Comfortable Women's Wedge Sandal - Earthies Salerno

EARTHIES SALERNO

love it...

This is a gorgeous shoe!

I love the Earthie shoe line - 

they are pretty and, in a world full of poorly constructed shoes, Earthies has consistently offered exceptional quality. 

This shoe is wonderful because of the rigid protective sole that offers more protection and comfort for the foot structures. 

What really wins me over is the contoured foot-bed with soft material and excellent arch support.

The strapping provides forefoot, midfoot and rearfoot control, which increases biomechanical control of the foot and allows for 

more comfort as well as less chance of injury and mechanical strain. 

This Shoe is Recommended For Patients with:

*Mild Bunions

*Mild Hammertoes

*Mild Tailor's Bunions

*Plantar Fasciitis (Heel Pain)

*Achilles Tendonitis

This Shoe is NOT Recommended For Patients with:

*Hallux Limitus/Hallux Rigidus (Limited or No Range of Motion across the 1st Toe Joint)

*Osteoarthritis or Degenerative Joint Disease of any of the Toe Joints (especially the 1st Toe Joint)

*Metatarsalgia

*Morton's Neuroma

*Capsulitis of the Toe Joints

*Ankle Instability/Hypermobility

*Diabetes

*Peripheral Neuropathy (Nerve Damage)

*Peripheral Arterial Disease (Poor Circulation)

*Charcot Foot

*History of Ulcerations

*Dropfoot

If you are one of my patients or in 

the Scottsdale area, 

J. Stephens Shoes 

located in Kierland Commons carries 

the Earthie shoes. 

Check out their website at:

www.shoesjs.com

(I have no financial interests with them!)

***

Have a great evening!

Dr. Cathleen A. McCarthy

:)

Comfortable & Stylish Man's Dress Shoe - The Dansko Theo

DANSKO THEO

Comfort & Style for Men.

Of course there is a story behind this shoe!

One of the Podiatry Students from Midwestern University School of Podiatric Medicine who has been shadowing me this month was wearing a lovely looking Echo dress shoe but I noticed that by the end of the day he was shifting around like his feet hurt. 

Although I recommended on several occasions for him to sit down and rest - he declined and continued standing for the entire day while we saw patients.

Foot pain is a common problem for third year medical students because they spend the first two years of school sitting and in the third year they are thrown into hospitals and expected to stand for long hours on hard surfaces.

When I was a third year Podiatry student, 

I spent a month shadowing a Podiatrist and my feet and legs were killing me! 

At one point, I was so desperate I asked the doctor if I could sit during his patient exams and he refused to let me! 

He advised me it was more professional if I remained standing - even though he was sitting!

 

I remember thinking that it was very odd that a Podiatrist - a person who has devoted his career  to foot care - would refuse to let me sit and I promised myself  that I would never do that to any students.

Anyway, the student shadowing me this month didn't want to sit - 

even when I encouraged him to do so  -

(am I that scary??)

He is an excellent student and I respect his tenacity but I hate to see him suffering.

So, he's had to listen to me talk biomechanics all day long to practically every patient for the past month and he showed up on Friday with the Dansko Theos. 

I am ashamed to say that I didn't notice at first but one of the office staff (my mother!) admired his new shoes and we checked them and they proved to have excellent biomechanical control. 

At the end of the day, the student said they felt fantastic and finally admitted that his feet had been killing him by the end of each day 

(I knew it! I have a sixth sense when it comes to foot pain...) 

and (yea!) he loved his new Danskos. 

He was surprised because he had spent significantly more money on the Echo dress shoes than on the Danskos but I reminded him that it is not how much money you spend - it is knowing what you are looking for in a shoe. 

The Echo was a great looking shoe but the 

forefoot sole on this particular shoe was thinner and far too flexible.

The Dansko Theo has a thick, rigid sole that does not bend, which allows for much more biomechanical control and therefore - less pain. 

It also has a good insert with decent arch support (it can be removed to accommodate a custom-molded orthotic if needed) as well as a wide toebox and great rearfoot control.

Echo is a wonderful shoe line and has many excellent shoes but, like every shoe line, it also has some stinkers. 

