Podiatrist Recommended Fashion Boots for Winter 2021!

 

Top 20 Podiatrist Recommended 

Women's Boots

Fall 2020 & Winter 2021

It's been a tough year! In honor of making our lives more pleasant and pain-free, I've prepared a top 20 comfortable boot list that I hope proves helpful to you. My personal choice for a winter fashion boot is the Mephisto Hazelina, which I purchased from the fantastic Mephisto store on East Shea Boulevard where they have impeccable customer service and an amazing collection of comfortable and fashionable shoes. Mephisto shoes are expensive, but I consider them an investment in my health and well-being. 

When shopping for a comfortable boot, the most important aspect is to find a boot that has a thick, rigid, and non-flexible sole. It's counterintuitive, but shoes with less motion through the sole means there is less motion through painful joints and that equates to less inflammation, less swelling, less pain, and less damage. A thick, rigid, and nonflexible sole will also decrease mechanical strain on tendons and joints, which means that there is less tired leg syndrome at the end of a long day and it will also decrease strain on the knees, hips, and lower back. You should also avoid any boots with a tapered and narrow toe box as they can cause bunions, hammertoes, ingrown toenails, and corns. A dress orthotic should fit nicely into most of these boots, which will help to slow the progression of bunions, hammertoes, prevent heel pain, and help with people who have over-pronation and hypermobility. 

I recommend that you shop for shoes after lunchtime when there is more swelling in your feet and ankles. I don't necessarily recommend this for everyone, but I purchase all my shoes one whole size up as I cannot tolerate any pressure on my toes. Don't be afraid to try the next size or width up to see how they feel. Always remember, it's better to have a shoe a little too big than too tight. 

Mephisto Hazelina

Guess Zodiac

Fearne Combat boots by Guess

Kork-Ease Shirome

Dr. Martens Leona (Burgundy Vintage)

Paloma Barcelo Nazare Shearling Boots

Paloma Barcelo Mardin

Circus By Sam Edelman

Madden Girl

Michael Kors 

Haskell Crocodile Embossed Leather Combat Boot

Michael Kors

Glenn Studded Leather Boot

El Naturalista Haya N5175

Sorel Evie Pull On

Sorel Joan of Arctic Wedge II Zip

The North Face Thermoball Progressive Zip

AGL Lugged Sole Chelsea

Frye Veronica Bootie

Frye Harness Square Toe Engineer

Eileen Fischer

London Recycled Stretch Knit Bootie

Fly Long Bagu

For more information, check out my article 'My feet hurt - Top 10 things to alleviate foot pain today' at:

http://podiatryshoereview.blogspot.com/search?q=my+feet+hurt 

Thank you for reading and I hope that this list is helpful to you! 

Stay safe!

Dr. Cathleen A. McCarthy

:)

*********

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Podiatrist Recommended Women's Boots!

Podiatrist Recommended

Women's Fashion Boots

A Blog dedicated to:

How to find good looking shoes

that are good for your feet

and are pathology specific.

Harley-Davidson's Jocelyn Boot

John Fleuvog Hopefuls Luxon

Chuck Taylor All Star Boot

Dr. Martens Jaden Vegan Boot

John Fluevog Piccolomini Boot

Dansko Tami Neutral

Frye Veronica Bootie

John Fluevog Audra

John Fluevog Soft Rock

John Fluevog Anna

Fit Flop Mukluk

Fit Flop Elin

Fit Flop Skandi

These boots are a great option for people looking for all-day comfort and fashion. Remember, no matter what type of boot you choose for yourself, it must meet four criteria to be comfortable: 

First, it must have a thick rigid sole that you cannot bend or flex. A thin, flimsy sole that bends and flexes will cause excess motion through your foot joints, which can lead to an increased chance of injuries such as fractures and sprains, arthritis, bunions, hammertoes, mechanical strain, and PAIN. An excellent shoe is a shoe that limits motion so that you have less pain, less damage, less chance of injury and, an added bonus, prettier feet. As you walk through life, you are either beating up your feet or you are beating up your shoes - if you think what your shoes look like after a couple of years of use - without the protection of a thick rigid sole - that damage is going to be happening to your joints. 

