A Great Pair of Shoes

Shopping for a shoe again

Shopping for a shoe again, are you sure you have enough feet to fill all the shoes you have. Not to worry, I still have a very very long way to go before I am anywhere near Imelda Marcos’ collection.

Why I need a new pair of shoes

 I really need this one badly. For some reason my improved condition of Plantar Fasciitis took a turn for the worse and instead of having to bear with it on one foot I now have to endure the pain and injury on both feet. I suspected that I had inadvertently pulled on my poor ‘inelastic band of worn tissue’.

Plantar Fasciitis

What is Plantar Fasciitis? It is an inflammation of a thick band of connective tissue on the bottom of the feet. It supports the arch of the foot and stretches from the heel bone to the toes. Your foot arches provide a ‘spring-type’ system to assist in motion and absorbing your body weight when you put your feet down on any surface.

It is painful, particularly when you walk, or stand for long periods. It usually is caused by overuse injury and that could be attributed to :

• Over-pronation (when your feet rolls inward too much and over stretching the planta fascia)
• Feet with high arches (feet tend to be inflexible and do not absorb shock well)
• Sudden increase in physical activity
• Excessive weight bearing on the foot
• Tight calf muscles (putting a strain on the plantar fascia)
• Unsuitable shoes with poor arch support and soft

More unfortunate is planta fasciosis, which is chronic plantar fasciitis with degeneration of tendons and ligaments, usually with very small tears but without inflammation. This is terrible. If your condition is Plantar Fasciitis, do rest your feet, and work diligently on strengthening your plantar fascia.

For more on plantar fasciitis kindly click on link to : http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0004438/  and http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/plantar-fasciitis-topic-overview or consult your doctor.

For exercises and tips (and to test your knowledge) to help improve plantar fasciitis, go to

http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/exercises-to-reduce-plantar-fasciitis (click through Step 1 to 6, and further links for how to do the stretching and strengthening exercises.

Looking for that pair of Aladdin Shoes for my poor feet 

If only it was as simple as a pair of Aladdin shoes.

Finding the Right Shoe

I started off looking for the shoe that is right for my condition a few months back.

It was not an easy decision as they are so many types of shoes in the market. My doctors and of course the shops have been giving me some advice, but with new designs hitting the market so often and new performance claims by shoes manufacturer, I find it a daunting task especially when I think that price does not always give you the best selection.

Other than that I am not sure whether I should go for running shoes, leisure wear or casual sandals with some height at the heel and some arch support. (The rehabilitation unit at the hospital did give me an insole with arch support, but I may need to go back for better fitting).

So where do I find the information to narrow down my mistakes. So it was back to the internet for some reading.

Basically what you need for Plantar Fasciitis is

• A raised heel compared to the rest of the shoe
• Very stable arch support
• Some motion control

These three features will help to improve your plantar fasciitis.

For conditions of plantar fasciitis, achilles tendonitis and general arch pain, it is good to have a slight heel height of 1 inch but not more than 1.5 inches. 

Those with flat or low arches need either a stability or motion control shoe with a dual density mid-sole (mostly a firmer wedge on the medial(inner) side of the shoe, for stability and support) built on a semi-curved or flat last(shape template that the shoe is built on).

My Choice 

It definitely is not easy. I reasoned that supplies of a pair of good running shoes should not be a problem and should provide adequate care of my feet.

So, how do I go about choosing a pair of running shoes?

• The shoe has to be supportive and not too flexible.
• The shoe should be able to bend at the toes and provide adequate support at the toe box and at the heels.You should have about a thumb's width of room at the toes.
• Your foot should be secured around mid foot and heel too.
• The shape of the shoe should match the shape of your foot. The insoles should not be too soft.
• Make sure your arch is firmly supported.
• Check for medial(on the side of your big toe) and lateral (the side along your little toe) support by placing and extending your hand in the toe box area and move your hand side to side. The shoe should provide good support without much movement.

Be warned that most shoes are returned because they are too small. Running shoes should feel good right out of the box, they do not need to be broken in.

Luckily with my sister's assistance, I was able to partake in a sales promotion by a New Balance concept store at Bukit Mertajam. They were offering a 50% discount on some New Balance shoes.

New Balance WR1080LS

 

 

So, lo and behold ! Look what I found at 50% discount.

Some Features of New Balance WR1080LS

 

Why did I buy this pair of shoe? I believe that it is partly because I was desperate to prevent any further deterioration of the condition of my feet. I did not think I could get a much better choice. I did succumbed to sales talk. I am a novice when it comes to shopping for these type of shoes, I hope I did learn something from the experience and should be better for my next purchase.

How much did I pay for it? Sorry, dears, but no prizes for correctly guessing the amount we paid for it.