Hence, the whole purpose of this blog - 

finding good looking comfortable shoes that are pathology specific! 

Dansko Theo's are Recommended for Patients with:

*Mild to possibly Moderate Bunions

*Mild to possibly Moderate Tailor's Bunions 

*Mild to Moderate Hammertoes

*Metatarsalgia

*Mild Morton's Neuroma

*Hallux Limitus/Hallux Rigidus (Limited to No Range of Motion across the 1st Toe Joint)

*Recovery from any Injuries to the Foot - especially the forefoot or the metatarsals

*Mild to Moderate Tendonitis

*Maybe Mild Achilles Tendonitis (It will feel better with a Heel Cup in the shoe if you have Achilles Tendonitis)

*Mild Ankle Instability

*Hypermobility or Ligament Laxity

*Tired Leg Syndrone

*Mechanical Strain

*Mild Knee, Hip or Lower Back Pain

This Shoe is NOT Recommended for Patients with:

*Diabetes with history of Ulcerations

*Neuropathic Feet (Nerve Damage)

*Peripheral Arterial Disease (Poor Circulation)

*Charcot Foot

*Prominent "bumps" on the foot or an excessively high arch (Pes Cavus) - especially if you have an exostosis (bone spur) on the top of your midfoot area. This shoe may rub that area, which will cause irritation. 

Overall, I give this shoe a rating of 9

on a scale of zero to ten with ten being the best. 

Enjoy your day!

Dr. Cathleen A. McCarthy

:)

A special thank you to the student 

(you know who you are little grasshopper!) 

for providing me with the information that allowed me to do the review on the Dansko Theo! 

 

Comfortable Women's Casual Dress Shoe - Wolky Cloggy...

 

The Wolky Cloggy 

The Wolky Cloggy is an excellent shoe and I highly recommend it!

It has a thick and protective sole with good arch support and "memory foam" that molds to your foot for extra comfort. 

The wide toebox, midfoot and rearfoot strap biomechanically control the foot, which allows for more comfort and less chance of injury.

This shoe is Recommended for Patients with:
*Bunions

*Hammertoes

*Tailor's Bunions

*Metatarsalgia

*Corns & Calluses

*Morton's Neuroma

*Sesmoiditis

*Tendonitis

*Hallux Limitus/Hallux Rigidus (Limited Range of Motion or no range of motion across the 1st Toe Joint) 

*Osteoarthritis 

*Rheumatoid Arthritis

*Fibromyalgia

This shoe is NOT Recommended for Patients with:

*Diabetes with a history of Ulcerations

*Peripheral Neuropathy (Nerve Damage)

*Peripheral Arterial Disease (Poor Circulation) 

*Charcot Foot

Overall, the Wolky Cloggy is an excellent shoe for a multitude of foot types...

Have a Great Evening!

Dr. Cathleen A. McCarthy

:)

Comfortable Women's Dress Shoes - Dansko.

Dansko

Comfortable Women's Dress Shoes...

Dansko Bett

$160

 Dansko Reeny

$155

More comfortable Dansko shoes! 

It's hard to go wrong with Dansko and these two shoes are no exception. 

Both have a thick, rigid sole which allows for maximum biomechanical control of the foot structures 

(Joints, Muscles, Tendons, and Ligaments) 

and therefore allows for 

more protection and comfort. 

Both shoes also offer a wide toebox, 

excellent rearfoot control and a strap for midfoot control. The combination of the rigid sole and these three thing also allows for more biomechanical control and therefore more comfort and protection of the foot, ankle as well as the knees, hips and lower back.

Dansko shoes typically do not accommodate any arch support whether it is over-the-counter or custom-molded but that is usually not an issue because there is adequate arch support built into the shoe. 

Patients sometimes have trouble with proper fitting if they are half sizes and, 

if this is the case with you, I recommend trying the shoes on in a store. 

It is also a heavier shoe than some other brands, which works well for people who are on their feet on hard surfaces for long hours but this can be a problem for patients who are elderly, have muscle weakness or have a history of some neurological problems such as "drop foot".

In general, Dansko shoes offer hard-core biomechanical control but...

they are not for everyone! 

