Archive for Arch support

Today is National Flip Flop Day!

Posted in Health & Wellness, Shoes with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on June 17, 2011 by The Shoe Expert

you can never have too many sandals :)

Image via Wikipedia

On this National Flip Flop Day, the main point of this blog post is to stay safe while wearing your flip-flops! It is mostly common sense, but there may be a few things that may sound new to you too so check it out.

Flip-FlopDo’s & Don’ts (from an old blog post of mine):

DO’S:
• Do shop for a flip-flop made of high-quality, soft leather. Leather minimizes the potential for blisters and other types of irritation.
• Do look for flip-flops that hold APMA’s Seal of Acceptance; these products are shown to allow for the most normal foot function and promote quality health.
• Do gently bend the flip-flop from end to end, ensuring it bends at the ball of the foot. Shoes of any kind should never fold in half.
• Do wear a sturdy pair of flip-flops when walking around a public pool, at the beach, in hotel rooms and in locker room areas. Walking barefoot can expose foot soles to plantar warts and athlete’s foot.
• Do ensure that your foot doesn’t hang off of the edge of the flip-flop.

DON’TS:
• Don’t re-wear flip-flops year after year. Inspect older pairs for wear. If they show signs of severe wear, discard them.
• Don’t ignore irritation between toes, where the toe thong fits. This can lead to blisters and possible infections.
• Don’t wear flip-flops while walking long distances. Even the sturdiest flip-flops offer little in terms of shock absorption and arch support.
• Don’t do yard work while wearing flip-flops. Always wear a shoe that fully protects feet when doing outside activities such as mowing the lawn or using a weed-eater.
• Don’t play sports in flip-flops. This practice can lead to twisting of the foot or ankle, as well as sprains and breaks.

Dedicated to your foot health and to your shoes,

Dr. Michele, The Shoe Expert

“All Shoes, All the Time!”

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Comfy Flats from Johnston & Murphy!

Posted in Fashion, Health & Wellness, Shoes with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on June 16, 2011 by The Shoe Expert

Comfy is the name of the game today!!! Actually, super comfy!

As a lover and expert of shoes, I always stress that there is a time and place for every type of shoe. Flip flops for the beach, hiking boots for camping, sparkly heels for NYE celebrations, and flats for long work days or running errands, right?

Well when it comes to flats, the Claire Studded Penny Drivers from Johnston & Murphy are one of the most comfortable ones I’ve tried on, tested, and worn for an 8-hour work day!

 

I have the red ones as shown above, but they come in other colors such as black, brown, tan, beige, and navy as well. The leather is so soft, and a thin orthotic will fit comfortably in this shoe if you wear one like I do.

For more information on this shoe, click here and use this promo code until June 30th at checkout for a discount especially for my blog readers and followers: CALSHOE

Thanks to the folks at Johnston & Murphy for allowing me to review your shoes! 🙂

Dedicated to your foot health and to your shoes,

Dr. Michele, The Shoe Expert

“All Shoes, All the Time!”

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A Podiatrist’s “Athletic Shoe Guidelines”

Posted in Athletic Shoes, Exercising, Health & Wellness, Physical Fitness, Shoes with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , on March 7, 2011 by The Shoe Expert

My Favorite Running Shoes: Asics

Athletic footwear should be fitted to hold the foot in the position that’s most natural to the movement involved. Athletic shoes protect your feet from stresses encountered in a given sport and to give the player more traction. The differences in design and variations in material, weight, lacing characteristics, and other factors among athletic shoes are meant to protect the areas of the feet that encounter the most stress.

Well-fitted athletic shoes need to be comfortable, yet well-constructed and appropriate for a given activity. A good fit will mitigate blisters and other skin irritations.

Sports-specific athletic shoes are a good investment for serious athletes, though perhaps a less critical consideration for non-athletes. Don’t wear any sport or other shoes beyond their useful life.

A running shoe is built to take impact, while a tennis shoe is made to give relatively more support, and permit sudden stops and turns. Cross training shoes are fine for a general athletic shoe, such as for physical education classes or health club exercising, such as on stair machines and weight-lifting because they provide more lateral support and less flexibility than running shoes. They also tend to be heavier than running shoes, but most people don’t need light, flexible shoes for cross-training. If a child is involved more heavily in any single sport, he or she should wear shoes specifically designed for that sport.

Our practice recommends sturdy, properly fitted athletic shoes of proper width with leather or canvas uppers, soles that are flexible (but only at the ball of the foot), cushioning, arch supports, and room for your toes. Try a well-cushioned sock for reinforcement, preferably one with acrylic fiber content so that some perspiration moisture is “wicked” away.

Athletic shoes need to be replaced after one year, whether or not they are worn, and after a certain amount of repetitive load is placed on them and wears them down. The American Academy of Podiatric Sports Medicine advises replacing running or walking shoes after 300 to 500 miles of wear, and replacing aerobic, basketball, and tennis shoes after 45 to 60 hours of wear. Athletic shoes should also be replaced if they show signs of unevenness when placed on a flat surface, display noticeable creasing, and/or when the heel counter breaks down.

(The above is an excerpt from my website www.elmontefootdoctor.com )

Dedicated to your foot health and to your shoes,

Dr. Michele, The Shoe Expert

“All Shoes, All the Time!”
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