Painful Heels and Feet Shoe Recommendations

[cookingqueen123]

I am 44 and started having terrible pain about 3 years ago. I finally have had enough and so last summer, I started a diet and exercise program and have lost over 50 pounds. 24 more to go.
It has been amazing. My foot pain is almost gone and I think once I lose the rest, it will be completely gone. I attribute all my foot pain to being overweight.

 

[sherreis]

I used to wear Danskos when I worked 12 hr shifts. I have heard of many people who are happy with the Skechers. I also recommend going to a running store and getting fitted properly. Also, consider going to see a podiatrist about the foot pain to assess for plantar fasciitis.

Have you considered looking into an anti-inflammatory diet for your fibromyalgia?

 

[hsmamato2]

well, I can share my story,it might help you,OP but I know each person is unique...for shoes, I dislike Danskos, they are horrible. I LOVE Birkenstocks for comfort. I like crocs also- and a pair of Nike flex run 2013 sneakers. Teva Mush sometimes for flip flops.
My history, fibromyalgia issues-(who doesn't?) which basically means nothing as far as helping me... terrible joint pain over the years, most recently foot pain. Bottom of the foot pain, I couldn't walk well for months, I kept it wrapped tightly in a bandage and wore birkenstocks but ouch.
What finally helped me was trying to adjust my diet. I have a large family,and at least 1/2 are sensitive to either wheat,dairy,or both. I poo-poo'd the idea for years, since I 'had no food issues'. HAH I finally decided to stop eating wheat (after limping for 8 months with pain) -well, I was obviously wrong. Like others in my family, wheat apparently causes inflammation in my joints,and most particularly the BOTTOMS of my feet (it is so weird) I know this b/c when I avoid wheat(keep GF) my feet are fine, my joints are 75% better. When I don't avoid, the symptoms are back. So that's my story.
I still love my comfortable shoes, but the actual foot pain is gone now.

 

[hsmamato2]

Have you considered looking into an anti-inflammatory diet for your fibromyalgia?

OMG I posted before I read this..... it seems that for whatever reason, many of us nowadays seem to need to reduce inflammation.... diet is the best place to start looking....

 

[Cheshirecatty]

Another vote for Sketchers "Go Walk" shoes! They.Are.Amazing!!!!!!

I paid around $50.00 for mine at Kohl's, and would pay double that, for the relief they have brought to me!

They come in lots of fun colors, and feel almost like there is nothing on my feet!

 

[FINFAN]

Brooks? Wow, I did not think they helped. Which brooks did you buy and are they made especially for this or ? maybe i bought the wrong pair...

Look into Brooks Motion Control styles, IIRC there was a style called "glycerin" I think. I too, suffer but more from RA. The balls of my feet suffer the worst, feel as if walking on a bruise all day , very painful. I can only get about 6-8 months in a shoe before it no longer feels comfortable, but the Brooks I had helped me for almost a year. I have to alternate shoes, if I wear the same one everyday, my back, knees, everything suffer. What is the worst is that if my feet are tired the rest of me follows...saps all my energy

 

[sherry7]

I have a history of foot problems. Plantar fascitis, and two surgeries for that...one of which was botched and caused me worse problems. I also have fibromyalgia.

Check and see if you have a New Balance store near you (company store, not a Finish Line etc that just sells that brand). The one near me has a certified pedorthist (sp?) on staff. They will look at the way you walk, and decide which type of shoe last is the best for your foot type. Unlike brands like Nike, Adidas, etc, New Balance has around a dozen different types of shoe lasts to choose from. But it really does take an expert to put you into the right shoe for your foot. I went from barely being able to walk for 45 minutes to being on my feet for an entire day.

Once I found the perfect shoe for me, I just order them on Zappos, etc now to save a few bucks, and to save myself the trip into the city to go to the New Balance store. Good luck, foot pain is awful.

 

[lvillotta1]

I was very intrigued by your post and eating GF and feeling so much better. I am more convinced everyday that this is what I need to do. BUT where would you advise me to start. It seems so overwhelming. I am a carb lover of all things. We do eat well but we really enjoy casseroles and warm meals every night. Eating GF is a lot of work and my food bill would greatly increase. I would appreciate any idea's and or thoughts. I have heard the book "The Wheatbelly" is a great source. Thanks so much.

