10 Great Choices for Podiatry Approved Comfortable Summer Sandals!

 10 Great Choices for

Podiatry Approved Sandals

What makes these sandals excellent are that they are meet 3 of the 4 criteria for what makes a comfortable shoe:

1. A thick, rigid, and non-flexible sole. A shoe that has a thick, rigid, and non-flexible sole allows less motion through painful joints, which translates into more comfort. The concept is counter-intuitive but less motion means less pain, less strain, and less damage to the joints and will help slow the progression of bunions, hammertoes, and arthritic joint changes. 

2. Wide toe box. Pointy-toed shoes cause bunions, hammertoes, corns,  and ingrown toenails (to name a few!). 

3. Rearfoot control. Flips flops are not good for your feet because they cause you to "grip down" your toes, which can promote hammertoes and mechanical strain to tendons, ligaments and also increase strain to your knees, hips, and lower back. 

4. Arch Support. This is where many (but not all) sandals fail, but you can always add in arch support with over-the-counter products that you can "stick onto" the footbed. Our Certified Pedorthist (Mike) at our office can help you with this. For a free shoe and arch support consult, you can call 480-563-5115 and ask for an appointment with Mike. You do not have to be a patient of the practice to make an appointment with Mike, but if you are diabetic or are having significant foot issues, please call and make an appointment with either Dr. Kristina Jay or myself for a complete and comprehensive evaluation (this appointment is not free and we will either bill your insurance or offer a cash pay cost upon request). 

Dansko Tiana

I own this shoe and love it! 

Eileen Fisher

Sport Suede Criss Cross Banded Wedge Platform

Wolky Jewel

Bionica Akela

Bionica Soreno

Vionic Kellyn Wedge Sandal

Keens Newport H2 

This "amphibious" sandal a great option for the beach 

(to wear in the sand and into the surf) 

as well as wearing in the pool for water aerobics. 

Ecco Yucatan

Gizeh Platform Vegan

Although this shoe doesn't have rearfoot control, 

I include this in the list because it is a wonderful option for ladies with bunions. 

Fit Flop LuLu Crystal Back-Strap Sandals

Pinnacle Peak Podiatry now has a full-time Certified Pedorthist who is offering Free Shoe Consultations. To make an appointment, please call and schedule an appointmetn with Mike at 480-563-5115.  

I hope this was helpful!

Have a great day,

Dr. Cathleen A. McCarthy

:)

For more information:

Shoe Recommendations For Patients Recovering From Lisfranc Injuries... (As well as any Sprain or Fracture of the Foot)

Top 10 Podiatry Approved Comfortable Slippers

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 that this was helpful! 

Dr. Cathleen A. McCarthy

:)

Podiatrist Recommended Converse - the Run Star Hike!

Podiatrist Recommended

Comfortable Converse -

Run Star Hike.

These Run Star Hike Converse shoe options are super cute and far more comfortable than the classic Converse that has flimsy soles. 

They each meet three of the four criteria that shoes must possess to be comfortable, which are:

1. A thick, rigid, and non-flexible sole. This is actually the most important of the four criteria because a rigid sole that stops motion through painful or compromised joints means that you will have less inflammation, less pain, and joint damage. 

2. A wide toe box, so that there is less pressure on the toes, which means it will stop or slow the progression of hammertoes, bunions, ingrown toenails, corns, and even toenail fungus. 

3. Rearfoot control allows for more biomechanical control of the foot and ankle, which means that there will be less strain on your knees, hips, and lower back. 

4. These Converse can accommodate a dress orthotic or a thin over-the-counter insert, which will provide more arch support.  

These Converse are recommended for people with:

*Plantar Fasciitis (heel pain)

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

*Functional Hallux Limitus

*Hallux Rigidus (no range of motion of the 1st toe joint or a surgically fused 1st toe joint) 

*Mild Osteoarthritis

*Hypermobility

*Over-Pronation

*Mild 

*Metatarsalgia

*Capsulitis

*Mild Ankle Instability 

These Converse are not recommended for people with:

*Bunions

*Hammertoes

*Diabetes

*Peripheral Arterial Disease (poor circulation)

*Peripheral Neuropathy (nerve damage)

*History of Ulceration

*Charcot Foot 

*Morton's Neuroma 

*Achilles Tendonitis

*Drop Foot  

For more information, check out my article: 

"Top 10 reasons why your feet hurt -- and how to alleviate the pain today!" 

http://podiatryshoereview.blogspot.com/search?q=my+feet+hurt

I hope this was helpful! 

Dr. Cathleen A. McCarthy

:)

Podiatrist Recommended Fashion Boots for Winter 2021!

 

Top 20 Podiatrist Recommended 

Women's Boots

Fall 2020 & Winter 2021

It's been a tough year! In honor of making our lives more pleasant and pain-free, I've prepared a top 20 comfortable boot list that I hope proves helpful to you. My personal choice for a winter fashion boot is the Mephisto Hazelina, which I purchased from the fantastic Mephisto store on East Shea Boulevard where they have impeccable customer service and an amazing collection of comfortable and fashionable shoes. Mephisto shoes are expensive, but I consider them an investment in my health and well-being. 

