Archive for the ‘Shoe Reviews’ Category

As golfers, we like to watch what the pros do and follow suit. So when professional golfer Fred Couples stepped out on the course at the 2011 Masters wearing the ECCO Golf Street Shoe, we were curious about why he chose this particular shoe. Fred has had chronic back pain for years and needed a comfortable shoe that gave him a good grip and supported his back. We were surprised to this shoe does not have spikes and resembles more of a sneaker than a traditional golf shoe.

Golfers who have back pain need a supportive shoe to play a pain-free game. It turns out the ECCO Golf Street Shoe has stability and comfort features to not only set up for a good golf game, but to also support a bad back. It is designed with a durable and breathable textile lining with a microfiber heel grip.

Order the ECCO Golf Street Shoe here.

If back pain is a problem, we also highly recommend wearing an arch support. While a custom orthotic will have the best fit and support, the Powerstep ProTech Classic Plus Pro is the top of the line OTC choice. It can be inserted in any golf shoe and can help to improve alignment and provide a pain-free golf game.

For more products we’ve hand picked, visit our self-treatment center.

If you live in the Seattle area and want a custom orthotic, request an appointment online.

Bunions (enlargement of the big toe joint) are a painful condition. If you have a bunion, a regular sport sandal does not offer enough support and can even contribute to greater pain. Since bunions tend to get bigger over time (or the joint can develop arthritis), wearing the right sandal is an important part of conservative treatment.

We have reviewed the Orthaheel Malibu Sandal to see how it performs in wearing with bunions. The Orthaheel Malibu sandal is stylish, sporty, and functional.  It is an orthotic sandal that is designed for stability and alignment of the feet, knees, and ankles. As a sport sandal for men and women, it’s made for walking and includes many comfort features:

• Straps are made from soft synthetic leather with padded linings.
• Hook and loop adjustment for a customized fit
• A soft dense material for ease of movement and orthotic therapy.
• Contoured footbeds to control pronation and keep pressure off the bunion.

Although for wearing with a bunion, the Orthaheel Malibu Sandal is designed to enhance foot function and reduce pain by transferring pressure off of the bunion.  It is definitely a good sport sandal for other pain condition too, such as back pain and shin splints. Our conclusion is that this is the best sandal to buy for bunions.

High arched feet have a number of challenges. Since the weight of the foot is primarily concentrated in one area (the ball of the foot and the heel), there can often be arch pain and decreased stability.

The challenge if you want to wear flip flops is to spread the weight over a larger portion of the foot. For those people who have high arches, wearing an orthotic flip flop with a very high arch support is ideal. This allows the orthotic to better match the arch of the foot and have proper weight distribution.

All of the Orthaheel sandals – available here have the highest arch support of any flip flop or sandal.  They are the most supportive flip flop for summer and a good alternative to going barefoot.

Here are a few specific Orthaheel sandals to choose from. These are also good choices for flat feet:

• The Women’s Tide Orthotic Thong Sandal provides orthotic treatment to reduce foot pain associated with high arches. It has a motion-control footbed to absorb shock and stress on feet.

• The Men’s & Women’s Kinetic Orthotic Flip Flop Sandal is a lightweight choice with soft padded fabric. If you like to walk a lot, the textured rubber outsole provides traction and enhances walking comfort.

• The Men’s & Women’s Kiwi Slide Sandal are perfect for people who have high arches and sensitive feet. The orthotic footbeds help reduce pain, while the quality materials keep the sandal like new.

If you have high arches and want flip flop sandals you will enjoy wearing, try the Orthaheel sandals – available here.

Did you know that knee pain is often related to foot dysfunction? This means that proper footwear could have dramatic effects on bad knees.

We have extensive experience with orthotic therapy and have found that a supportive shoe or sandal should have a custom orthotic or built-in orthotic to cushion the foot. A good custom-made orthotic can address the underlying cause of knee problems. In fact, several studies have shown that orthotics reduce can greatly reduce knee pain.

Many of our patients do not want to wear shoes with orthotics in the warmer weather, so we recommend a few choices for bad knees:

• Naot sandal for Men and Women
• Orthaheel Kiwi Slide sandals for Men and Women
• Orthaheel Malibu sandals for Women
• Orthaheel Malibu sandals for Men

All of these casual summer sandals provide arch support and help for bad knees. They come with a build-in orthotic footbed that is designed to conform closely to the arch. This helps keep the knees, feet, and ankles stay in alignment.

There are also sandals for bad knees that are dressier that allow the insertion of a custom or doctor-prescribed orthotic. This is a prescription medical device that is designed to fit the arch of your foot perfectly. If you have bad knees and want to wear sandals or clogs, be sure to purchase a sandal with a removable insole, such as the Women’s and Men’s Naot Sandal. These are stylish, comfortable and supportive.

