patients with:

*Bunions

*Tailor's Bunions

*Plantar Fasciitis (heel pain)

*Osteoarthritis

*Rheumatoid Arthritis

*Metatarsalgia

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

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

*Morton's Neuroma

*Capsulitis

*Previous Lisfranc's Injury

*Over-Pronation

*Ankle Instability

*Hypermobility

*Ligament Laxity

*Posterior Tibial Tendonitis

*Peroneal Tendonitis

*History of Ankle Sprains

*Achilles Tendonitis

*Some Diabetics

*Peripheral Arterial Disease (poor circulation)

*Peripheral neuropathy (nerve damage) 

*Drop Foot (you need to wear an AFO with this condition and the NB 1540 should accommodate the it)

NB 1540 is NOT recommended for patients with: 

*Charcot Foot

*History of ulcerations (Check with your podiatrist)

When I recommend to patients that they wear the New Balance 928 or 1540 - you should see the strange grimaces and facial contortions of horror and disgust that I get in response! New Balance doesn't have the best reputation for being a 'cool' shoe and I have to convince people that 'cool' is a mental attitude and it doesn't matter what you wear on your feet. I think that's why I was so thrilled to see the uber-cool Denzel Washington in the NB 1540's! 

Thank you Denzel for making the NB 1540's cool, which makes my job of getting patients into better shoegear easier! 

Dr. Cathy McCarthy trivia:

I had a screenplay entitled 'There Goes The Neighborhood' declined by Denzel's people (I was told by my manager). My screenplay entitled 'Oh Brother' was optioned by Gold Circle Film (the company that did 'My Big Fat Greek Wedding') in 2005, but the film never went into production. My novel 'Gunning For Angels' is my latest writing and can be purchased on Amazon in Kindle or book form. 

No hard feelings, Denzel! I still love you and can't wait to see your next movie.

I hope this review was helpful,

Dr. Cathleen A. McCarthy

:)

What Some Shoe Companies Don't Want You To Know.

It was just another day of shoe shopping - or so I thought. 

How could I have known that, while innocently shopping for shoes, that I'd unwittingly stumbled into a different dimension of altered reality? 

A older salesman with kind eyes greeted me as I stepped into a moderately upscale shoe store specializing in comfortable shoes. He asked if he could help me and I replied, "I'm looking for shoes for my husband. I'd like to see whatever shoe you have with a thick, rigid sole - preferably one with a hidden steel shank in the sole."

"I'm sorry, we don't carry anything like that," he replied with a sympathetic smile.

"I thought you carried men's Dansko dress shoes?"

"Not anymore," he said with a polite smile. 

"Okay, so let me see whatever men's shoe that you do carry that has a thick, rigid sole."

He shook his head, not unkindly. "We don't have any."

I gazed at him in astonishment. "Are you telling me that in this entire shoe store, you don't have any men's shoes with a thick, rigid sole?"

"Sorry." He gave an apologetic shrug.

As a podiatrist, I prefer to 'secret shop' shoe stores, but I decided to introduced myself. "My name is Cathy and I'm a podiatrist. I'm looking for a dress shoe for my husband. He's recovering from a foot injury and I need a shoe with a thick, rigid sole so that he can continue to heal and he doesn't re-injure himself."

At this point, the salesman's previously polite mask dropped and his eyes flashed with a knowing gleam. He gave a furtive glance around, to make sure that no one would overhear our conversation. He leaned in and whispered, "You know and I know that a shoe with a rigid sole is better and more comfortable but we had to stop carrying them because we couldn't get our customers to try them on! We'd show them the shoe and they would see a rigid sole and automatically think it was uncomfortable. We stopped carrying them because we couldn't sell them!"

"Are you telling me that every men's shoe in here has a flexible sole and is crap?" I asked in astonishment. 

"Shhh!" He hushed me and looked around, visibly upset. "Keep your voice down!" 