If you work on concrete floors and your feet hurt, give Dansko shoes a try. 

If you continue to have foot or ankle pain even with good shoes, 

I recommend that you follow up 

with a Podiatrist for 

a proper evaluation including x-rays

as you may be walking around on a stress fracture or some other problem that can be treated successfully doing some simple things.

These Shoes are Recommended for Patients with:

*Mild Bunions

*Mild Hammertoes

*Mild Tailor's Bunions

*Mild Morton's Neuromas

*Mild Metatarsalgia

*Mild Halluc Limitus (Limited Range of Motion across the 1st Toe Joint) 

*Mild Tendonitis

*Mild Achilles Tendonitis

*Mild Plantar Fasciitis (Heel Pain)

*Mild Osteoarthritis

*Mild Plantar Plate Injuries (of the Forefoot Joints) 

*Mild Forefoot Joint Capsulitis

These Shoes are NOT Recommended For Patients with:

*Diabetes

*Peripheral Arterial Disease (Poor Circulation)

*Neuropathy (Nerve Damage)

*Drop Foot 

*Charcot Foot

*History of Foot Ulcerations 

*Excessive Swelling

*Hallux Rigidus (No Motion across the 1st Toe Joint)

*Moderate to Severe Hallux Limitus (Limited Range of Motion across the 1st Toe Joint) 

*Moderate to Severe Bunions

*Moderate to Severe Hammertoes

*Moderate to Severe Tailor's Bunions 

*Severe Morton's Neuroma's 

*Severe Degenerative Joint Disease or Rheumatoid Arthritis across any of the Forefoot Joints

I hope all is well!

Dr. Cathleen A. McCarthy 

:)

Comfortable Women's Shoe - Dansko Riki...

Dansko Riki 

 I own this shoe and I love it!

It's my "go to" shoe for work as it is super-comfortable for all day wear and it looks great with black slacks and jeans. 

There are some limitations to this shoe and if you have any "bumps" on the top of your mid-foot area or you have a high instep and tend to get irritation from shoes across the top of your midfoot - this shoe will probably not work for you.

The Dansko Riki has a thick rigid sole that is very protective of the foot, which also makes it very comfortable. 

It has a wide toebox as well as excellent rearfoot control that allows for more comfort. 

The Dansko Riki will not accommodate an insert or custom-molded insert but it does not necessarily need one as it has decent arch support built into the shoe. 

Dansko shoes are not for everyone. 

Dansko offers pretty hard-core biomechanical control, which works wonders for people who need to be on concrete floors for long hours. 

Dansko does not tend to work for elderly people who cannot tolerate a "heavy" shoe and it does not accommodate large "bumps" that certain people might have on their feet such as bunions or bone spurs that protrude. 

The Dansko Riki is Recommended for Patients with:

*Mild Bunions 

*Mild Hallux Limitus (Limited Range of Motion across the 1st Toe Joint) 

*Mild Osteoarthritis of any of the forefoot or midfoot joints

*Mild Hammertoes

*Mild Tailor's Bunions 

*Mild Morton's Neuroma

*Mild Metatarsalgia

*Mild Tendonitis

*Mild Plantar Fasciitis (Heel Pain)
*Mild Achilles Tendonitis
*Mild Knee, Hip and Lower Back Pain


The Dansko Riki is NOT Recommended for Patients with:
*Moderate to Sever Bunions (May have too much pressure on the "bump")
*People with "high insteps" or "bumps" on the top of their mid-foot areas (the strap causes too much pressure in this area)
*Moderate to Severe Tailor's Bunions
*Moderate to Severe Hammertoes
*Moderate to Sever Morton's Neuromas
*Hallux Rigidus (No motion across the 1st toe joint) - caused by biomechanics, degenerative joint disease, osteoarthritis or previous injury
*Diabetes
*Charcot Foot
*Neurpathy (Nerve Damage)
*Peripheral Arterial Disease (Poor Circulation)
*History of Foot Ulcerations 
*Muscle Weakness in Lower Extremities
*Drop foot
*Pes Cavus Foot Type (High Arch Foot Type)
*Wide Feet
*Geriatrics



Overall, a great shoe! 

