Finally, shoes that make my feet feel better!

[TexasSAHD]

In case anyone else has problems with their feet, particularly plantar fasciitis like me, I figured I would share my recent find.

My feet have gotten so bad. I pretty much hobble around in agony. I've tried creams and braces and stretches and orthotics and a WHOLE lot of ice and heat. Nothing has worked. But last week, I had to buy new shoes. Everything I tried on hurt even worse. Some of them, I couldn't even stand in. I gave up...but my Sweetheart did not.

She started researching podiatrists comments and such and found 2 shoes, both from New Balance (my preferred brand) that were supposed to be great for plantar fasciitis. She measured my feet and ordered them from amazon.com, since they're a bit difficult to find. I put them on as soon as they came in, on the carpet with nice clean socks, cuz I figured on returning them. But she was adamant. So I walked around...and they didn't hurt.

So I kept them on...and they still didn't hurt. I wore them for the rest of the day, which is hard for me, cuz if I'm home I'm barefoot. The longer I wore them, the less my feet hurt! I still can't believe it. I was skeptical...I mean advertizers love to promise everything, but these danged things actually live up to their hype.

I don't generally review products like this, but you guys live with the same kind of pain I do, and my philosophy has become "If I don't HAVE to hurt, I'm NOT going to hurt!" So for what it's worth, and remember, your mileage may vary, I recommend the New Balance 846. These things are life changers for me.

I bought them from amazon and here's a link:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002S0MY4A/ref=oh_o01_s00_i00_details

And no, I don't work for New Balance. And unless you were to go to my blog and buy them from the link on it, I won't make a dime from them. I just felt the need to share a pain reliever I found like so many of you great guys have shared with me.

God Bless!

[Tay]

I am glad you have found some comfy shoes.  It makes all the difference to everything.

I cannot wear high heels any more, even though I just love them all....now I wear flat shoes.

My main shoes for summer are Birkenstocks, which are a German brand.  In fact they are like thongs (flip flops I think you call them).  In winter I usually wear flat closed in shoes. 

My problem is that I walk funny and have a heavy foot, so I tend to thud around everywhere.  (You always know when I'm about to arrive!!).  I don't care about that, just that I am comfortable.

Often I go around bare footed as well, but I tend to tip toe when I do that!!!  Weird really.

I think some one else mentioned 'Sketchers' shoes as well.  Said they were very comfortable too.

We are a funny lot!!

Cheers

Tay

[Zathras]

If you suffer with Plantar Fasciitis try using a percussive massager on the bottoms of your feet. The percussive action loosen things up and also over time will break up the heel spurs.

Good shoes with proper support in them and/or orthotic insoles are a must but both times I had problems with this it was the percussive massager and icing the bottoms of my feet that cleared the problem up.

[ronr]

A golf ball works wonders on the plantar too.  Gonna hurt like the dickens but it does help.


Hope those shoes last a good long time for you.

[foxgrove]

Yup... it's truly amazing what a really good set of footwear will do for your plantar fasciitis... just don't forget to do your stretching and icing down your soles!!  It comes back even with the best shoes sooner than you'd thiunk

[Muaddib67]

The arch in my right foot fell a few years ago, and it's very hard for me to find shoes that don't cause extreme pain. My feet swell if I wear any shoes for more than 2 hours, and I HAVE to take them off. I did buy some of those Dr Scholls inserts, and they help enough that I can manage a couple more hours of shoe wearing on occasion. I guess it was too many years of wearing combat boots, and frequently jumping out of a C-130. I always managed to land more on my right foot instead of both feet at once (like you're supposed to), so I guess it's no surprise that it's that foot that took the damage.

[willie]

  Buying new shoes is one of those things I really hate! The biggest problem is I wear a size 7 1/2EEE. When I look for shoes I find what they have in my size and pick from there. No such thing as finding a shoe I like and then getting it in my size. Most places don't stock that size. I have been finding New Balance shoes (at Kohl's) in my size and they are really comfortable. I usually buy a half size or full size bigger and they work well. I also heard that New Balance is one of the last companies to make shoes in the USA but none of the ones I find are. The fibro plays hell on the feet and the chemo made that worse. Has anyone tried those shoes that are supposed to be like being barefoot? Might be a possibility there.