When shopping for a comfortable boot, the most important aspect is to find a boot that has a thick, rigid, and non-flexible sole. It's counterintuitive, but shoes with less motion through the sole means there is less motion through painful joints and that equates to less inflammation, less swelling, less pain, and less damage. A thick, rigid, and nonflexible sole will also decrease mechanical strain on tendons and joints, which means that there is less tired leg syndrome at the end of a long day and it will also decrease strain on the knees, hips, and lower back. You should also avoid any boots with a tapered and narrow toe box as they can cause bunions, hammertoes, ingrown toenails, and corns. A dress orthotic should fit nicely into most of these boots, which will help to slow the progression of bunions, hammertoes, prevent heel pain, and help with people who have over-pronation and hypermobility. 

I recommend that you shop for shoes after lunchtime when there is more swelling in your feet and ankles. I don't necessarily recommend this for everyone, but I purchase all my shoes one whole size up as I cannot tolerate any pressure on my toes. Don't be afraid to try the next size or width up to see how they feel. Always remember, it's better to have a shoe a little too big than too tight. 

Mephisto Hazelina

Guess Zodiac

Fearne Combat boots by Guess

Kork-Ease Shirome

Dr. Martens Leona (Burgundy Vintage)

Paloma Barcelo Nazare Shearling Boots

Paloma Barcelo Mardin

Circus By Sam Edelman

Madden Girl

Michael Kors 

Haskell Crocodile Embossed Leather Combat Boot

Michael Kors

Glenn Studded Leather Boot

El Naturalista Haya N5175

Sorel Evie Pull On

Sorel Joan of Arctic Wedge II Zip

The North Face Thermoball Progressive Zip

AGL Lugged Sole Chelsea

Frye Veronica Bootie

Frye Harness Square Toe Engineer

Eileen Fischer

London Recycled Stretch Knit Bootie

Fly Long Bagu

For more information, check out my article 'My feet hurt - Top 10 things to alleviate foot pain today' at:

http://podiatryshoereview.blogspot.com/search?q=my+feet+hurt 

Thank you for reading and I hope that this list is helpful to you! 

Stay safe!

Dr. Cathleen A. McCarthy

:)

*********

Listen online to my short story podcast!

The Hidden Gems Podcast

Comfortable Sandals for Summer 2020!

Podiatrist Recommended

Summer Sandals for Summer 2020

Hello, Everyone! I hope that you are all having a healthy, safe, and fun summer. Here are 4 sandal selections that are great for all-day comfort and will help to decrease the risk of developing foot problems as they each meet 3 of the 4 criteria for what a shoe must have to be Podiatrist approved. 

To review, for any shoe to be good enough for your feet it must meet the criteria:

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 important that it has a soft, wide toe box, which will put less pressure on toes, which helps to prevent corns, ingrown toenails, and will even decrease the risk of developing toenail fungus. Obviously, sandals are a perfect option for decreasing pressure on the toes. 

Third, all shoes that you wear should have rearfoot control (strapping) because shoes without rearfoot 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 can 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. These sandals do not accommodate arch support, so if you know that you need to wear your custom-molded arch support you are better off wearing enclosed shoes that will accommodate them. 

I understand that these shoes can be expensive, but think of them as medical equipment and an investment in your body. If proper shoe gear can help alleviate foot, knee, hip, and lower back pain and ensure that you stay active as you get older then your money will be well spent. 

Mephisto Tarino

These shoes are carried at the Mephisto Store in Scottsdale, 

which you can find at: 

https://www.mephistoscottsdale.com/

Mephisto Dominica

Mephisto Store in Scottsdale: 

https://www.mephistoscottsdale.com/

Alegria Bailee Luggage 

I recommend that you go to your store that carries this brand 

so that you can try them on to ensure a good fit. 

SAS Relaxed Sandal

I recommend that you go to your local SAS Store 

or any other store that carried this brand 

so that you can try them on to ensure a good fit. 

These sandals are recommended for patients with:

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

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

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

*Rheumatoid Arthritis (the Mephistos and the SAS are better options than Alegria because they have more cushioning) 

*Osteoarthritis (same)

*Plantar Fasciitis (In general, Mephistos are best for anyone under 65 years old but SAS are better for anyone over 65 years old) 

*Morton's Neuroma

*Capsulitis

*Metatarsalgia

*Mild Tailor's Bunions 

*Mild Bunions

*Hammertoes 

*Ingrown Toenails 

These sandals are not recommended for patients with:

*Diabetics with history of Ulcerations 

*Peripheral Arterial Disease (poor circulation)

*Peripheral Neuropathy (nerve damage)

*Charcot Foot

For more information about shoes, please refer to my previous articles: 

Shoe recommendations for patients recovering from Lisfranc's Injuries. 

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

Top 10 reasons why your feet hurt -- and how to alleviate the pain! 

http://podiatryshoereview.blogspot.com/search?q=my+feet+hurt

Thank you for reading and I hope this was helpful!

Dr. Cathleen A. McCarthy 

:)