Sports Specific Shoes - Podiatrist Recommended.

Podiatrist Recommended

Sports Specific Shoes

Although this list is not comprehensive, I did my best to give you some excellent options for various sports specific shoe options. 

First, the most important thing to remember is that any shoe that you wear must have a thick, rigid and non-flexible sole. The concept is counterintuitive but the idea is that if you have a painful joint then the last thing that you want to do is wear flexible shoes that force motion through joints that can’t handle it. When it comes to the foot, less motion equals less pain, inflammation and joint damage. A sturdy sole with no motion will also stop or slow the progression of bunions, hammertoes, stress fractures, and osteoarthritis. 

Second, it is also important to find shoes with a wide, soft toe box that puts less pressure on toes, which helps to prevent corns, ingrown toenails and even will decrease the risk of developing toenail fungus. 

Third, all shoes that you wear should have rear foot control because shoes without rear foot control force you to scrunch down your toes to stay in the shoe, which promotes hammertoes and mechanical strain on your tendons and ligaments, which can cause tired leg syndrome.

The fourth thing is to wear shoes that will accommodate a custom-molded orthotic or an excellent over-the-counter insert for better arch support, which will help with preventing knee, hip and even lower back pain. 

Running:

Wearing a running shoe with a thick, rigid and non-flexible sole actually will improve your speed and performance. It works off the lever principle, which means that if you wear a rigid sole while running than that will translate into a significant mechanical advantage, improved efficiency, and energy conservation. 

New Balance 1540 V2
(There is also a women's version of the NB 1540)

New Balance 1080 V8

(Men's version also available)

Hoka One One Gaviota

Hoka One One Arahi 2 




Men's Brooks Beast

Walking:

New Balance 928

New Balance 990 V4

Hoka One One Bondi Leather

New Balance 1300 V1

New Balance 1400 V1

Brooks Addiction Walker

New Balance 813

NB 813 is great for older patients with balance issues. It also comes with velcro strapping for added ease of putting on and taking off.

Trail Running:

Hoka One One Speed Goat 2

Hiking:

Hoka One One Tor Ultra Hi

Hoka One One Tor Summit 

Salomon Quest 4D 3 GTX

Soccer:

Tekela Pro Fg

Men's Tennis and Pickleball:

New Balance 806 V2

Beach and Pool Activities:

Keen's Newport H2 

Chaco Z1 or Z2

Men's Golf:

Footjoy Originals

New Balance Golf 1701

Women's Golf:

Footjoy Pro SL/BOA

I hope that this list was helpful! I will try to add to the list as I find more shoes that fit the criteria. For more articles and information, you can refer to:

My feet hurt! Top 10 things to do to alleviate foot pain today. 

http://podiatryshoereview.blogspot.com/2012/05/my-feet-hurt-top-ten-things-relieve.html

Shoe recommendations for patients recovering from Lisfranc's injuries. 

http://podiatryshoereview.blogspot.com/2012/04/podiatrist-shoe-recommendations-for.html

Thank you for reading the blog!

Dr. Cathleen A. McCarthy

:)

Nike Zoom Fly - Podiatry Recommended

Nike Zoom Fly

Podiatry Recommended

The Nike Zoom Fly is a great choice for anyone looking for a comfortable running shoe. Although I still prefer the Hoka running shoes for all-around comfort and stellar shock absorption and the New Balance 1540 for stability and the extra depth toe box, the Nike Zoom Fly is a great choice because it has an excellent sole that is thick, rigid and non-flexible, which allows for miles of comfortable running. 

The 4 things that a shoe must have to be comfortable (and podiatry recommended) are:

1. It must have a thick, rigid and non-flexible sole so that there is no motion through foot joints, tendons, ligament and even muscles. It is counterintuitive, but the concept is that less motion equals less pain, inflammation, and swelling.  

2. It has a wide and soft toe box that decreases pressure on the toes, which helps stop or slow the progression of bunions, hammertoes, neuromas, and corns (to name a few). 

