Jeffrey Campbell
Podiatrist Recommended Comfort & Fashion
The Gnarly Velvet Boot
The Preston Loafer
If you are familiar with Jeffrey Campbell's shoe designs you will immediately realize that these are two very tame choices from his latest collection! If for aesthetic value alone, I love looking at his newest shoe designs - they are weird, wacky and fun. These two also happen to be comfortable, which is what this blog is about - how to find good looking shoes that are good for your feet and are pathology specific.
Both of these shoes have a thick, rigid and non-flexible sole, which is the key to a comfortable shoe. The curve upward in the forefoot area of the sole allows for a smooth and normal gait while the thick and rigid sole allows no motion through the foot, which means less mechanical strain, less chance of injury and more comfort for all day wear. If you have any forefoot issues such as Functional Hallux Limitus, Morton's Neuroma, Capsulitis, Metatarsalgia or Plantar Plate Injuries - the thick and rigid sole will prevent motion through those areas for more protection and comfort.
The wide, square toebox is great for accommodating mild to moderate bunions and hammertoes. The rearfoot control is excellent and the boot is a great choice for you need more ankle control. I would highly recommend wearing a custom-molded dress orthotic with these shoes to maximize biomechanical control of the arch, which will help with knee, hip and lower back issues.
These shoes are recommended for patients with:
*Functional Hallux Limitus (limited range of motion through the 1st toe joint)
*Sesamoiditis
*Morton's Neuroma
*Metatarsalgia
*Capsulitis
*Plantar Plate Issues
*Plantar Fasciitis (Heel Pain)
*Over-Pronation & Flat Feet (wear custom-molded dress orthotic)
*Achilles Tendonitis
*Mild Tendonitis
*Previous Lisfranc's Injuries
*Hypermobility and Ligament Laxity (wear dress orthotics)
*Mechanical Strain
*Hammertoes
*Mild to Moderate Bunions
*Mild Osteoarthritis
*Mild Rheumatoid Arthritis (Check with your Podiatrist)
*Sinus Tarsi Syndrome
These shoes are not recommended for patients with:
*Severe Hallux Rigidus (No motion through 1st toe joint)
*Significant 'bumps' (exotosis) on the top of the midfoot (With the boot, you can skip a lace to off-load the area of the bump, which should make it comfortable)
*Diabetes (Check with your Podiatrist)
*Peripheral Neuropathy (Nerve Damage)
*Peripheral Arterial Disease (Poor Circulation)
*History of Ulceration
*Charcot Foot
For more information, check out other articles on this blog by using the search blog and typing in: My Feet Hurt.
Hope this was helpful and have a wonderful day!
Dr. Cathleen A. McCarthy
:)
Thank you for your blog! I don't have foot problems, but I do have chronic knee/back pain. I stupidly switched from heels to flexible flats, and as you know, that didn't help. Thanks to you, I switched to shoes with a thick, rigid sole and Crocs RX for slippers, and my pain is virtually gone.
ReplyDeleteMy daily commute involves about 30 minutes of walking. I need a walking boot that will hold up in the rain. I just purchased the Keen Tyretread Boot. It feels good and seems to meet all your requirements, except the toe box is hard. Looks like some of the others you like have hard toe boxes as well -- just wondering if that's a deal breaker. I haven't worn them yet, so they could go back (thank you, Zappos).
Thanks for your thoughts.
Hello!
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you've had such great results! The hard toebox is not a dealbreaker. As long as the sole does not bend or flex at all you can have a hard toebox - assuming it is comfortable for your foot.
Happy Holidays!
Cathy
:)