Podiatrist Recommended Converse - the Run Star Hike!

Podiatrist Recommended

Comfortable Converse -

Run Star Hike.

These Run Star Hike Converse shoe options are super cute and far more comfortable than the classic Converse that has flimsy soles. 

They each meet three of the four criteria that shoes must possess to be comfortable, which are:

1. A thick, rigid, and non-flexible sole. This is actually the most important of the four criteria because a rigid sole that stops motion through painful or compromised joints means that you will have less inflammation, less pain, and joint damage. 

2. A wide toe box, so that there is less pressure on the toes, which means it will stop or slow the progression of hammertoes, bunions, ingrown toenails, corns, and even toenail fungus. 

3. Rearfoot control allows for more biomechanical control of the foot and ankle, which means that there will be less strain on your knees, hips, and lower back. 

4. These Converse can accommodate a dress orthotic or a thin over-the-counter insert, which will provide more arch support.  

These Converse are recommended for people with:

*Plantar Fasciitis (heel pain)

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

*Functional Hallux Limitus

*Hallux Rigidus (no range of motion of the 1st toe joint or a surgically fused 1st toe joint) 

*Mild Osteoarthritis

*Hypermobility

*Over-Pronation

*Mild 

*Metatarsalgia

*Capsulitis

*Mild Ankle Instability 

These Converse are not recommended for people with:

*Bunions

*Hammertoes

*Diabetes

*Peripheral Arterial Disease (poor circulation)

*Peripheral Neuropathy (nerve damage)

*History of Ulceration

*Charcot Foot 

*Morton's Neuroma 

*Achilles Tendonitis

*Drop Foot  

For more information, check out my article: 

"Top 10 reasons why your feet hurt -- and how to alleviate the pain today!" 

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

I hope this was helpful! 

Dr. Cathleen A. McCarthy

:)

Podiatrist Recommended John Fluevog Women's Shoes

Podiatrist Recommended
John Fluevog Women's Shoes 

Supervog

Akira

Todne

Flame

Capellan

Find

Advisor

Virtue

Luxon

Zenobia

These John Fluvog shoes are a great choice for anyone looking for comfortable yet fashionable footwear. I would recommend that you go to a Fluevog store to try on the shoes if at all possible. If you order online, I recommend that you read the reviews because it will give you tips on getting the best sizing.  

To review, for any shoe to be good enough for your feet it must meet 4 criteria:

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 important that it has a soft, wide toe box, which will put less pressure on toes, which helps to prevent corns, ingrown toenails and will even decrease the risk of developing toenail fungus. 

Third, all shoes that you wear should have rearfoot control because shoes without rearfoot 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. If your dress orthotics don't work in your dress shoes or heels then don't wear them as trying to force them into a dress shoe can cause problems such as discomfort, calluses, and crowding of toes. Of the four criteria listed here, having arch support is the least important of the four.

These shoes are not recommended for patients with:
*Diabetes 
*Peripheral Neuropathy (nerve damage)
*Peripheral Arterial Disease (poor circulation)
*History of foot ulcerations
*Charcot Foot


If you are unsure if any of these shoes will work for your foot condition, please refer to your local podiatrist. 

I hope this was helpful!

Dr. Cathleen A. McCarthy

:)

Excellent Shoes for Girls & Women with Small Feet!

Excellent Running Shoe 
for Girls and Women with Small Feet!

New Balance 860 V9

This is an excellent shoe that fits a women's size 5 up to size 13, which makes it a good choice for girls who need a supportive shoe as well as for women with unusually small feet. 

What makes this shoe so good is that it meets the 4 criteria of what is required for a shoe to be good enough for your feet:

1. It must have a thick, rigid and non-flexible sole for more stability and biomechanical protection. Less motion through foot joints means less inflammation, pain and damage. It also gives the runner a mechanical advantage, which should improve her running speed and decrease the risk of injury. 

2. It must have a wide, soft and square toebox so there is less pressure on the toes, which decreases the progression of bunions and hammertoes.  

3. It must have rearfoot control for more biomechanical control of the ankle and foot, which means less strain of the knees, hips and lower back.  

4. It should be able to accommodate arch support whether it's over-the-counter inserts or custom-molded orthotics. 

This Shoe is Recommended for Patients with:
* Hallux Limitus (limited range of motion of the 1st toe joint)
* Hallux Rigidus (no range of motion of the 1st toe joint because it has been surgically fused or degenerative joint disease)
* Functional Hallux Limitus
* Osteoarthritis 
* Rheumatoid Arthritis
* Metatarsalgia 
* Morton's Neuroma
* Capsulitis
* Tailor's Bunion
* Bunions
* Hammertoes
* Corns and Calluses
* Plantar Fasciitis (heel pain)
* Mild Achilles Tendonitis
* Mild Posterior Tibial Tendonitis 
* Mild Peroneal Tendonitis 
* Previous history of Lisfranc's Injuries 
* Mild Ankle Instability 
* Tired Leg Syndrome
* Muscle Weakness
* Parkinson's Disease 
* The Elderly 

Check with your Podiatrist to see if the NB 860 V9 is appropriate for you if you have any of these conditions:  
* Diabetes
* Peripheral Neuropathy (Nerve Damage)
* Peripheral Arterial Disease (Poor Circulation)
* Severe Ankle Instability 
* History of Foot Ulcerations 

This Shoe is Not Appropriate if you have:
* Charcot Foot


I hope that this was helpful! For more articles, check out:

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 the patient's recovering from Lisfranc's injuries.
http://podiatryshoereview.blogspot.com/2012/04/podiatrist-shoe-recommendations-for.html


Have a great day!