3. It has rearfoot control, which allows for more biomechanical control and stability of the foot and ankle structures. 

4. This shoe will also accommodate a custom-molded orthotic or an excellent over-the-counter insert for better arch support. 

This shoe is recommended for patients with:

*Plantar Fasciitis (heel pain)

*Mild Achilles Tendonitis

*Hallux Rigidus (no motion through the 1st toe joint)

*Hallux Limitus (limited range of motion through the 1st toe joint when you are non-weight bearing)

*Functional Hallux Limitus (limited range of motion through the 1st toe joint when you are weight bearing)

*Morton's Neuroma

*Metatarsalgia

*Capsulitis

*Sesamoiditis

*Mild to Moderate Bunions

*Hammertoes 

*History of mild to moderate Lisfranc's Injury

*Tailor's Bunion

*Osteoarthritis

*Mild to Moderate Degenerative Joint Disease

*Mild to Moderate Over-Pronation

*Mild Hypermobility / Ligament Laxity

Check with your Podiatrist before wearing this shoe if you have:

*Diabetes

*Peripheral Neuropathy (nerve damage)

*Peripheral Vascular Disease (poor circulation)

*History of a severe Lisfranc's Injury

*Rheumatoid Arthritis

This shoe is not recommended for patients with: 

*Charcot Foot

*History of diabetic foot ulcerations

I hope that this was helpful. For more information, please refer to my other articles: 

My feet hurt! Top 10 things to do to alleviate foot pain today. 

http://podiatryshoereview.blogspot.com/2012/05/my-feet-hurt-top-ten-things-relieve.html

Shoe recommendations for patients recovering from Lisfranc's Injuries. 

http://podiatryshoereview.blogspot.com/2012/04/podiatrist-shoe-recommendations-for.html

Have a great day!

Dr. Cathleen A. McCarthy

:)

Dansko Lynnie - Podiatrist Recommended Sandal

Podiatrist Recommended

Dansko Lynnie

I know it's late in the summer season to be recommending sandals, but this sandal is so good that I had to post about it. Plus, I live in Arizona, which is the land of the perpetual summer!

This sandal meets 3 of the 4 criteria required to make a shoe podiatrist recommended: 

1. It has a thick, rigid and non-flexible sole, which is the most important aspect of finding shoes that are comfortable and good for your feet. If you are in a shoe that stops motion through painful joints and foot structures, then you will have less inflammation, less swelling and less pain. It also will help slow the progression of bunions, hammertoes, and arthritis.

2. It has a wide toe box, which means less pressure on toes. This will help slow the progress of hammertoes and even may help prevent and clear up toenail fungal infections. 

3. It has rearfoot control, which means there is less biomechanical strain because a rearfoot strap on a sandal helps to limit motion through the rearfoot so that you will not have to 'scrunch down' your toes to stay in a shoe (such as a flip-flop). It also has the added benefit of helping to reduce knee, hip and lower back pain. 

4. Arch support.  This sandal, unfortunately, doesn't have arch support. An option is to purchase OTC arch support that has an adhesive underside and can be placed into the sandal for added comfort. This will not be enough arch support for anyone with severely problematic feet, but it should work for someone with only mild to moderate biomechanical issues.  

Recommended for patients with:

*Hallux Limitus (limited range of motion through the 1st toe joint)

*Hallux Rigidus (no motion through the 1st toe joint) 

*Functional Hallux Limitus 

*Mild Bunions

*Mild Tailor Bunions

*Hammertoes

*Ingrown Toenails

*Plantar Fasciitis (heel pain)

*Osteoarthritis

*Metatarsalgia

*Morton's Neuroma

*Capsulitis

*Plantar Plate Issues

*Sesmoid Issues

*Lisfranc Joint Issues

*Peroneal Tendonitis

*Mild Achilles Tendonitis

Not recommended for patients with: 

*Severe Over-Pronation (not enough arch support) 

*Ankle Instability

*Charcot Foot

*History of Ulcerations

*Drop Foot

*Diabetics

*Peripheral Neuropathy (nerve damage)

