Why Choose Therapeutic Shoes?

Many patients inquire why their Podiatrist or Primary Care Doctor recommends therapeutic shoes also known as diabetic shoes. Diabetic patients are taught the importance of overall health which of course includes the feet. What is not realized is not every shoe is made to properly protect and prevent foot problems. If you or someone you know has diabetes, neuropathy or other foot ailments, the following information will help offer a better understanding of why therapeutic shoes are crucial in your foot care:

One of the main goals is to relieve areas of excessive pressure. This is particularly important on the bottom of the foot. When you have repetitive pressure in one area, this can lead to ulceration. In particular, the metatarsal heads (forefoot)  are sensitive to pressure. A properly fitting shoe and insert combination can reduce pressure and help redistribute the pressure more evenly across the foot.

Shock - Reducing shock is really important especially for those who have feet that are bony or even abnormal bone structure such as Charcot foot. In addition to reducing specific high pressure, reducing the amount of vertical pressure is also desired.

Reduce Shear - Reducing the horizontal movement of the foot within the shoe, better known as shear also helps in minimizing the occurrence of ulceration.

Deformities - Conditions such as fatty tissue loss or amputations need to be accommodated. Pressure from shoe uppers on hammer toes or claw toes are also of concern and should be minimized. It is important to stabilize and support the deformities. This is most commonly assisted by an insert specific to the foot ailment. Generally, ridged deformities must be accommodated while flexible deformities require support and/or stabilization.

Limit Joint Motion – limiting motion of the joints can decrease inflammation, help in reducing pain and offer a more stable functional foot.

When visiting with your Podiatrist request a referral to visit with a Certified Pedorthist (C.Ped.). The C.Ped. can assist you in the proper shoe type and additional accommodations as needed. Keep in mind, proper fitting shoes not only make your feet feel good and protect them, thanks to today's educated shoe designers, the shoes look great too!

Vrrrooomm!

Spring is in full force, warmer temps and sunny days bring outdoor activities to life. For many, motorcycle riding is an exciting and fun way to spend the day. Riders know protective gear is a necessity for safer rides but are the feet taken into consideration?

Motorcycle boots are designed with one focus - to protect your feet during a crash. A good pair of motorcycle boots will have Velcro closures at the top of the boot. While this might take a bit longer to put on or take off, the object is to keep the boots on in the event you are thrown from the bike.  

More boot tips....

-No laces! Laces can catch things on your bike and even become trapped under the peg.

-Stiff soles – boots with steel shanks in the sole add additional protection.

-Weather specific boots – Water resistant riding motorcycle boots work well in wet weather where as a warm weather styles made of gore-tex fabrics make for comfortable riding. 

-Moisture wicking socks – socks should be at least the height of the boot and assist in thermo regulating your feet. Look for socks that are specifically designed to wick moisture from the skin. Cotton socks should be avoided.

-Replace your boots when signs of wear and tear are present. Is the leather cracked, are their holes that have formed? Think of your boots for your feet as your helmet for your head......you would not wear a cracked helmet or even worse – none at all.

Visit with your local motorcyle dealer or bike center for a review of appropiate boots. Take inventory and think about your gear choices. Happy Riding!

National Foot Health Awareness Month

 April is National Foot Health Awareness Month so take some time and think about your feet!

When is the last time your feet were measured? How old are your athletic shoes and have you “gotten your use” out of them? What’s in your sock drawer? How long has your nail polish been on your toes? When was your last pedicure? 

Time to get you thinking about your feet! Let’s face it, most of the colder season months, your feet are wrapped up in socks with shoes or boots. They may see the light of day on occasion, but now it’s time to spring clean your feet!

So take of those socks and have a look. What do you see? Is the skin moist or dry with cracks the size of the Grand Canyon? Cracks in the skin, also known as fissures form when skin is dehydrated. Nails that are brittle also can be a sign of dehydration. Start with a pedicure to get your feet back in to shape and consider going without polish for two weeks to allow the nails to breathe.  

Moisturize your feet and legs daily. Creams with urea help hydrate the dry areas however do not use this level for overall moisturizing. Daily moisturizing replenishes the skin from the outside and increased water intake will hydrate from the inside. Drinking 7-8oz of water a day is a great start in hydrating the skin.

Next, lets take a look at socks and shoes. Socks do wear out over time and dryers can shrink socks. Inspect your socks for areas of wear or even worse – holes! When you place socks on your feet, there should be room in the toes and not compressing the toes. Workout socks should be made of moisture wicking material and not cotton.

Shoes – they are expensive however do still break down over time. Workout shoes are of particular focus and should be replaced at least every six months or if you are tracking mileage, every 300-500 miles. Keeping your workout shoes fresh allows you to protect your feet and provide proper support while allowing you to enjoy your favorite exercises.