Dr. Cathleen A. McCarthy 

:)



 

Women's Comfort Dress Shoe - Podiatrist Approved.

Born Lezlie

A great choice for all day comfort!

The Born Lezlie is my new go-to all day comfort shoe for work. I use a heat-molded, thin orthotic for better arch support and I am astonished that this shoe is more comfortable than my Dansko Professional clogs. 

What makes this shoe so great is that it meets three of the four criteria that a shoe must have to be good for your feet and to be comfortable. 

The four criteria that a shoe must have to be podiatry approved are:
1. Thick, rigid, and non-flexible sole. 
2. Wide toebox.
3. Rearfoot control. 
4. Arch Support. 

The Born Lezlie has a thick, rigid, and non-flexible sole that is crucial for protecting your foot joints. If you are wearing a shoe with a flimsy sole that allows motion through painful or challenged joints, then that excessive motion will promote the formation of bunions, hammertoes, and osteoarthritic joint changes. It also can increase strain on ankles, knees, hips, and the lower back. Wearing shoes with flexible soles causes increased motion through foot joints, which can cause increased pain, inflammation, and swelling. 

The Born Lezlie has a wide(ish) toe box that will work for most people who have mild to moderate bunions and hammertoes. The rearfoot control, as well as the added benefit of midfoot strapping, is excellent for improved biomechanical control of the foot joints.  

The Born Lezlie is recommended for people with:

• Plantar Fasciitis (heel pain)
• Mild to Moderate Bunions
• Mild to Moderate Hammertoes
• Mild Morton's Neuroma
• Mild Metatarsalgia
• Mild to Moderate Hallux Limitus
• Mild to Moderate Functional Hallux Limitus 
• Possibly Hallux Rigidus (try it on in the store to ensure that it works for you)
• Surgically fused 1st Toe Joint (because the toe is typically fused at 15 degrees of dorsiflexion - this shoe should work)
• Capsulitis
• Mild Osteoarthritis 
• Mild Rheumatoid Arthritis (check with your Rheumatologist)
• Healed Lisfranc's Injury (check with your podiatrist) 
• Mild Tendonitis
• Mild Achilles Tendonitis
• Mild Over-Pronation (try to wear with a dress orthotic or heat-molded insert, which you can typically get from your podiatrist)
• Mild Tailor's Bunions
• Mild Corns & Calluses

The Born Lezlie is not recommended for people with: 

• Diabetes
• History of Ulcerations
• Peripheral Neuropathy (nerve damage)
• Peripheral Arterial Disease (poor circulation)
• Charcot Foot
• Excessive Swelling
• Lymphedema
• Severe Over-Pronation
• Severe Ligament Laxity / Hypermobility
• Drop Foot
• Balance Issues
• History of Falling 
• Severe Bunions
• Severe Hammertoes
• Severe Tailor's Bunions

For more information on proper shoes, please check out my other articles on this blog:

Shoe recommendations 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

:)

Eileen Fisher Chelsea Boot - Podiatrist Approved for Certain Foot Types.

Eileen Fisher Chelsea Boot

A Great Choice For Style & All Day Comfort.

Eileen Fisher is a very smart lady when it comes to designing comfortable and stylish shoes! What makes her shoes so exceptional are that they usually meet the four criteria that a shoe must have to be comfortable. 

Her Chelsea boot has a thick, rigid and non-flexible sole, which is absolutely crucial for protecting foot joints. If you are wearing shoes that have a flexible sole, then you are forcing too much motion through joints that may not be able to handle it because of previous injury, mechanical strain or arthritic changes. A shoe sole that is thick, rigid and non-flexible stops motion through foot joints, which decreases inflammation, pain, swelling and arthritic changes. Motion through foot joints promotes foot issues such as bunions, hammertoes, corns, ingrown toenails and can be the cause of everything from stress fractures, metatarsalgia, neuromas, and degenerative joint disease. Flexible-soled shoes can also cause more knee, hip, and lower back strain. It's like building a house - if you want a healthy roof, you better have a good foundation. If you want to have healthy knees, hips and less lower back strain, you need to create a solid, sturdy foundation for your skeletal frame by wearing shoes that have a thick, rigid and non-flexible sole. 

Secondly, your shoes should have a wide toebox. Shoes with tight toe boxes promote hammertoes, bunions, corns, Morton's Neuromas, and can make it impossible to get rid of fungal toenails. In fact, the only way I am able to get rid of fungal nail infections is getting the patient to wear better shoegear. Pressure on the toenails from tight shoes causes microtrauma to the toenail, which allows fungus to enter the toenail and spread the infection to other nails. 