*Peripheral Arterial Disease (poor circulation) 

*Posterior Tibial Tendonitis (not enough arch support) 

*Severe Hypermobility/Ligament Laxity

*Excessive Swelling

*Lymphedema

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

Shoe recommendations for patients recovering from Lisfranc Injuries,

http://podiatryshoereview.blogspot.com/2012/04/podiatrist-shoe-recommendations-for.html

Top 10 reasons why your feet hurt - and how to alleviate the pain. 
http://podiatryshoereview.blogspot.com/2014/10/top-ten-reasons-why-your-feet-hurt-and.html

Thank you for reading and I hope this was helpful!

Dr. Cathleen A. McCarthy

:)

Podiatrist Recommend Hiking Boot - Salomon Quest 4D 3 GTX

Podiatrist Recommended 

Men's Hiking Boots

Salomon Quest 4D 3 GTX

This is an excellent men's hiking shoe and, if you are a woman who can't find a comfortable hiking shoe, go to REI and try on this men's boot. This is the boot that my husband (aka Mister 15,000 steps per day!) is currently wearing and it has resolved some foot issues that he was developing while wearing his old hiking boots, which were wearing out and getting too flexible (and therefore causing foot pain).

For a shoe to be good enough for your feet (and be comfortable), they must meet 4 criteria:

1. They must have a thick, rigid and non-flexible sole that allows no motion through painful joints. It's counterintuitive, but a rigid and non-flexible sole is the most important feature of a shoe. 90% of all shoes out there are complete garbage because their soles are too flexible and flimsy. Soles that allow motion through painful joints cause more pain and joint damage.  

2. A wide toe box, so there is no pressure on the toes and toenails, which can cause bunions, hammertoes, corns, Morton's Neuromas, Tailor's bunions, and fungal toenails.  

3. Rearfoot control, which means that you have to at least have a strap around the back of the shoe (no flip-flops or mules). Rearfoot control allows for more biomechanical control of the foot and ankle structures, which means less inflammation, swelling and pain.  

4. Arch support, which you can do with a custom-molded orthotic or at least an excellent over-the-counter insert for better arch support. 

If your foot hurts, you might want to consider going to the store and trying on this boot because it's sort of like wearing a mini-CAM-walker, which is what is used to treat broken bones in the feet. 

This boot is recommended for patients with:

*Plantar Fasciitis (heel pain)

*Hallux Rigidus (no motion through the 1st toe joint)

*Hallux Limitus (limited motion through 1st toe joint) 

*Functional Hallux Limitus 

*history of Lisfranc's Joint Injuries

*Morton's Neuroma (make sure that the toe box is wide and causes no pressure on the forefoot area)

*Metatarsalgia

*Capsulitis

*Mild to Moderate Bunions

*Hammertoes

*Tailor's Bunions

*Plantar Plate Injuries

*Osteoarthritis

*Degenerative Joint Disease

*Mild Achilles Tendonitis 

*Posterior Tibial Tendonitis

*Peroneal Tendonitis

*Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome (wear orthotics) 

*Sinus Tarsi Syndrome 

This boot is not recommended for patients with:

*History of Diabetic Ulcerations

*Charcot Foot

*Charcot Marie Tooth Disease

*Muscle Weakness

*Foot Drop 

Check with your podiatrist if you have these conditions: 

*Diabetes

*Peripheral Arterial Disease (Poor Circulation)

*Peripheral Neuropathy (Nerve Damage) 

For more information, please check out these articles:

Shoe recommendation for patients recovering from Lisfranc's Injuries.

http://podiatryshoereview.blogspot.com/2012/04/podiatrist-shoe-recommendations-for.html

My feet hurt! Top 10 things to do to alleviate foot pain today.

http://podiatryshoereview.blogspot.com/2012/05/my-feet-hurt-top-ten-things-relieve.html

I hope this was helpful!

Dr. Cathleen A. McCarthy 

:) 

 

Clarks Wedge Heels - Podiatrist Recommended for some foot types.

