Dress Shoe for Patients with Bunions - Podiatrist Recommended

Shoe Recommendation for 

Patients with Bunions

Steve Madden's Betsi

Steve Madden Brynn

These are two wonderful options for anyone who needs a shoe that will accommodate a painful bunion. What makes this such a great shoe is that it has the thick, rigid sole that is protective because it does not allow any motion through the bottom of the foot, which means that there is less pain, inflammation, swelling and damage to the forefoot joints, which translates to more comfort, less chance of injury and it slows the progression of bunions and hammertoes. The topcover material is what really sets this shoe apart! The material is a soft, stretchy mesh that puts less pressure on the bunion, which significantly decreases pain. I would recommend adding a dress custom-molded orthotic, which will help slow or stop the progression of the bunions formation. 

This shoe is recommended for patients with:

*Bunions 

*Mild to possible Moderate Hallux Limitus (decreased motion of the 1st toe joint)

*Mild to Moderate Hammertoes

*Mild Achilles Tendonitis

*Plantar Fasciitis (Heel Pain)

*Mild Morton's Neuroma

*Mild Osteoarthritis

*Mild Plantar Plate issues

*Mild Metatarsalgia

*Mild Over-Pronation (wear a dress custom molded orthotic to control pronation) 

This shoe is NOT recommended for patients with:

*Severe Hallux Limitus 

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

*Diabetes

*Peripheral Arterial Disease (Poor Circulation)

*Neuropathy (Nerve Damage)

*Charcot Foot

*Ankle Instability

*Severe Over-Pronation

*Drop Foot

*Severe Hypermobility

I hope this was helpful!

Dr Cathleen A. McCarthy

:)

Podiatrist Recommended Sandal for Patients with Bunions.

Fit Flop Sandal

A great option for anyone with bunions...

Patients with bunions are always challenged when it comes to finding comfortable shoes. They need a shoe that is protective and biomechanically controls the foot so that the bunion formation does not progress. They also need a shoe that does not apply pressure to the bunion, which can result it increased pain as well as

enlargement of the bunion. Patients who suffer with plantar fasciitis (heel pain) will also benefit from the shock absorption that this sandal provides.

What makes this sandal excellent is the thick, rigid sole that provides protection to the foot joints but is also is cushy enough to provide shock absorption. Although the sandal lacks forefoot strapping - it makes up for it with good midfoot and rearfoot strapping for more biomechanical control and, best of all, there is no pressure on the bunions or toes. 

I would highly recommend that you make sure that any Fit Flop that you purchase is a sandal with rearfoot strapping and not the Fip Flop with no rearfoot strapping. It makes a huge difference in comfort! Without rearfoot straps, you are forcing your toes to grip down to stay in the flip-flop, which aggravates forefoot issues such as hammertoes, bunions, calluses and metatarsalgia. It also forces your tendons, muscles and joints including your knees, hips and lower back to work harder to stay in the shoe, which causes more biomechanical pain and 'tired leg syndrome'.

To stop or slow the progression of bunions, it is imperative that you wear shoes with a thick, rigid sole, a wide soft toebox and shoes with some type of forefoot (if possible), midfoot and rearfoot biomechanical control. It's optimal to wear custom-molded orthotics and, although this sandal does not accommodate orthotics, the Fit Flop Sandal is an excellent choice.

This Shoe is Recommended for Patients with:

*Plantar Fasciitis (heel pain)

*Bunions

*Hammertoes

*Tailor's Bunions

*Metatarsalgia

*Capsulitis

*Mild Achilles Tendonitis 

*Mild Tendonitis 

*Corns and Calluses

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

*Hallux Rigidus

*Osteoarthritis

*Rheumatoid Arthritis

*Ingrown Toenails

*Morton's Neuroma

*Fibromyalgia

*Mild Knee, Hip and Lower Back Pain

This Shoe is NOT Recommended for Patients with:

*Charcot Foot

*Patients with a history of Ulcerations or Open Sores

*Diabetics

*Peripheral Arterial Disease (Poor Circulation)

*Peripheral Neuropathy (Nerve Damage

*Hypermobility 

*Severe Overpronation

*Avascular Necrosis 

Have a lovely day!

Dr. Cathleen A. McCarthy

:)

 

Your Feet On X-Ray: Barefoot vs. Pointy-Toe High Heels...