If you have bad knees and want summertime footwear, try our orthotic sandal suggestions, and make an appointment with a local podiatrist to get evaluated. If you live in the Seattle area and want to visit with Dr. Huppin or Dr. Hale, click here for an appointment.

If you would rather wear flips-flops rather than sandals, check out these Orthaheel flip-flops.

People with flat feet tend to have arches that collapse (sometimes called fallen arches or pronation). This is a common foot problem and while in most cases the flat foot itself does not need to be corrected, it is possible to alter the painful symptoms, including heel pain and ball of foot pain.

One way is through wearing orthotic flip flops sandals, rather than going barefoot. Supportive flip flops transfer force and decrease pressure off the ball of the foot. If your feet are hurting and you would rather not wear shoes with orthotics when it’s hot outside, orthotic flip flops are a good alternative for summer.

The best flip flops for flat feet are the Wave Flip-Flop Sandal – available here. This is a doctor-recommended flip flop that is also stylish, sporty, and built to cushion the arch of your foot. It has deep heel cups that stabilize, support and realign the foot back into its natural position. The technology in the sandal is also clinically proven to reduce excess pronation. Plus, a fully waterproof design makes this an ideal beach and pool flip flop.

Click here to see additional recommended Orthaheel orthotic flip flop sandal choices that are similar to the Wave Flip-Flop Sandal.

Watch a 3-minute video about flat feet and how to correct the problem using orthotics.

For this series we will tackle the best type of slippers for different foot conditions. We have slippers for men as well as slippers for women. For this article, we are going to look at the best slippers for bunions.

A bunion is also known as hallux valgus or hallux abducto valgus. A bunion is sometimes described as a bump on the side or the big toe. Some say it is when the big toe points toward the second toe. But it is more complicated than that.

In the X-ray above, you can see that the bones are out of alignment, producing the “bump.” Bunions are progressive. They start with the leaning of the big toe. Through the years, the angle of the bones gradually changes and this will slowly produce a bump that will become increasingly prominent.

Some people never have symptoms but those who do have symptoms usually feel and/or see them at later stages. Common symptoms are:

1. The skin along the inside edge of the big toe is red and callused.
2. There is a bump at the site.
3. There is pain over the joint which becomes aggravated when pressure is applied.
4. The big toe is turned toward the second toe.

The deformity runs in families. The foot type is hereditary but the bunion is not. Shoes will not cause bunions but if you do have a bunion, wearing the wrong type of shoes will aggravate the pain caused by the deformity.

In several cases, bunions are formed because of excess pronation or over-pronation. Over-pronation is when the feet roll inward too much. If not treated early, this will aggravate the bunions and may cause the foot to be severely deformed. When this happens, the patient may need to have bunion surgery.

To prevent over-pronation, our doctors at Foot and Ankle Center of Washington recommend, among other treatments, the use of slippers with orthotic arch supports. Orthotic arch supports or orthotic insoles help reduce the pressure in the area where bunions appear. These arch supports help align the feet properly and they distribute one’s weight more evenly throughout the foot. This will take away some of the pressure that is placed on the area of the bunion.

The best slippers that we found to be the most effective for treating bunions are the ORTHAHEEL Relax Slippers for Women and the ORTHAHEEL Men’s Kiwi Slide Sandals.

The ORTHAHEEL Relax Slippers for Women and the ORTHAHEEL Men’s Kiwi Sandals give the best arch support for patients who have foot problems that require foot support even when walking around the house. In addition to that, for our patients who are already wearing custom orthotics, they can wear their orthotics inside the slipper.

Here are some of the best features of the ORTHAHEEL Relax Slippers for Women:

• These slippers were designed by podiatrists and the biomechanical supportive footbed has a deep heel cup that will help stabilize, support and realign the patient’s feet back to a more natural position.
• The Orthaheel technology has been clinically proven to reduce overpronation.
• The slippers have lightweight outsoles with gum rubber inserts that improve traction.
• The insoles can be removed, allowing the use of custom orthotics.
• Our patients love these slippers.

After being on your feet all day on the job, while working out, or running errands, it’s nice to have a break from wearing shoes. However, foot problems and foot pain can worsen without the consistent use of orthotics. In fact, if you are wearing orthotics in your shoes during the day, but going barefoot at other times, inflammation and pain can persist.

That’s why we recommend wearing orthotic flip flops as an alternative to shoes. Clinical surveys have shown that orthotics give patients as much as 33% or more additional orthotic therapy time through the use of wearing sandals or clogs with custom orthotics. These flip flops can even help prevent foot pain, including plantar facilities, ball of foot pain, and Achilles tendonitis.

The best sandals and flip flops for healthy feet are doctor recommended and designed with orthotics. We’ve found that the Orthaheel brand of flip flops are a fashionable and healthy choice that includes a built-in orthotic footbed.