Clarks Maritsa Lara

Podiatrist Recommended

The Clark's Maritsa Lara is a great choice for fashion and comfort for some foot types. What makes this shoe comfortable is that it meets 3 of the 4 criteria required for a shoe to be good enough for your feet. 

Most importantly, this shoe has a thick, rigid and non-flexible sole which is absolutely crucial for foot comfort. Shoes with flexible soles are horrible for your feet because a shoe that allows motion through joints causes pain, inflammation, swelling and can lead to osteoarthritic joint changes. Secondly, this shoe has a wide toe box that helps prevent the risk of hammertoes, bunions, corns, neuromas, ingrown toenails, and fungal toenails. The rearfoot strap helps to control motion which means that there will be less biomechanical strain on joints and tendons, which will help to speed the healing of pathologies such as Achilles tendonitis and plantar fasciitis. Wearing a shoe with rearfoot strapping also helps to decrease strain on the knees, hips and lower back. 

This shoe is recommended for patients with:

*Plantar Fasciitis (heel pain)

*Mild Achilles Tendonitis 

*Mild Hallux Limitus (limited range of motion through the 1st toe joint) 

*Mild Functional Hallux Limitus

*Mild Hypermobility

*Mild Over-Pronation

*Mild Morton's Neuroma

*Mild Metatarsalgia

*Mild Bunions

*Mild to Moderate Hammertoes

*Mild Capsulitis

*Mild Tailor's Bunions

*Mild Osteoarthritis (maybe) 

*History of previous Lisfranc's Injury (maybe) 

This shoe is not recommended for patients with: 

*Hallux Rigidus (no motion through 1st toe joint)

*Balance Issues

*Peripheral Neuropathy (nerve damage)

*Peripheral Arterial Disease (poor circulation)

*Diabetes

*History of Ulcerations

*Lymphedema (excessive swelling) 

*Drop Foot

*Ankle Instability 

*Severe Hypermobility

*Severe Over-Pronation

*Severe Osteoarthritis 

*Rheumatoid Arthritis 

*Charcot-Marie Tooth

*Charcot Foot 

For more information about comfortable shoes and your feet, please refer to these articles: 

My feet hurt! Top 10 things to alleviate foot pain today. 

http://podiatryshoereview.blogspot.com/2012/05/my-feet-hurt-top-ten-things-relieve.html

Shoe recommendations for patients recovering from Lisfranc's Injuries. 

http://podiatryshoereview.blogspot.com/2012/04/podiatrist-shoe-recommendations-for.html

I hope this was helpful!

Dr. Cathleen A. McCarthy

:)

Naot Sandals for Summer 2018 - Podiatrist Approved!

Naot Sandals
Podiatrist Approved for Summer 2018

Naot Alpicola

Naot Verbina

Naot Begonia

Naot Ficus

Naot Krista

Naot Sophia

These Naot sandals are all good choices for the Summer of 2018! They each meet three of the four criteria that makes an excellent sandal, which is that they all have a thick, rigid and non-flexible sole, a wide toebox, and rearfoot control. Although they do not have the best arch support, it is possible to add self-adhesive over-the-counter arch support if needed.

For a shoe to be good enough for your feet, it must have a thick, rigid and non-flexible sole that stops motion through painful joints, tendons, ligaments, and muscles. The idea is counterintuitive, but the essence is that if you stop motion through painful joints (with a rigid sole) then you stop or limit the pain through those joints. If you have arthritic joints or a tendency to develop stress fractures or a history of a previous foot fracture then the last thing you want to do is wear shoes that are flimsy and allow motion through compromised and painful foot structures. 

A wide toe box helps prevent hammertoes, bunions, corns, and ingrown toenails. The rearfoot control is important because if you are wearing shoes that are backless, then you are promoting hammertoes, tendonitis, and knee, hip, and lower back strain. 