Second, you need arch support. Whether it is built into the shoe, over-the-counter arch support or a custom-molded orthotic - it is important to biomechanically control your arch. When patients say to me that they have great arches and don't need arch support, my answer is that bridges have arches but engineers still put struts under them to decrease mechanical strain. Proper arch support will help decrease knee, hip, and lower back pain as well as stop or slow the progression of bunions, hammertoes and soft tissue injuries such as tendonitis and plantar fascial strain. Talk to your Podiatrist about whether or not your insurance plan pays for you to get custom-molded orthotics. They are often a covered benefit. You only have one set of feet and once they break down - you don't get a new pair. Invest in your body and purchase good shoes and get orthotics. It's the same rationale as a dentist telling you to brush and floss on a regular basis and a dermatologist telling you to wear sunscreen. You need to protect your body because it is just a matter of time until it tries to go south on you. 

Third, you need a wide and preferably soft toebox. This will decrease pressure on the toes, which will help prevent ingrown toenails, hammertoes, bunions, Morton's Neuromas, and painful corns and calluses. 

Forth, you need a shoe with rearfoot control. Backless shoes such as flipflops and mules are not good enough for your feet. If you are not biomechanically controlling the rearfoot with at least a strap, you are forcing your toes to curl down to stay in the shoe, which promotes deformities such as hammertoes and bunions and increases the chance of knee, hip, and lower back pain. Without rearfoot control, you are forcing all of your tendons, ligaments, and joints to work harder to stay in the shoe. This also causes 'tired-leg syndrome' and leg fatigue. 

If you have any severe foot issues or systemic diseases, please check with your Podiatrist to make sure that a particular boot is correct for you. I encourage patients to bring in one bag of shoes so that we can check each shoe together and have a discussion about what will or will not work for their feet. Proper shoegear is absolutely crucial! 

My goal as a Podiatrist is to keep my patients as active as possible for as long as possible with as few problems as possible. And this goal can be achieved with the help of proper shoegear. 

For more information about comfortable shoes, please check out my other articles:

My Feet Hurt! Top 10 Things to do to Alleviate Foot Pain Today.

https://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

Have a great day!

Dr. Cathleen 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

:)

Comfortable Casual Ankle Boots for Autumn - Podiatry Recommended

FitFlop Loaff Boots

Podiatry Recommended Comfort Boots

FitFlop makes some very comfortable sandals and many people don't realize that they have a collection of excellent boots. This is one of the cuter FitFlop boots and what makes it so comfortable is that it has a thick sole that doesn't bend or flex, which means that there is less motion through areas of painful joints or previously injured areas of the foot and toes. The boot also has a wide, soft toebox as well as great rearfoot and ankle control. This boot should accommodate a custom-molded orthotics, particularly a dress orthotic, which will allow for better arch support. Due to the extra ankle control, this boot should be a great choice for anyone with hypermobility, ligament laxity, flat feet, weak ankles and a history of ankle instability and sprains. 

This boot is recommended for patients with:

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

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

*Mild to Moderate Bunions

*Mild to Moderate Tailor's Bunions

*Mild to Moderate Hammertoes

*Morton's Neuroma

*Capsulitis

*Metatarsalgia

*Osteoarthritis

*Plantar Fasciitis (heel pain)

*Mild Achilles Tendonitis

*Mild Peroneal Tendonitis 

*Mild PT Tendonitis (wear arch support with the boot)

*Recovered from a previous Lisfranc's Injury 

*Ankle Instability

*Hypermobility / Ligament Laxity

*Over-Pronation (wear an orthotic in the boot)

*Chronic Ankle Sprains

This boot is not recommended for patients with: 

*Charcot Foot

*History of diabetic amputations

*History of diabetic ulcerations 

If you have these conditions, you will need to clear this shoe with your podiatrist to see if it is appropriate for you:

*Diabetes

*Peripheral Neuropathy (nerve damage)

*Peripheral Arterial Disease (poor circulation) 

*Rheumatoid Arthritis

If you are not sure if this boot is right for your foot type and/or foot pathology, check with your podiatrist. 

