Three Comfortable Wedge Sandals
Podiatrist Recommended
Clarks Caslynn Lizzie
Clarks Resin Bangle Wedges
Born Maldives Wedge Sandal
These are three good choices for summer wedge sandals. The Clark's Caslynn Lizzie should only be worn by women who know that they can handle the slightly higher heel. If that 'heel pitch' is too high, then drop down to the Clark's Resin or Born's Maldive sandal.
Each has a thick, rigid and non-flexible sole, which is excellent for limiting motion through the foot joints, which will allow for more comfort, less mechanical strain and more protection for injured or previously damaged joints. Less motion through foot joints translates to less wear-and-tear on joints, tendons and ligaments. Any time that you are wearing shoes that have a flimsy, flexible sole then you are increasing the progression of bunions, hammertoes, degenerative and osteoarthritic joint changes and increasing the risk of new injuries. What also makes these wedge sandals better than most is that they each have excellent forefoot, midfoot and rearfoot strapping, which allows for more biomechanical control of your foot joints and tendons. Less motion through your foot joints equals less mechanical strain on your feet, ankles, knees, hips and lower back.
These wedges will work for some people, but not everybody. What works for your foot is pathology specific. Please refer to the lists below for more specific recommendations. If you are not sure if a shoe is right for your foot, check with your podiatrist.
These wedges should work for patients with:
*Mild Plantar Fasciitis (Heel Pain)
*Mild Achilles Tendonitis
*Mild to Moderate Hallux Limitus (decreased motion of the 1st toe joint)
*Hallux Rigidus (Clarks Resin & Born Maldives)
*Mild Metarsalgia (Clarks Resin & Born Maldives)
*Mild Morton's Neuroma
*Mild Capsulitis
*Previous history of a Lisfranc's injury (please check with your podiatrist)
*Mild Osteoarthritis
*Mild Tailor's Bunion
*Mild Tendonitis
*Mild Bunions
*Mild Hammertoes
*Mild Over-Pronation & Flat Feet (you can put in a self adhesive 'cookie arch' that most podiatrists offices have in stock or you can find these on Footsmart.com)
These Wedges are not recommended for patients with:
*Diabetes
*Peripheral Neuropathy (Nerve Damage)
*Peripheral Arterial Disease (Poor Circulation)
*History of Foot Ulcerations
*Charcot Foot
*Drop Foot
*Ankle Instability
*Severe Hypermobility / Ligament Laxity
*Geriatrics
*Muscle Weakness
*Fall Risk Patients
For more information on the basics of what you are looking for in proper shoes, please check out these two articles:
'Shoe recommendations for patients recovering from Lisfranc's Injuries'
and
'My feet hurt: top ten things to relieve foot pain today'
I hope this was helpful!
Dr. Cathleen A. McCarthy
:)
I have the same wedges like yours and they are very comfortable. I prefer to wear them while shopping, in office etc.
ReplyDeleteI understand podiatrists look at feet -- but after years of wearing rigid soled shoes (on the advice of my pod -- NOT Dr. McCarthy), I destroyed my knees. Now I know that the torque of the rigid sole places unnecessary strain on the knee joint. I was shocked to find there's quite a bit of reputable research to bear this out -- and I'm upset that I never knew this before my knees were damaged. What are your thoughts on this?
ReplyDeleteHi Elizabeth,
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry to hear that you've been suffering with knee issues. I understand your frustration and there are alot of varying opinions about what constitutes a proper shoe, which is why I started my blog.
What you're saying is sort of like saying that your dermatologist told you to wear sunscreen and a hat and you still developed skin cancer. Or that your dentist told you to brush and floss and you did all of that correctly, but you still developed a cavity. Unfortunately, even if we do everything correctly, we can still develop medical issues. As we get older, out bodies are always trying to go south on us! The goal of wearing proper shoes (rigid soles) and orthotics is to help slow or stop the progression of joint damage.
I wonder what would have happened to your knees if you spent years in flexible shoes? No one knows. Maybe you would be just fine, but maybe you would now have foot issues or hip issues or lower back pain. We can only guess what the results might be if you were not in rigid soled shoes. It has been my experience that rigid soled shoes, arch support and good rearfoot control helps to slow progression of foot, knee, hip and lower back issues, BUT I do have patients who do everything perfectly and they still develop foot, knee, hip and lower back problems. The three main causes of joint issues (in my opinion) are genetics, trauma and poor shoegear.
But, much like the dermatologists advice, I know that if I do wear my sun screen, I am at least decreasing the risk of developing skin cancer. Theoretically, this logic also applies to proper shoes helping to protect your feet, knees, hips and lower back from mechanical strain.
I encourage you to do what you are doing, which is to be pro-active and do your own research from a variety of expert opinions, so that you can draw your own conclusions.
Best of luck and thank you so much for reading the blog!
Cathy
:)
Awesome list here! Just because you're dealing with foot pain doesn't mean you can't wear cute shoes this summer. I think my favorite has to be the top one! Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteHello Doctor,
ReplyDeleteI would like your opinion in regard of what kind of shoes should I get to start using for my bicycle?
Your opinion it's very appreciated. Should I get the spinning shoes or just my regular rollers?
Thank you
Hi Raquel,
ReplyDeleteSorry for the delayed response. You can use any shoe that meets the criteria of a good shoe:
1. thick, rigid and non-flexible sole
2. arch support
3. wide toebox
4. rearfoot control
The clip-in bike shoes are great because they meet the criteria and, if you prefer a good sneaker, the best is the New Balance 928, which is technically a walking shoe but I often use it for biking.
Thanks for reading,
Cathy
:)