These sandals are recommended for patients with:

*Bunions

*Hammertoes

*Hallux Limitus (limited range of motion through 1st toe joint)

*Functional Hallux Limitus

*Hallux Rigidus (no range of motion through 1st toe joint)

*Osteoarthritis

*Rheumatoid Arthritis

*Metatarsalgia

*Morton's Neuroma

*Capsulitis

*Tailor's Bunions

*Plantar Fasciitis

*Achilles Tendonitis

*History of Lisfranc's Injuries

*Hypermobility / Ligament Laxity

*Pes Planus

*Plantar Plate Injury 

These sandals are not recommended for patients with: 

*Diabetes

*History of Ulcerations

*Charcot Foot

Check with your Podiatrist to see if these sandals are appropriate for you if you have: 

*Peripheral Arterial Disease (poor circulation)

*Peripheral Neuropathy (nerve damage)

*Ankle Instability 

For more information, please refer to my other articles: 

Podiatrist top 10 recommendation to alleviate foot pain

http://podiatryshoereview.blogspot.com/2012/05/my-feet-hurt-top-ten-things-relieve.html

Shoe recommendations for patients recovering from Lisfranc injuries

http://podiatryshoereview.blogspot.com/2012/04/podiatrist-shoe-recommendations-for.html

I hope this was helpful!

Dr. Cathleen A. McCarthy

:)

Dr. Marten's Rometty Boot for women - Podiatrist Recommended

Dr. Marten's Rometty Boot for Women

Podiatrist Recommended

The Dr. Marten's Rometty boot is a great choice for many people who are having foot pain, but they are not an appropriate choice for every foot type and condition. What makes this boot excellent is that it has a thick, rigid and non-flexible sole that protects the foot joints from excessive motion, which means there will be less strain and stress on painful joints. Less motion means less inflammation, less swelling, less damage and significantly less foot pain. A rigid sole will also help slow the progression of bunions, hammertoes and osteoarthritic joint changes. 

The concept is counterintuitive, but the flexible and flimsy soled shoes are actually the shoes that are responsible for many foot injuries and they significantly increase strain on the knees, hips and lower back. In fact, the best way to get a stress fracture is to walk barefoot or wear "minimalist" shoes.  

You can add a thin heat-molded insert or a dress orthotic to the Dr. Marten's boot for better arch support. I also like that the boot has plenty of room to add a heel lift to help correct for any limb length discrepancy. It also has a wide toe box and fantastic rearfoot control. 

I highly recommend you try on these shoes at the store if at all possible so that you can ensure a proper fit. 

Recommended for patients with:

*Hallux Rigidus (no motion through the 1st toe joint)

*Hallux Limitus (limited range of motion through the 1st toe joint)

*Functional Hallux Limitus (limited range of motion through the 1st toe joint with full weight bearing)

*Osteoarthritis

*Mild possibly Moderate Bunions

*Mild to Moderate Hammertoes

*Mild Tailor's Bunion

*Mild to possibly Moderate Achilles Tendonitis

*Peroneal Tendonitis

*Posterior Tibial Tendonitis

*History of Lisfranc's Injury

*Plantar Fasciitis (heel pain) 

*Metatarsalgia

*Morton's Neuroma

*Capsulitis

*Plantar Plate Injuries

*History of Stress Fractures

*Ingrown Toenails

*Corns & Calluses

*Hypermobility

*Ligament Laxity

*Over-Pronation

*Ankle Instability

*Mild to Moderate Haglund's Deformity 

Not recommended for patients with: 

*Diabetics with a history of foot ulcerations

*Peripheral Arterial Disease (poor circulation)

*Peripheral Neuropathy (nerve damage) 

*Charcot Foot 

*Muscle Weakness

*Drop Foot 

*The Elderly

*Severe Haglund's Deformity

*Exostosis or "bump" on the top of the midfoot  

*Severe Bunions (as toe box may be too small) 

Check with your Podiatrist if you have these conditions:

*Rheumatoid Arthritis 

*Diabetes 

For more information, check out these articles:

Podiatrist top 10 recommendations to alleviate foot pain

http://podiatryshoereview.blogspot.com/2017/07/the-basics-10-steps-to-alleviating-foot.html

Shoe recommendations for patients recovering from Lisfranc injuries

http://podiatryshoereview.blogspot.com/2012/04/podiatrist-shoe-recommendations-for.html

I hope that this was helpful!

