Comfortable Women's Shoe - The Alegria.

THE ALEGRIA CLASSIC




THE ALEGRIA PALOMA


The Alegria shoe is amazingly comfortable!


Both shoes feature a wonderfully supportive and rigid sole that has a  cushioned insole and decent arch support. The wide toebox  allows for a roomy, comfortable forefoot area that takes pressure off of bunions, hammertoes and painful corns. This shoe is exceptional for any patients who have osteoarthritis of the forefoot or midfoot areas as well as any patients who deal with any type of chronic low grade pain in their feet. 


Of the two shoes, the superior shoe is the Alegria Classic because it has better rearfoot control which allows for more biomechanical control and therefore should provide more comfort and protection. 


This is one of the rare occasions that I can recommend a shoe that lacks true rearfoot control and the reason is that the Alegria Paloma's strapping controls the forefoot, midfoot and the sub-talar joint which is the joint which translates the forces from the leg into the foot during gait. The Alegria Classic is superior because it controls the forefoot, midfoot, sub-talar joint and the motion of the calcaneus (rearfoot).


I have some patients who prefer the Alegria Paloma because it is easier to slip on and off, they claim they have "claustrophobic feet" and prefer not to wear enclosed shoes or they have a prominent bump on the back of their heel making it painful to wear shoes with an enclosed back. 


The Alegria Classic is Recommended for Patients with:
*Heel Pain
*Mild to Moderate Bunions 
*Mild to Moderate Hammertoes
*Morton's Neuroma
*Metatarsalgia
*Tailor's Bunions
*Corns and Calluses
*Fibromyalgia
*Rhumatoid Arthritis
*Osteoarthritis
*Hallux Limitus/Rigidus (Limited range of motion of the 1st toe joint)
*Midfoot Pain
*Tendonitis
*Knee, Hip and Lower Back Pain
*Hypermobility


The Alegria Paloma is recommended for Patients with:
*"Claustrophobic feet" 
*Patients who have trouble bending to put on shoes and need a slide-on shoe
*Moderate to Severe Haglaund's Deformity (Bump on the back of the heel)


The Alegria Classic and Paloma are NOT Recommended for Patients with:
*Achilles Tendonitis (these patients still need a thick and rigid sole shoe but the back of the shoe needs to be higher than the front to slightly elevate the rearfoot to decrease tension on the Achilles tendon).
*Neuropathic Diabetics (these patients need Extra-Depth Shoes with Accommodative Orthotics)
*Diabetic Patients with history of Ulcers
*Charcot Foot (these patients typically need custom-molded shoes with Accommodative Orthotics)
*Patients who need to wear an Ankle-Foot Orthosis (they need an extra depth walking shoe).


Rating: 9 (On a scale of one to ten with ten being the best). 


Cost: $109




Overall an excellent shoe! 




Have a great day!
Dr. Cathleen A. McCarthy

Comfortable Walking Shoe

KURU WALKING SHOE...
The Company Claims: 
"World's Most Anatomical Active Footwear"


I was contacted by the Kuru Company and asked if I was interested in reviewing their women's walking shoe and they sent me the Women's Insight Walking Shoe (Not the one pictured above but very similar) which I have been wearing for the past several weeks. 


This is a VERY comfortable shoe. In my opinion, this is a funky cool shoe whose comfort and style sneak up on you...


When I first saw it I was a little put off by the aesthetics as I thought it looked a bit clunky but after wearing it and experiencing their comfort - I grew more and more fond of their looks. I wore them several days with the insert that comes with the shoe and was quite taken with their excellent arch support - much better than what is in the typical walking shoe. When I added my Custom-Molded Orthotic the shoe was even more comfortable but, even without a CMO, the arch support in the shoe is very effective. It has a firm arch with cushioning in strategic areas for added comfort. The sole is rigid and has a wide base and, my favorite feature, there are two lateral panels for added support of the midfoot (not on the shoe pictured above) which is beneficial for anyone who has tendonitis issues (specifically PT and Peroneal Tendonitis) and pain with lateral motion of the midfoot or rearfoot. The toebox is exceptionally wide which is perfect for anyone with mild to moderate bunions, hammertoes or a Morton's Neuroma. 


The shoe can accommodate an over-the-counter ankle brace and a lighter AFO (Ankle Foot Orthosis - custom-molded brace) although a true extra-depth shoe would work better for the heavier AFO's. 


Overall, I can highly recommend this shoe!


This Shoe is Recommended For Patients with:
*Mild to Moderate (and Maybe Severe) Bunions and Hammertoes. 
*Mild to Moderate (and Maybe Severe) Morton's Neuroma. 
*Posterior Tibialis Tendonitis.
*Peroneal Tendonitis.
*Mild to Moderate Plantar Fasciitis (Heel Pain)
*Mild to Moderate (Possibly Severe) Osteoarthritis. 
*Painful Toenails.
*Mild to Moderate Calluses.
*Mild to Moderate Ankle Instability. 




This Shoe May Not Be Effective for Patients with:
*Achilles Tendonitis - due to the fact that the shoe is pretty flat and patients with A.T. need a shoe with a slightly elevated rearfoot and more cushioning and shock absorption.  


This shoe is NOT Recommended for Patients with:
*Diabetic Foot Ulcers.
*Neuropathic Ulcers.
*Charcot Foot.




Shoe Rating: 9 on a scale of one to ten with ten being the best. 


Cost: $109.97


Great Shoe!
Dr. Cathleen A. McCarthy