Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Finding the good shoes...

"Good shoes are hard to find unless I spend a lot of money.”

Sound familiar? The thing is, finding good shoes are not hard to find and you don’t have to spend a lot of money. It comes down to a little bit of research, a little bit of patience and being prepared. Here is a top ten list to consider in making your next shoe shopping event a productive, positive experience:

1. Know your budget for purchasing shoes, and the types of shoes you are looking for. This practice can be helpful to keep your budget in check.

2. Shop for shoes mid afternoon or at the end of the day. This is typically when feet are most swollen. Bring existing shoes to review wear patterns with the fitter.

3. Bring the appropriate socks or hosiery you plan to wear with the shoes. I am amazed how many folks will drop in not wearing socks with their shoes yet expect to find the perfect fit by wearing disposable nylon try on hosiery.

4. Do you wear orthotics or inserts? Be sure to bring them with you. The fit of the shoes can be altered by orthotics or inserts.

5. Never use try on socks at the store – eww gross. Think about it, even if the store claims to wash the socks daily, how many feet were in the socks before your visit? If you forgot your socks, spend a few bucks and purchase socks while in the store. It’s not worth picking up a fungus by trying on used socks.

6.Shop at a store where you are fitted by a shoe fitter or Pedorthist. Both feet should be measured in both length and width.

7. Plan to spend time in the store. Use up the carpet or flooring in the store. If the sales associate appears annoyed with you taking your time, work with another person or simply shop somewhere else.

8. Try on as many brands of shoes in the style you are considering. Do not try on only the brands you are familiar with or what the associate tells you are the best shoe in the store. By the way, the best shoe for you is the shoe that fits correctly on your foot, not the best seller.

9. Know the return policy of the store. Do you need a receipt? Is there a time frame to return? Is the return amount credited to your credit card, issued as a check or only for even exchange? Also know the return policy for sale items. Many stores have final sale only.

10. If you are unsure of the purchase, ask the associate to hold the shoes while you look elsewhere. If you do elect this option and decide not to purchase, be considerate and phone the store to let the staff know to return the shoes to stock.

Finally, have a positive outlook with your shopping adventure. Even with challenging foot fitting, the attitude can walk you into the right shoes for you!

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Heels, Glorious Heels!

Heels, glorious heels! Just the act of wearing a heel puts women in a different state of mind. It could be another form of “shoe therapy”! We are taller, feel more confidant, sexy, powerful! Telling some women to stop wearing heels is like telling Sampson to cut his hair before battle! It takes away that psychological “fix”!

How can something that makes you look so good be “not so good” for your feet? Not that it matters for some, but for those of you on the fence about how much heel and how often, here is a list of conditions we most commonly see in women who wear heels:
bunions, hammer toes, neuromas (nerve injury causing pain, burning and sometimes numbness to the toes), metatarsalgia (pain under the ball of the foot), Achilles tendonitis, heel pain, ingrown toenails, ankle sprains, fractures (yes, fractures), corns and calluses. Because the foot bone is connected to the rest of the body, chronic knee pain and back pain can also be linked to high heeled shoes.

Without having to completely give up on your stilettos, how can we “still let the toes” (had to got there LOL!) survive in this environment?

We can start by keeping the height of the heel to no more than 2 inches. Anything over that will put 75% of your body weight on the balls of your feet. This will slowly wear away the fat pad underneath the balls of your feet and give you pain in return! Gee, thanks! A lower heel also helps keep the toes from cramping into the shoe and hammertoes from getting worse. Keeping the heel lower will also keep the spine from swaying and the knees from straining, a bonus for those suffering from these conditions.

Have bunions or look like some are getting started? Stick with a heel that has at least a more rounded toe box or a square one. The pointier the shoe, the more you “train” your toe in the wrong direction and the bigger your bunion becomes. This type of shoe also helps keep ingrown toenails and neuromas at bay.

Getting pain to the back of the heel or in the Achilles? Before heading out for the day in those heels and when you get home and take them off, please give your Achilles tendons some time and stretch them out. This helps to compensate for the shortening of the Achilles tendon that occurs from chronic wearing of high heel shoes. Your body weight will strain your shortened tendons and ligaments and give you tendonitis and heel pain!