"I'm sorry," I replied. "I just can't believe..."

"What sells is giving people what they want, not what they need," he said. After a moment, his eyes brightened, "Would you like to see some women's shoes?" 

Feeling that this was an isolated incident, I purchased a lovely Earthies women's wedge heel that fit all the criteria of what makes a comfortable shoe. I went home and ordered the men's Dansko 'Wayne' online, which I knew was a good shoe. We received the shoes and they fit my husband perfectly. 

Several weeks later, my husband and I were out shopping and I saw a well known nation chain men's shoe store and we decided to go in. I asked the handsome twenty year old salesman to show us any men's dress shoes with a thick, rigid sole with, preferably, a hidden steel shank in the sole. He led us past every display to the back of the store where he pointed to three shoes on the bottom shelf. 

"This is it," he said. 

My husband picked up the shoes and tried to bend them. "Yup, these don't bend," he said.

"What about all the other shoes that we just passed?" I asked, hooking my thumb over my shoulder to the rest of the store. 

He shook his head with a smile. "This is it." 

Hmmm. 

Several hours later, we passed a well-known national-chain hiking shoe store, which shall also remain unnamed. We proceeded into the store and I was appalled to find that this store, that built their reputation on making and selling comfortable, high quality hiking shoes was now specializing in minimalist shoes. Only five percent of the shoes in the entire store were even decent and, once again, they were all relegated to the back of the store. The best shoe in the store was on the back shelf, bottom row. The other ninety-five percent of the shoes that populated their shelves were complete garbage. Their new marketing plan seems to be catering to minimalist shoes that offers little more protection than enfolding your feet in wrapping paper and tying it with a bow.

By this time, I was simmering with indignation!

It is my opinion that these shoe manufacturers know exactly what what makes a good shoe but they have chosen to follow another path. A path lined with lies and greed as they feed upon the misconceptions of an unsuspecting public. There are perhaps some people out there with perfect biomechanics who will be able to wear minimalist shoes for 'X' amount of time, but there are also a whole host of people who go to these stores expecting that if they shell out one to two hundred dollars for a 'comfortable' shoe that they are getting something of quality and worth. 

I used to advise patients that eighty percent of shoes out there are garbage and only twenty percent are good. The search for good looking shoes that are good for your feet and pathology specific is what led me to start this blog! In the last several months, I have revised that number to a ninety percent garbage rate. 

The problem is that finding comfortable shoes is counter-intuitive. If a person's foot hurts, they go to the shoe store and say, "I need a shoe that is soft and flexible - like a cloud." No one goes into the store and says, "My foot hurts. I need a shoe that is thick and rigid." 

But, if you break a bone, we put you in a cast, which not only allows the body to heal itself but also is much more comfortable. No motion translates to less pain. Finding a comfortable shoe is a counter-intuitive process - and shoe companies know this.

It angers me that shoe companies are selling crap to the public. I'm not talking about sky-scraper heels - everyone knows they are not good for your feet, but I am referring to shoe companies that carry men's dress shoes, running shoes and hiking boots and are making claims that minimalist shoes with flexible soles are good for you. 

My career is based on helping people with foot and ankle pain. In my opinion, there are three main causes of foot and ankle pain: genetics, injury and inadequate shoegear. Fifty percent of my practice is based on properly diagnosing and treating people who have made one bad move in a bad shoe and now have a fracture, torn tendon, sprain or a variety of other pathologies. The first part of the process is to get it healed. The second is to make sure that the patient is in proper shoes and inserts so they do not re-injure themselves and can get back to all their normal activities. So, yes, I get upset when I see companies marketing 'comfort' shoes when, in reality, the shoes are recipes for foot and ankle injuries.

When did we as a society forget how to make a quality shoe? 

Or, is it more insidious than that?

When did some of the major shoe companies decide that they don't give a flying fig for how to make a quality shoe - and that it was easier to make a fast buck on crap shoes?