It's best to go shopping for shoes after 2pm when your feet are a little bit more swollen and ask the salesperson to measure your foot to make sure you are in the correct size. I find that most people are in the wrong shoe. Even if you are in the "right" size, if the shoe feels too tight, try on a larger size. It's always better to be in a shoe that is slightly larger than to be wearing a shoe that is too tight. Tight shoes can cause everything from blisters and corns as well as microtrauma to toenails, which is one of the main causes of fungal infections in the toenails. In fact, if you are trying to clear up fungal toenails, you will not be able to get them cleared of fungus until you are wearing proper-fitting shoes that allow no microtrauma to the toenails. When a toenail is injured, even from microtrauma from tight shoes or pointy-toed shoes, it causes the toenail to become injured and loose, which gives the fungal spores the perfect opportunity to get into the nail and cause an infection. For more information on how to clear up fungal toenail - go to the search box and type in 'toenail fungus' for an article on seven things you have to do to clear up toenail fungus. 

For added comfort during the day, if you have varicose veins, try wearing 15 mmHG knee high compression hose, which you can usually purchase over the counter at some pharmacies or online. For anyone who lives in Scottsdale - the CVS on the NE corner of Scottsdale and Shea has a lady works there that will help make sure you get the proper sizing on the compression hose. She is located in the back right-hand corner of the store.  

For more articles on foot pain and proper shoes, please refer to my 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 Injuries (as well as any sprains of the ankle or the foot)

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

Have a wonderful day,

Dr. Cathleen A. McCarthy

:)

Comfortable Suede Boots for Autumn - Podiatrist Recommended

Fly London 

Comfortable Suede Boots

Podiatry Recommended for Certain Foot Types 

Fly London Yama

http://www.amazon.com/FLY-London-Womens-Yema-Wedge/dp/B00JGH2XGC/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1442782678&sr=8-2&keywords=fly+london+yama

Fly London Yust Extra-Wide Fitting
http://www.amazon.com/FLY-London-Womens-Yust-Black/dp/B007MJB3KI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1442782805&sr=8-1&keywords=fly+london+yust

These are two excellent choices for anyone who is looking for comfortable boots. For a shoe to be comfortable, it must meet these four criteria: 

1. thick, rigid and non-flexible sole, so there is less motion through any areas of pain or mechanical strain.

2. wide, soft toebox

3. rearfoot control

4. arch support (you can add a dress orthotic to these boots) 

Both Fly London boots have a thick, rigid and non-flexible sole, which allows for more comfort for all day wear. A low-wedge heel that doesn't bend or flex through the forefoot area means that there is less mechanical strain to the forefoot joints, muscles, tendons and joint capsules. Less motion through the forefoot area also means less chance of aggravating forefoot issues such as bunions, hammertoes, metatarsalgia and morton's neuromas (to name a few). Even more importantly, the sole has no motion through the midfoot area, which is crucial to prevent (or if you are recovering from) a Lisfranc's joint injury, which is the most common foot fracture that most podiatrists treat. The suede is soft and allows for less pressure on bunions, hammertoes and corns and there is good rearfoot control. An added advantage of the knee high boot is that it has extra-wide fitting. 

These boots are recommended for patients with:

*Mild to Moderate Bunions 

*Mild to Moderate Hammertoes

*Corns & Calluses

*Mild Metatarsalgia

*Mild Morton's Neuroma

*Mild Tailor's Bunion

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

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

*Plantar Fasciitis (heel pain)

*Mild Achilles tendonitis

*Mild Hypermobility

*Mild Over-Pronation (I recommend you wear a dress orthotic with the boot if you over-pronate) 

*Mild Osteoarthritis

*Mild Rheumatoid Arthritis

*Previous History of a Lisfranc's Injury 

*Mild Tendonitis (wear a dress orthotic if possible)

These boots are not recommended for patients with:  

*Diabetes

*Peripheral Neuropathy (nerve damage)

*Peripheral Arterial Disease (poor circulation)

*History of Foot Ulcerations

*Charcot Foot

*Severe Hypermobility / Ligament Laxity

*Severe Over-Pronation

*Ankle Instability

*Drop Foot

*Geriatrics

*History of Instability and Falling

*Severe Over-Supinators

Please check with your podiatrist to see if these boots are appropriate for you. What shoe is appropriate for you is dependent on your foot type, any history of any previous injuries and any underlying systemic conditions such as diabetes. 

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

Shoe recommendations for patient's recovering from Lisfranc's Injuries.

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

My feet hurt: top ten 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 and thank you for reading!

Dr. Cathleen A. McCarthy

:)