X-Ray of a Patient's Foot
After a Lifetime of Improper Shoegear...

X-Ray of an eighty year old patient's foot who wore "pointy-toe high heels" for years.

 X-Rays of My Feet in

Barefoot vs. Pointy Toe Shoes...

The first questions I always get when I first show patients their x-rays is: what are those two 'circle things'? Those are bones called 'sesmoids' and they are normal and are located under the ball of your first toe joint. The first x-ray of my foot is me standing barefoot. The second x-ray is looking straight down on my foot in a high heel pointy-toe dress shoe. 

I've labelled the 'medial cunneiform' bone as #1 and the 'navicular bone' as #2, which gives you an appreciation of the angle that the foot in a three inch high heeled shoe. I also cut the second x-ray in the shape of the actual shoe that my foot was in and I outlined the bones on x-ray with a Sharpie pen so that the bones could be more easily visualized. My photos don't do the x-rays justice but, hopefully, they will give an appreciation of what happens to your toes inside of pointy-toe shoes.

I always recommend that if you wear high-heeled shoes - try to find shoes with a wide, soft toebox. Pointy toed shoes can cause hammertoes, bunions, corns, calluses, Morton's Neuromas and osteoarthritic joint changes that are painful and cosmetically unpleasing. 

If you are looking for a comfortable high heels - look for a shoe with a thick, rigid wedge sole, rearfoot strapping and, of course, the soft and wide toebox.

Check out my list of

"Top 20 Comfortable Women's Dress Shoes"

by using the 'search' box at the upper right of the blog.

Hope all is well,

Dr. Cathleen A. McCarthy

Dress Shoe For Ladies with Bunions...

WHAT'S WHAT PLUSHIOUS

I found this shoe at FAMOUS FOOTWEAR at Paradise Valley Mall.

This shoe would make a nice casual dress shoe for ladies with painful bunions that hurt with pressure from shoes.

What makes this shoe good:

* Rigid-Sole with cushioned insole.

* Straps that give some forefoot, midfoot and rearfoot control.

* The front of the shoe offers some natural "roll" during the gait cycle.

This shoe will work for patients who need a dress shoe for special occasions and limited wear who have:

*Bunions (may not work for every patient with bunions - it depends on where each individual person's bunions is and the severity of the bunion).

*Depending on where the midstrap falls, it MAY work for patients with painful bumps (Exostosis) on the top of their midfoot

*Heel pain (Mild)

*Achilles Tendonitis (Mild)

This shoe is NOT recommended for:

*Extended walking/activities - especially on uneven surfaces.

*Hallus Limitus/Rigidus - patients with limited range of motion or degenerative joint disease across the 1st Toe Joint.

*Severe Hypermobility/Ligament Laxity.

*Neuropathy.

*Diabetic Patients.

Cost: $49.99

Adios!

RYKA REFORM - Great Walking Shoe For Women with Bunions...

THE RYKA REFORM -

Part of the RipaRyka line which can be found at the FIISH LINE located at Paradise Valley Mall.

This is a great walking shoe for women who have painful bunions that hurt with pressure from shoes. It has a Rocker Bottom Sole which will limit motion and pressure across the forefoot/bunion area. The thing that makes this shoe perfect is that the forefoot area has a comfortable, soft mesh over the bunions area that will decrease pressure. Another key to wearing this shoe is that women with bunions do need to wear firm arch support whether it's from a Custom-Molded Insert or an Other-The-Counter Insert. One of the key causes of bunions (besides genetics!) is a collapsing or hypermobile arch. This shoe with a proper insert will help prevent the progression of the bunions deformity and it should be very comfortable.

Cost: $110

This shoe is also excellent for people with:

Bunions

Degenerative Joint Disease

Hammertoes

Hallux Limitus/ Rigidus (Limited Range Of Motion of the 1st Toe Joint)

Corns and Calluses

Heel Pain

Tendonitis

Knee, Hip & Lower Back Pain (in most patients)

Chronic Pain Patients

This shoe may not be appropriate for patients with:

Balance Problems

Ankle Instability/Hypermobility

Achilles Tendonitis

Neuropathic Patients (Nerve Damage)

Elderly Patients

Have a Great Day!