 

  

THE TRUTH THAT SOME SHOE COMPANIES DON'T WANT YOU TO KNOW:

FOUR THINGS THAT A SHOE MUST HAVE TO BE COMFORTABLE:

1. A thick, rigid sole that does not bend or flex and has a wide base through the midfoot area.

2. Arch support.

3. A wide, soft square toebox.

4. Rearfoot control. 

It doesn't matter what brand you get or how much you spend - just make sure that your shoes meet these four criteria and you can judge for yourself.

Have a safe and healthy day!

Dr. Cathleen A. McCarthy 

******

Check out my first novel which was written under the pen name C. Mack Lewis. It's available on Kindle or you can download a free Kindle app and read it on your iPad. 

Thank you for your support!

http://www.amazon.com/Gunning-For-Angels-Mack-Lewis-ebook/dp/B00I84NSE0

 

Podiatrist Recommended Running Shoe - Hoka

HOKA ONE ONE

Running Shoe

 Hoka One One Mafate

 Hoka One One Bondi B

Thanks to Linda for introducing me to the Hoka One One Running Shoe! 

This is my new favorite running shoe - especially for patients who love to run and need to protect their joints.

It has a thick, rigid sole that provides stability and control and yet is lightweight enough to help prevent leg fatigue. Because it is so oversized, it does well on smooth surfaces or uneven trails.  

The bottom line is: the more you protect your joints, the longer you will be able to stay active and enjoy life. I have many patients who would love to be more active but are limited by joint pain and damage. Protect your joints now so you can stay active longer!

Overall, it's a beautiful combination of support, control and lightweight construction. 

Bravo!

 Hoka One One Bondi B Running Shoe

Happy Trails!

Dr. Cathleen A. McCarthy

:) 

Comfortable Running Shoes for Patients with Flat Feet.

BROOKS BEAST (For Men)


This is a incredibly stable shoe for runners who overpronate or have a hypermobile flat feet. The shoe is a bit heavier than most due to the added stability features that offer stronger support. It's stiff sole helps to protect the foot from the injury of repetitive trauma and is excellent for heavy runners with flatfeet who need extra support. This running shoe offers maximum biomechanical control for the foot and ankle.


Recommended for Runners who have:
*Hypermobility of the Joints (too much motion)
*Collapsing Arches
*Over Pronation / Flat Feet
*Ligament Laxity
*Heavy Runners! 


**Whenever I have a pediatric patient with severe flatfeet, hypermobility or collapsing arches that are causing pain, I recommend this shoe with firm arch support (a Custom-Molded Orthotic or over-the-counter insert). I occasionally have to also put the patient into an ankle brace to create even more biomechanical control. The Brooks Beast is not just for heavy runners - it's great for any patient with excess motion and severe flat feet. 




BROOKS ARIEL (For Women)

The Brook's Ariel is the Women's running shoe version of the Brook's Beast. It's an excellent running shoe that offers maximal biomechanical control and is slightly softer and more pliable than the Brooks Beast.  

**I highly recommend wearing these running shoes with either a  Custom-Molded Orthotics or an over-the-counter insert. Proper arch support with help prevent tendonitis, mechanical strain and help with proper alignment of the knees, hips and lower back.  

** This shoe is very strong! It is not for everyone. If it's not comfortable or it is causing any problems - than it is not the proper running shoe for you. The acid test is how it feels on you!!

Hope all is well,

Dr. Cathleen A. McCarthy

Boy's Running Shoe at Kid's Foot Locker...

The NIKE TURBO VII - NIKE SHOX.

This is an excellent boy's tennis/running shoe with a rigid, supportive sole. It can easily accommodate a custom-molded orthotic or a good over-the-counter insert. 

It can be found at KID'S FOOT LOCKER at METRO CENTER MALL. 

Cost: $85

Rating: 8/10 on a scale of zero (arch enemy) to ten (foot friendly).