A Note About Footwear.

Along with Fibromyalgia I also have foot issues that require being followed by a podiatrist and wearing custom orthotics. I do a lot of walking and a few years into walking regularly I developed some pretty debilitating foot pain. Turns out I had plantar fasciitis (which is just a fancy term for inflammation of the plantar fascia; a ligament that connects the front of your foot to the heel and that supports your arches). I also have bunions and corns. The corns were an easy fix since they simply removed them from my feet using a scalpel (not painful at all). The bunions don't usually bother me unless something is pressing on them (which can be solved by wearing wide width shoes) and the plantar fasciitis, well that's the one that I find the most challenging. However after wearing my custom orthotics for the last year or so it's been much less painful. I also have some foot stretches/exercises given to me by the podiatrist as well.

It was in the midst of all of this foot pain that I started to realize how important footwear was! I hadn't worn heels in a long time so I figured I was already a step (no pun intended) ahead of the game but what I didn't realize were that flats with no arch support and a too tight toe box were equally as bad! There's no one size fits all when it comes to shoes though. What may be comfortable for me may not feel right for your feet. It takes trying on shoes and not settling for anything that doesn't check all the boxes. Here are some of the things to look for in a good pair of walking shoes:

1. Proper arch support - Each person's arches are different but having the proper support for YOUR particular arch configuration is important. I have very high arches thus meaning I need high arch support - one that comes in the form of specially made orthotics.

2. Wide toe box - You want the toe box or the rounded portion of the front of your shoe to be just that, rounded. Not pointy or constricted in any way. When you stand and your toes splay out you want the toe box to be wide enough so that your toes can spread apart comfortably.

3. Lightweight - You don't want shoes that weigh a ton. Most importantly they are comfortable to you.

4. Flexion in forefoot - You want to be able to push the toe of your sole upwards with one hand and have it bend.

5. Flexion in midfoot - You do not want to be able to bend the entire shoe in half easily or twist it sideways. There should be some rigidity.

6. Look for a stiff heel - At the back portion of the shoe; the piece that's in the vicinity of your Achilles tendon, you want it to have structure.

7. Your orthotic is only as good as your shoe - My podiatrist shared this with me once. If you wear custom orthotics and you put them into a shoe without the proper support, they won't work as well.

8. More straps are better - If you wear sandals the more straps the better. Sandals are considered a not as good option to closed toed shoes but if you want to wear them make sure they are not flip flops! You want as many straps as possible to hold them securely to your feet so you don't find your toes trying to grip the insoles like they would with flip flops. Good soles are important too if you're doing any amount of walking and arch support if you don't wear custom orthotics.

I have a friend who has many feet issues and it's very debilitating to not be able to freely walk. I consider myself lucky to be able to continue walking as my form as exercise but also as something that I just find so much joy in doing. I try to treat my feet with as much respect as I possibly can in order to get as many miles out of them as I I can! Here are the walking shoes that I use with my custom orthotics. I find that they check all the boxes for me.

I believe it was Marilyn Monroe that said, "Give a girl the right shoes and she can conquer the world.” I think she may have been referring to glamorous heels but I prefer to think she was referring to sensible walking shoes!