Cathleen A. McCarthy

:)

Nike Air Monarch - Podiatrist's Recommendation.

Nike Air Monarch 

Podiatrist's Recommendation for Men's Exercise Shoe

The Nike Air Monarch is an excellent choice for a men's exercise shoe because it meets the four criteria for what a shoe must have to be comfortable and keep your more active with less chance of injury to your feet and ankles. The Nike Air Monarch is not appropriate for hiking on trails as you will need a trail hiking shoe, but the Nike Air Monarch is a perfect go-to shoe for general activities, walking and the gym. 

The 4 criteria needed for a shoe to be excellent are:

1. Thick, rigid and non-flexible sole. Any shoe with a flexible sole will allow too much motion through joints that may be compromised by underlying biomechanical foot issues, previous injuries and arthritic joint damage. It is counterintuitive but all shoes need to have rigid and non-flexible soles so as to protect the joints of the foot, which will then translate into less pain and joint damage. A rigid sole will also prevent the formation of bunions, hammertoes, tendon strain and osteoarthritis. 

2. Wide toe box. A wider toe box means less pressure on the toes, which will slow the progression of bunions, hammertoes, corns, ingrown toenails and even toenail fungus. In my opinion, it is impossible to get rid of toenail fungus if you are wearing tight-fitting shoes because it is injury (even microtrauma) to the toenails that is what allows the fungal spores to set up house in the nail bed. 

3. Rearfoot Control. Shoes that do not have rearfoot control force you to grip down your toes to stay in the shoe, which then promotes hammertoes, tendon strain as well as more strain on the knees, hips and lower back. If you have rearfoot issues such as Achilles tendonitis, Posterior Tibial or Peroneal tendonitis, it is very important that your shoes have rearfoot control because less motion gives the tendons a chance to heal. 

4. It can accommodate a custom-molded orthotic or a good over the counter insert for more arch support. Arch support will decrease strain on the ankles, knees, hips and lower back. It will also help decrease arthritic changes to the Lisfranc's joint and help support the joint for anyone who has had a previous injury to the Lisfranc's joint. 

This shoe is recommended for patients with:

*Plantar Fasciitis (heel pain)

*Mild Achilles Tendonitis

*Posterior Tibial Tendonitis

*Peroneal Tendonitis

*History of previous Lisfranc's Injury

*Hallux Rigidus 

*Hallux Limitus

*Functional Hallux Limitus

*Osteoarthritis

*Morton's Neuroma

*Metatarsalgia

*Capsulitis

*Plantar Plate Injuries

*Hammertoes

*Mild to Moderate Bunions 

*Tailor's Bunions

*Corns & Calluses 

*Ingrown Toenails

*Over-Pronation

*Hypermobility & Ligament Laxity

*Ankle Instability 

This shoe is not recommended for patients with: 

*Charcot Foot

*Lymphedema

*Excessive Swelling

Check with your podiatrist if you have: 

*Rheumatoid Arthritis

*Diabetes

*History of Ulcerations 

*Drop Foot (this shoe should be able to accommodate a drop-foot plate or AFO, which is a custom-molded brace) 

*Peripheral Neuropathy (nerve damage) 

*Peripheral Arterial Disease (poor circulation) 

For more information, check these articles:

Top 10 things to alleviate foot pain today. 

http://podiatryshoereview.blogspot.com/2017/07/the-basics-10-steps-to-alleviating-foot.html

Shoe recommendations for patients recovering from Lisfranc's Injuries. 

http://podiatryshoereview.blogspot.com/2012/04/podiatrist-shoe-recommendations-for.html

I hope this was helpful! 

Dr. Cathleen A. McCarthy 

:)