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Saturday, June 11, 2016

Comfortable Wedge Heels for Summer 2016 - Pikolinos - Podiatry Recommended

Pikolinos

Two great choices for Summer 2016

Podiatrist Recommended


Pikolinos Mykonos



Pikolinos Madeira

Much thanks to my stylish patient who found these sandals! Both of these wedge heels are great choices for wearing on smooth, concrete surfaces. I would not recommend them for significantly uneven pavement or cobblestone. If possible, I recommend that you try on these shoes at the store so that you can get a good fit and make sure that they are comfortable. What makes both of these wedges so good is that they meet the criteria of what makes a good shoe. 

The four criteria required for a comfortable shoe:

1. A thick, rigid and non-flexible sole, so that there is no motion through the foot joints. Eliminating motion through foot joints decreases the progression of bunions, hammertoes and arthritic joint changes as well as decreasing inflammation, swelling and pain of tendons, muscles and ligaments. If you have arthritis or any joint issues in your feet (degenerative changes, history of a fracture or injury, ect) then wearing a shoe that is flexible will cause more wear and tear on the joints, which will cause more damage and pain. If you are recovering from a foot injury and are trying to transition from your below-the-knee walking boot into normal shoes -- the trick is to ease into shoes that do the same thing that the CAM walker did -- stop motion through the area of pain so that you can continue to heal and be comfortable. 

2. Wide toebox. A wide, soft toebox will decrease the progression of hammertoes, bunions, corns and calluses and other issues such as Morton's neuromas. If water can slowly wear down boulders into sand, then what do you think the pressure from pointy-toed shoes are doing to your joints throughout your lifetime? 

3. Rearfoot Control. In my opinion, there are no flip-flops that are good enough for anyone's feet! If you are not wearing a strap around the rearfoot, then you are forced to grip down with your toes, which helps promote hammertoes, mechanical strain and tired-leg syndrome.  

4. Arch Support. Although there is no significant arch support in these two sandals, you can get an over-the-counter cushion from the pharmacy that will adhere to the top of the footbed to give added arch support.  

These shoes are recommended for patients with:
*Mild to moderate Hallux Limitus
*Mild to moderate Functional Hallux Limitus 
*Hallux Rigidus (Mykonos)
*History of a 1st toe joint implant or fusion (Mykonos)
*Mild Osteoarthritis
*Mild Rheumatoid Arthritis (clear with your podiatrist) 
*Mild to Moderate Metatarsalgia
*Morton's Neuroma
*Plantar Plate Injury
*Capsulitis
*Over-Pronation (try to add a self-adhesive arch support and only wear for social occasions and not for all day walking)
*Plantar Fasciitis (heel pain)
*History of a previous Lisfranc's injury or fracture that has healed (please check with your podiatrist to see if this shoe is appropriate for you)
*Mild Hammertoes
*Mild Bunions
*Mild Tailor's Bunions 
*Mild Achilles Tendonitis
*History of healed tendonitis (check with your podiatrist)


These shoes are NOT recommended for patients with: 
*Diabetes
*History or Ulcerations
*Charcot foot
*Balance Issues
*Moderate to Severe Hypermobility or Ligament Laxity 
*History of Falling
*Instability
*Peripheral Neuropathy (nerve damage)
*Charcot-Marie Tooth
*Neurological Issues
*Peripheral Arterial Disease (poor circulation)
*Excessive swelling
*Moderate to Severe Lymphedema

For more information, please refer to my other articles on this blog:

My Feet Hurt: Top Ten Things to do to Alleviate Foot Pain.


Shoe Recommendations for Patients Recovering from Lisfranc's Foot Injuries.


I hope this was helpful and I thank you for reading the blog!



Have a wonderful day,

Dr. Cathleen A. McCarthy

:)




11 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thanks for this great blog! I generally follow your rearfoot control rule, but I've just tried on the Birkenstock Gizeh and loved them. They design really cradles your heel, so that I didn't feel like I needed to grip with my toes. I'm curious if you have any thoughts on this model? Thanks so much, AS

Patti said...

These are super cute sandals! Thanks for your blog - I enjoy it a lot.

Do you have any recommendations for a closed-toe shoe appropriate for the office that might be a good candidate for someone with Morton's neuroma and a high instep? I've found lately that the top of my foot is uncomfortable and the tendons feel very tight, so I suspect I'm doing something wrong!

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Jamie said...

Hi Dr. McCarthy!
I've enjoyed your articles and blog. My question is do you have an updated walking shoes you'd recommend? Your 2012 article listed NB 928 or 1540. It seems those are only available now in v2. Do you believe that the version 2s are just as great a shoe?

Thanks!

Doctor of Podiatry Discusses and Recommends Shoes. said...

Hi Anonymous,
The Birkenstock Gizeh open-toe design is great for people with large bunions and hammertoes that a forefoot strap would cause too much pressure on, but it would be better if it had rearfoot control. Try to find the same the Gizeh with a rearfoot strap and it will help to slow the progression of hammertoes and forefoot irritation as well as rearfoot issues such as Achilles tendonitis and it should even help decrease knee, hip and lower back strain.
Thanks for reading the blog!
Cathy
:)

Doctor of Podiatry Discusses and Recommends Shoes. said...

Hi Jamie,
I still recommend the NB 928 or 1540. The old NB 1540 is no longer being made, so the new recommendation is NB 1540V2. They are not as good as the old version of the same shoe, but they are still better than most shoes out there. Just make sure that you double check to make sure that the sole has no motion of flex through the forefoot. 10% of shoes are broken ,defective or poorly made, so only get the NB 1540V2 that has NO motion through the forefoot area.
Thanks for reading!
Cathy
:)

Unknown said...

Good shoes. Shoes are one of the most attention-seeking accessories of a person’s outfit hence. One should choose them according to outfit and personality. Now many types of stylish sneakers are available in a variety of colors and designs. Sneaker footwear comes in attractive shades like grey, robin blue, light brown, cream, beige, red and many more.

Alan Gould said...

Thank you for this post. It would be nice if you can add some information with regards to wooden clogs for men and how helpful they can be.

Anonymous said...

The suggestion of a stiff-soled shoe CURED my chronic foot pain in both feet.

I attempted to make the transition to minimalist/barefoot running shoes and about a year in with no problems, I attempted running and ended up with numbness/pain in both feet. Suffered with chronic foot pain for atleast 2 years (extremely hard time standing in shower, walking on hard floors, even simply walking around outside).

I read about the new balance stiff soled shoes and purchased a pair. I've been wearing them all day for around a month and am essentially pain free.

Thank you. :)

For people who are in a similar situation that I was in: listen to your body! Ditch the minimalist shoes when you are injured and give your body plenty of rest and give your feet comfort!

Anonymous said...

Also, I've been to numerous podiatrists, PCPs, have done physical therapy TWICE, and nothing fully cured it. Except the stiff soled shoes. :)

The kind I got are New Balance MX409BK2, in black. You may need to size up, as I'm a 10 1/2 in most shoes. and an 11 in these NBs.

Take care :).

Kate Sosoxy said...

My mother buys similar models of shoes. She is always very pleased with them and says they are very comfortable.