[Muaddib67]

I have the last pair of shoes I bought for work (treadsafe from walmart), other than that I go barefoot when I'm at home, which now days is almost all the time.

[Lame Bear]

New Balance shoes and Crocs are the only thing I can tolerate on my feet.  I also have had a fallen arch on my left foot (broke bones in that foot in my hockey days) that was operated on by a podiatric ortho surgeon and after he got in my foot he had a mess.  He told my wife that all he could do was a "salvage job".  I ended up with the left foot fused at all great toe bones and can't walk off the ball of my foot hence my screen name. 

Two more procedures were done, but they did not improve my gait or the pain of walking off your side of the foot and little toes. I also had some nerve entrapment in that foot. 

Here are some of the things you might try:
1. New Balance shoes (kohl's and joesnewbalance.com) have sales and good selection.

2. Crocs for lounging or at least a slipper that had a hard arch or things will get worse. Two podiatrists and the ortho surgeon have told me that barefootin' is NEVER to be done, even for those middle of the night bathroom visits.

3. if you have insurance coverage see if you can get custom made othodics if not try a runner's shoe store or a large sporting goods store for over the counter orthodics.

Al aka Lame Bear

[Zathras]

I have no idea if these are any good or not but recently I keep seeing commercials for Dr. Scholls (sp?). They are supposed to have machines all over the place that you stand on and they will assess your feet and then tell you what insole is the right one for you.

Might be a load of crap but you never know.

[willie]

I haven't tried the machines yet but I bought some of their high priced gel inserts for my shoes. They hurt like hell!!! They are bulky and made my shoes too tight and really hurt my feet. Of course I had to trim them to get them to fit my shoe so now I can't return them.

[tojo]

I am waiting for the custom made shoes the VA ordered and i will report when they get here. They wont be much to look at but if they help my feet I DO NOT CARE heheheheheheheh

[willie]

I am waiting for the custom made shoes the VA ordered and i will report when they get here. They wont be much to look at but if they help my feet I DO NOT CARE heheheheheheheh

I'm with you there!!! If it's comfortable, who cares. I'm too old to impress anybody and I'm married. If she's happy, I'm happy. If she's not, I'm in deep ....!!! Same goes for the feet!

[countryboy]

I've worn New Balance shoes for quite a few years and haven't found anything better.  When they made my second leg brace that went from my crotch all the way to my toes, I had to get a larger pair of shoes.  Of course I bought New Balance as always.  I usually wear a 9EEEE and they fit fine.  The ones that I first got for the brace was a size 10.  That seemed to work until the maker of the brace had to reinforce the metal shafts that ran down both sides of my leg.  Then I had to go to a size 10 1/2 EEEE.  That idea of the brace only lasted for about 4 weeks until I threw it away and started using the rolling walker.  The brace was 10 lbs and didn't work like it should no matter what they did to it.

So, now I have a size 10 EEEE and 10 1/2 EEEE that I can't wear.  They have had very little wear, but Sears wouldn't take them back.  I didn't think they would when we tried.  Oh well, my grandson who just turned 15 is into a size 9 also and at the rate he is growing I am sure that he will be able to use them both by this time next year.

With some luck I will be off this damned walker and back to just one cane in a couple of months.  (That is if I can keep my feet under me and not take any more headers).

[tojo]

how much bigger is the EEEE than a EEE? I wear 10 to 10 1/2 EEE depending on the shoe. Have even had a 9 1/2 from walmart that fit. Untill the VA gave me the diabetic shoes to wear i had never had anything but walmart shoes and I think that the more expensive ones seem to be better for my feet. If the EEEE is not to much migger than the EEE I might be interested in buying a pair off you or both depending on how thye add up in size. The orthodics place measured me and i am a 10 1/2 but the one pair was better in a 10 both being EEE