A good all-around choice is the Wave Orthotic Flip Flop for men and women. These flip flops are reduce excess pronation, provide support and stability, and realign the foot into its proper position. For people who prefer a sandal that slides on without a toe strap, the Kiwi Slide Sandal for men and women is perfect for more sensitive feet.

To view the complete line of Orthaheel orthotic flip flops, click here.

Since plantar fasciitis and heel pain is such a common complaint for runners, we wanted to share our knowledge of the best running shoes to combat these problems. Running puts a great deal of pressure on the feet, knees, and ankles, which means that shoes must be able to provide shock-absorption and stability. Whether you are a causal jogger or an elite runner, choosing the best running shoes is essential.

That’s why we have created a free recommended shoe list download that can be used as the definitive guide. To create the list, we reviewed shoes to find the ones that resolve the problems that our patients with plantar fasciitis and heel pain complain about the most.

We found that the best running shoes must be stable, with firm heel counters and firm midsoles. This includes having a removable sock liner so that a prefabricated or custom orthotics can be added. This is helpful for keeping the arches firmly supported and taking pressure off the heel area. The use of orthotics also removes tension off of the plantar fascia and reduces the build-up of inflammation.

In addition, if heel pain is a continuous problem when running or even walking, it’s important to seek treatment by following our heel pain protocol or visiting your local podiatrist and being evaluated. Plantar fasciitis can become chronic and difficult to treat, but wearing running shoes from our free list can be helpful.

Click here to receive the free recommended shoe list or sign up at the upper left corner of the blog.

We just added to our website a Guide to the Best Walking Boots.  This guide reviews when and how to use a medical walking boot to treat a number of different foot conditions, including plantar fasctiits.

Plantar Fasciitis is the most common cause of heal pain and arch pain. This is a medical condition where the thick band of tissue that runs along the arch of your feet from your heel to your toes, is inflamed. This band of tissue helps in stabilizing your arch during walking and running,

The most common cause of plantar fasciitis is “over-pronation,” which means your feet roll inward too much when you are walking. When this happens, the arch of your foot flattens and the arch lengthens causing increased tension on the plantar fascia.

You are suffering from plantar fasciitis if you have these symptoms:

1. You feel pain in your heel or arch when you get out of bed n the morning.
2. You feel increasing pain in your heel or arch towards the end of the day.
3. You feel pain and stiffness in your foot when you start to walk after sitting down for a period of time.
4. Your feet feel tired at the end of the day.

One of the best ways to heal plantar fasciitis is to rest your foot. How do you do this without disrupting your daily routine? We recommend a walking boot (also called a walker). Walking boots are not just for fractures. At Foot & Ankle Center of Washington, a walking boot or walker is part of our podiatrists’ overall complete treatment.

What walking boot is best for plantar fasciitis? A person suffering from this medical condition can use either a tall walking boot or short walking boot. Most people are more comfortable using the tall boot because it does not irritate the shin. If you are short in stature however, you may want to try using the short boot.

We recommend using the walking boot because it will help greatly in reducing tension in the plantar fascia thereby enabling the fascia to rest and heal. It also reduces pressure on the heel.

Most patients need to wear the walker for 7 to 14 days, depending on the severity of the pain.  More information on walking boots is available here.

To take more tension off of the plantar fascia, we highly recommend that you use an arch support like the Powerstep Medical Grade Orthotic inside the boot. We also have Heel Pain Home Remedies that you can use for the treatment of plantar fasciitis.

To ensure that you get the right treatment, we encourage you to make an appointment with our podiatrists today in our Seattle foot and ankle clinic.

If you have plantar fasciitis or heel and arch pain, supporting the arches is important for treatment. For many patients, we recommend wearing supportive footwear with orthotic foot beds while at home. These keep the arches from continuing to collapse, reducing the intense heel pain and chance for the treatment to fail.

When the heels and arches are supported with orthotics, the plantar fasciitis will decrease in tightness and release. Orthotic slippers and sandals are a comfy alternative to assist in this process. They provide the benefits of arch and heel support without being cumbersome to wear.

We have reviewed the best slippers and sandals for this purpose. These are some of the podiatrist recommended options we suggest to patients:

• Orthaheel Women’s Relax Slippers: These are our favorite arch support slippers for women. They are podiatrist-designed with orthotic foot beds that help stabilize, support, and realign the feet back to their natural position.

• Orthaeel Men’s & Women’s Kiwi Slide Sandals: These sporty sandals can be worn as a supportive shoe at home, while allowing your feet room to breathe. They are extremely comfortable with added orthotic midsoles and adjustable strap.

Visit the Foot and Ankle store for a complete list of podiatrist recommended products.