A shoe also must have rearfoot control. If there is no rearfoot control or no strap around the back of the heel, then your tendons, muscles and joints have to work harder to stay in the shoe, which causes mechanical strain, tired leg syndrome and can make you more prone to injuries, particularly in the rearfoot and ankle. Not having rearfoot control can also cause more strain on the knees, hips, and lower back. 

The fourth component, which is arch support, is actually the least important factor. It is more important to have an excellent shoe with a thick, rigid and non-flexible sole, wide toebox, and rearfoot control. Of course, it is optimal to wear excellent arch support, but it is better to have an excellent shoe with no arch support or an excellent shoe with a decent over-the-counter arch support than to be wearing a flexible-soled shoe with custom-molded orthotics. I am probably one of the few Podiatrists who believes this, but in my experience - the sole of the shoe is controlling 100% of the foot joints while the orthotic is only controlling the rearfoot and the midfoot (because the front of the orthotic is only a topcover that is flexible). The forefoot area must be controlled by the sole of the shoe. Custom molded orthotics generally cost $400, so I tell my patients to spend that money on excellent shoes and we can put them in an excellent over-the-counter insert for $50 or a heat-molded insert for dress shoes for $75. In my opinion, the power is in the shoe!

The Eileen Fisher Chelsea Boot is recommended for patients with:

*Mild Bunions

*Mild Hammertoes

*Metatarsalgia

*Mild Morton's Neuroma 

*Hallux Limitus

*Functional Hallux Limitus 

*Hallux Rigidus

*Previous Lisfranc's Joint Injury 

*Plantar Fasciitis (Heel Pain)

*Mild Achilles Tendonitis

*Mild Posterior Tibial Tendonitis (wear with a heat molded or dress orthotic if possible)

*Mild Peroneal Tendonitis 

*Mild Arthritis

*Mild Rheumatoid Arthritis

*Mild to Moderate Over-Pronation (wear with orthotic if possible)

The Eileen Fischer Chelesa Boot is not recommended for patients with:

*Charcot Foot

*History of Foot Ulcerations

*Excessive Swelling

*Severe Bunions

*Severe Hammertoes

*High Insteps

*Bone Spurs on the top of the mid-foot area

If you have any of these conditions, check with your Podiatrist to see if the Chelsea boot is appropriate for you:

*Peripheral Neuropathy (Nerve Damage)

*Diabetes 

*Peripheral Arterial Disease (Poor Circulation)

*Mild Foot Drop

For more information on proper shoes, check out these articles from my blog:

Shoe recommendations 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 relieve foot pain today.

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

I hope this was helpful!

Sincerely,

Dr. Cathleen A. McCarthy

:)

Podiatry Recommended Comfortable Wedge Sandal for Summer 2015

Eileen Fischer

Mask Wedge Sandal

A great option for someone with mild to moderate hallux limitus 

who wants to wear heels. 

What makes this sandal comfortable is that it has a thick, rigid and non-flexible sole that will protect the foot from motion through any painful or troublesome joints. Less motion through painful joints means less inflammation, less swelling and less pain. Shoes such as this (with a thick, rigid and non-flexible sole) can help slow the progression of bunions and hammertoes as well as help decrease the likelyhood of getting metatarsalgia and arthritic joint changes. This sandal has a wide toebox, which is great for anyone with mild to moderate bunions and hammertoes. It also has a rearfoot strap, which is crutial for providing more biomechanical control to the foot and ankle joints. If you wear a sandal that doesn't have a rearfoot strap, then you are forcing all of your muscles, joints and tendons to work harder to stay in the shoe. This can cause more mechanical strain to tendons, joints and muscles and can lead to tired-leg styndrome as well as increased knee, hip and lower back strain. 

If you have a history of foot issues, please talk to your Podiatrist about if this sandal is appropriate for you. 

This sandal is recommended for most people with:

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

*Hallux Rigidus (maybe)

*Mild to moderate Osteoarthritis

*Mild Rheumatoid Arthritis (maybe)

*Mild to moderate Hammertoes

*Mild to moderate Morton's Neuroma

*Mild Capsulitis

*Mild Sesamoiditis

*Mild to possibly moderate Metatarsalgia

*Mild to moderate Tailor's Bunions

*Mild Plantar Fasciitis (heel pain)

*Mild Achilles Tendonitis

*Mild Plantar Plate issues

*History of previous Lisfranc's Issues (check with your Podiatrist)

This sandal is not recommended for people with:

*Diabetes

*Peripheral Arterial Disease (poor circulation)

*Peripheral neuropathy (nerve damage)

*History of Foot Ulceration 

*Charcot Foot

*Moderate to severe Rheumatoid Arthritis

*Moderate to severe Pes Planux (Flat Feet)

*Severe Over-Pronation

*Severe Ligament Laxity / Hypermobility

*Posterior Tibial Tendonitis or Dysfunction

*Ankle Instability

*The Elderly

*History of Falling or Imbalance

*Muscle Weakness 

For more information on the basics, please check out my articles: 

My feet hurt: top ten things to relieve 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.

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

Have a great day!

Dr. Cathleen A. McCarthy

:)