I purchased mine from Paradise Valley Mall in Phoenix for $160 and they are worth every cent. 



Have a great day!


Dr. Cathleen A, McCarthy


:)

"Top Comfortable Shoe Lists" that are Podiatrist Recommended.

For Lists of my Podiatrist recommended 
"Top Shoes" -
Please use the search box to the right (within the blog) to look up:


Top Twenty Comfortable Dress Shoes
Top Twenty Comfortable Boot
Top Ten Comfortable Sandals
Top Five Comfortable Walking Shoes



Hope these are helpful!

Sincerely,

Dr. Cathleen A. McCarthy

Comfortable Wedge Sandals for Spring...

Comfortable Wedge Sandals

Okay, perhaps it's a bit early to be talking about sandals in January but here's to hoping that you might be heading out on some fabulous vacation in warmer climates! 

 Not to mention that here in Arizona, I think our obligatory three weeks of winter was over and done with the third week in December... 

Codani Astro

$166

Pedro Garcia Denia

$450

Yes, I know, the price tag on the Pedro Garcia is rather bold to say the least but it is an extraordinarily comfortable wedge sandal. 

The nice thing about this review is that, if you know what you're looking for in a good sandal - you should be able to find it in any price range.

I have had patients bring in shoes that they have paid $800 for and they are crap. I have also had patients bring in $12 WalMart shoes that are fabulous. 

It's simply a matter of knowing what you are looking for in a shoe as well as understanding what specific type of foot problem you have and what is the appropriate type of shoe for your specific foot type.

What makes these two sandals so comfortable is:

1)

The thick and rigid sole which will allow less motion across the foot which results in less mechanical strain and therefore - less pain. 

2)

These sandals have strapping for the forefoot, midfoot and most importantly - the rearfoot. 

Secure strapping of these three areas means that you have more biomechanical control of the foot and ankle structures which will allow for less motion which equals less pain. 

If there is no rearfoot strap - you are forcing your tendons, muscles, joints as well as your knees, hips and lower back to work harder to stabilize your entire body. Instead of forcing your body to do the work - make the shoe do it!

Remember, you are either beating up your feet or your shoes. If you think about what your shoes look like after a couple of years, that is what you are doing to your joints if you are walking around barefoot or in flimsy shoes. 

It's simply a matter of "wear-and-tear". 

It's important that when you are shopping for dress shoes that your protect your feet with a thick rigid sole and proper strapping for biomechanical control.  

3)

This type of wedge heel is great for giving you more "height" without stressing out the forefoot area. You'll get the three inch heel height look but the foot is really only forced into a one to one-and- a-half inch heel height biomechically. 

If you have severe Hallux Limitus or Rigidus (limited range of motion across the 1st toe joint) or degenerative joint disease of any of the forefoot joints - these are not the shoes for you!

This Type of Shoe is Recommended For Patients with:

*Mild Hallux Limitus (mild limitation of motion across the 1st toe joint) 

*Mild Plantar Fasciitis (Heel Pain)

*Mild Achilles Tendonitis

*Mild Tendonitis

*Mild to Moderate Morton's Neuroma

*Mild to Moderate Hammertoes

*Mild Tailor's Bunion

*Mild to Moderate Bunions

*Mild to Moderate Capsulitis of the Forefoot/Toe Joints

*Mild Plantar Plate Injuries

*Mild to Moderate Metatarsalgia

*Ingrown Toenails

*Mild Calluses

This Type of Shoe is NOT Recommended for Patients with:

*Diabetes

*Peripheral Arterial Disease (Poor Circulation)

*Peripheral Neuropathy (Nerve Damage)

*Charcot Foot

*History of Ulcerations

*Severe Hallux Limitus or Hallux Rigidus (Limited Range of Motion across the 1st Toe Joint)

*Severe Degenerative Joint Disease of any of the Forefoot Sturctures

*Severe Rheumatoid Arthritis

*Severe Hypermobility or Ligament Laxity

*Ankle Instability

*Dropfoot

I hope this has been helpful!

Have a great weekend,

Dr. Cathleen A. McCarthy 

:)