So take a few minutes and spring clean your feet, shoes and socks, it will lead you on the way to a happy spring and summer season!

 

Killer High-Heel Shoe Pain? Here is Help!

Easter is over and if you are a woman, there is a great chance that your feet are killing you today! The culprit? High-heeled shoes that just look so awesome with that Easter dress of course!

Give up heels? Not anytime soon, say most women. I even have patients into their 70’s that visit my Grapevine and Keller, TX offices, that refuse to give up their high heels and wear “granny shoes” or “grubby looking sneakers”, as they refer to sensible shoes.

A survey conducted by the American Podiatric Medical Association showed some 42% of women admitted they'd wear a shoe they liked even if it gave them discomfort; 73% admitted already having a shoe-related foot issue. These issues can be anything from corns and calluses to bunions, hammertoes, neuromas, and Achilles tendonitis.

Still not convinced to give up those sexy shoes? Here are some tips to make you feet more comfortable when sporting those killer heels:

6 Tips to Protect Your Feet When Wearing High Heels

1.       Get the best-fitting high heel possible.  While this may seem like a given, stop and think: How many pairs of high heels cause your feet to slide to the front, leaving a gap big enough for a small cell phone behind your heel?  High heels that don't fit properly cause the front of the foot to fly forward, creating more pressure -- and pain -- on toes. Look for narrow heels with a snug but not tight fit to correct the problem.

2.       Cushion, cushion, cushion. While a full-shoe insert can help, if you have pain in the ball of the foot -- or you'll be standing in your heels a long time -- invest in silicone metatarsal pads. They look like flattened gummy bears, but they do a super job of shock absorption.  It's like have a fat pad augmentation.

3.       Wear a thicker, chunkier heel for stability. A thicker heel will give you better balance and may help relieve some pressure by distributing the weight on your foot more evenly. Platforms are best.  Alternating heel heights can also help reduce problems with the Achilles tendon.

4.       Pay attention to the "slope" or "pitch" of the heel.  While some 4-inch heels will give you a straight drop down to the flatbed portion of the shoe, others will be a more gradual slope. This may be easier on the arch and might help relieve some pain in the ball of the foot.

5.       Wear open-toe high heels to relieve pressure on corns and calluses. See one of our podiatrists to have corns and calluses professionally removed and correct the problem that’s causing them. But if that's not possible, opt for open-toe shoes to take pressure off inflamed areas.

6.  We have a new solution coming soon! Come by Healthy Steps adjacent to out Grapevine and Keller locations and try out the new line of “34 Minutes” shoes. A new brand of sexy heels that are actually comfortable so that you can wear them longer than 34 minutes! These shoes are on the assembly line and should be visiting Healthy Steps by early May! I’m so excited to have a new solution for high-heeled shoes!

Sandal Fever at Healthy Steps!

A review on many comfortable sandal solutions available at Healthy Steps Shoe Stores with Janet Dixon, CPed as commentator. Many people think that comfortable sandals have to be ugly. This is so not true!! Janet reviews the new styles from Orthaheel. Foot pain relief in a convenient cute sandal! More reviews to come from Foot and Ankle Associates of North Texas in Grapevine and Keller, Texas. For more go to their website at www.myrundoc.com or www.faant.com.

Loving the New Orthaheel Sandals at Healthy Steps!

The new sandals are in at Healthy Steps from Orthaheel! Love them! Supportive and really cute as well! They are in stock at Healthy Steps in the Grapevine and Keller locations! Come check them out.... These are a preview. Multiple color choices are available in all styles!

Tips on Finding Shoes For Orthotics

So you love your running shoes and your orthotics, but you can’t wear them to work! Bummer! But seriously, lots of patients come into my office asking about specific shoes that work with their orthotics. Unfortunately, shoes are much like jeans. There are lots of styles that fit different people well, but you probably don’t want to wear my jeans (unless you are 5’2” and 100 pounds, ha ha). You need to find the non-athletic shoe that work for you!

So here are some simple rules to follow when trying to buy non-athletic shoes to work well with your orthotics.

1. You should not be able to play twister with the shoe! If you can make the shoe into a pretzel, your foot can deform it as well. A shoe should bend in the toe box and not bend in the arch or the middle.

2. The bottom of the shoe should be sturdy, not flimsy. A good ½ inch to inch width in the sole is helpful. Leather soles should be avoided if you can.

3. Try on shoes in the afternoon or evening since your foot swells during the day.

4. Bring your orthotics with you when trying on shoes. They should fit in the bottom of the shoe flat. If the shoe is too narrow or curved, it can lift the orthotic and make it uncomfortable.

5. Lastly, if your orthotic squeaks in the shoe then you can fix this with a dryer sheet under the orthotic.


The staff at Healthy Steps is well versed in fitting shoes with orthotics, so stop on by and they can help!