Those nasty corn and calluses are there to stay as long as you are wearing heels. Do your best to keep them softer with lotion to your feet daily. A cream with an exfoliant is a must with those thicker corns and calluses. There are also a variety of pads you can use to cushion the toes. If the stores don’t have one that works, your podiatrist may have just what you need!

Wearing a chunkier heel rather than a slim one will better stabilize your foot on your ankle. This will help to avoid some of those sprains.

Buy leather shoes, not synthetics. Leather is more forgiving. Make sure the shoe feels good in the store. Take your time walking around the shoe section to get a feel of how they really feel! Giving your feet the job to stretch them out at home can give you blisters, calluses and pain!

Always buy shoes and measure your feet in the afternoon or at the end of the day. Your feet swell throughout the day. Measuring your feet gives you some place to start. Remember shoes are like clothes, different brands have different fits! A size 8 in one shoe does not necessarily mean a size 8 in all! Go by fit, not size!

Monday, January 16, 2012

2012 Journey to IronMan Mont Tremblant

I hope your new year is starting off in a focused and positive direction for you. Are you goals for the New Year in place? If not, there is no better time than the present so hop to it!

I managed to finish my goals on New Year’s Day and one of the goals should be no surprise if you have followed this blog. Once again, Dr. Crane and I are going after another full distance IronMan.

Yep, base training has begun. We invite you to join us as we blog and video this year’s journey. While much was learned from IronMan Texas that we finished last year, this year the course has a few more “bumps” in elevation. The 2012 race will take place August 19th in beautiful Mont Tremblant, Quebec Canada…yea; we are heading to the mountains my friends.

So how did we end up in Canada? We originally tried to enter IronMan New York City. To our dismay, the race sold out in eight minutes, with us unfortunately not obtaining a spot. After breaking the news to Dr. Crane, she pops over to me later in the day and says “here is what we are doing”, naturally, I gulped and replied “what pray tell are we doing?” “We are signing up for IronMan Mont Tremblant” she states. So I figure what the heck. After signing us both up, I took a peek at the course. Hmm, do you think I would have learned to check the course first? Nope, I sure did not. Note to self, check the course when she does this to you again next year…

The course at IronMan Texas was flat as a pancake. Mont Tremblant’s course…oh, so the opposite. For your viewing pleasure, I have captured the bike elevation for you to view, stare then laugh if you so choose:



It is pretty safe to say we are in for a challenge eh? So get ready for some fun reading while we train. We will take you to a few warm up races before the IronMan, help you learn more on bio mechanics of the foot and keeping your feet healthy. Who knows, with a bit of luck, we might just inspire you as you meet your own goals.

Happy New Year…here we go!

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Time for new shoes?

Have you checked your running shoes lately? Chances are, if they are more than six months old and worn on a regular basis whether it be for daily errands or dedicated exercise, you may be due for a new pair of shoes.

Typically, running shoes last anywhere from three to six months with four and half to five months on average. Replacing your shoes will greatly reduce the chance of overuse injuries such as Achilles tendinitis, hamstring strains, heel pain, illiotibial band syndrome, knee pain, shin splints, stress fractures, and tight calves to name a few.

Although your shoes may look fine on the outside and even on the bottom of the shoes, it’s the interior components that break down first. Inside your shoes, there is a mid sole. The mid sole will provide cushioning or that bouncy feeling along with stability. The levels of stability vary based on the type of shoe you are wearing.

We recommend visiting with your local Podiatrist for a yearly foot exam or Certified Pedorthist especially if you wear orthotics with your shoes to ensure you are wearing the appropriate category of running shoe.

When you visit your local running shop, make sure you try on all brands of the category of shoe you are wearing. Your feet should be measured each time you purchase shoes as they can change in size and width. Don’t be surprised you may take a slightly different size from what the associate measures your feet as styles can vary in sizing.

Enjoy the New Year with new shoes; your feet will thank you for it!