 

[jennyerin]

Every Disney trip except last Summer I have worn CROCS with no problems. Last year I wore some extremely comfortable sport sandals and ended up with Plantar Fascitis. I having been wearing inserts in my shoes and getting treatments from my Chiropractor (active release) for the PF so I manage. You can be sure that I will wear CROCS for my next trip.

 

[Happyjen27]

Since tennis shoes work well for you already I would suggest finding a Fleet Feet or similar store and getting a pair of tennis shoes there.

Also, absolutely eat a clean diet. Try GF and see if that works, (it's easier than you think, I promise!!). Try low sugar and see if that works. I have osteoarthritis, and I can feel it in my knees when I eat sugar. It is a very specific feeling, I even call it sugar knees. Sometimes I eat the sugar and pay the price of the pain because it's so dang good, but my every day diet does not include added sugars.

Start a food diary and pain log to see if you notice any correlation between the foods you're eating and the pain you're feeling.

 

[sherreis]

I was very intrigued by your post and eating GF and feeling so much better. I am more convinced everyday that this is what I need to do. BUT where would you advise me to start. It seems so overwhelming. I am a carb lover of all things. We do eat well but we really enjoy casseroles and warm meals every night. Eating GF is a lot of work and my food bill would greatly increase. I would appreciate any idea's and or thoughts. I have heard the book "The Wheatbelly" is a great source. Thanks so much.

Look at Dr. Mark Hyman's newest book - 10 day detox. He has you get off of gluten, dairy, and sugar as well as chemicals, etc. By cleaning out your body, you can then evaluate how you feel and then add back various foods and look for reactions in you. We're all different. I have found that I am super sensitive to gluten which causes the muscle aches and joint pain as well as some congestion. Dairy causes me congestion. I am no longer popping motrin or sudafed like candy. I feel sooooo much better.

 

[ktlm]

Try Bernie Mevs, they come in several different styles. I can walk in them at WDW from open to close and my feet aren't even tired at the end of the day. You will want to wear them just 2 or 3 hours the first day to let them stretch and conform to your feet. If you do that, the 2nd day, should should be able to wear them from morning to night with no issues. They are very light weight, which also makes them easy to pack for trips, and I do think that is one of the reasons your feet don't get as tired in them- there isn't so much to weigh you down.

 

[greentea]

I tried Dansko's and I hated them. I really tried hard to get used to them,but they were very heavy for me. I know all my nurse friends rave about them,but I am very different and have more medical problems. Thanks for the nice comment.

I tried Danskos and had the same problem. So heavy, and I just don't like the way they are supposed fit with your foot sliding.

I have a bunion on one foot that is painful off and on, and I sometimes get heel pain if I don't rotate my shoes sometimes.

I wear Asics tennis shoes. I tried on nearly every style the store had and found two that work for me, so I switch between them. I have my husband wearing Asics now after his feet started giving him problems. They're running shoes, so they're nice and light, and the gel insoles work for my feet pretty well.

I also have a pair of Merrell boots that I wear all winter.

I tried on some Skechers GoWalks after seeing so many people rave about them, but unfortunately they don't quite fit (just a tiny bit too long for my foot), but they did seem pretty comfortable.

 

[Jack&Ryan'smom]

I suffer from PF. I do we're my orthotics in my shoes which have helped tremendously. Summer is difficult. I love the Orthoheel Tide flip flops & sandals. Expensive but worth it. I too have the Sketcher go Walks and Love them! My orthotics fit into them perfectly!

 

[Pesky]

I have a neuroma so have to be careful about the shoes I buy. Yep, tennis shoes are the best. Otherwise I look for ones that don't pinch my toe box. My SIL has plantar f. and looks for shoes with a wee bit of a heel. We are both good with clogs -- I got some Sanita ones that I LOVE and wear the heck out of. For plantar f, some folks recommended fit flops and a local here said they were at Costco. I'd probably look into some clogs, either regular clogs or MJ style. As for tennis shoes, I found NB too tight and switched to asics and no problems since then.

 

[nemajovc]

My new expensive obsession is Finn comfort- I have tried Birkenstock, sketchers, MBT ... And these are incredible- these are shoes you put on (not take off) when your feet hurt
I just bought sandals- great because they will fit even with foot swelling but catalog shoes options even for enclosed shoes with hammertoe

 

[Starwind]

but they have ' no back strap'. don't you think that's somehow stressful on calves and feet?

All of the Crocs "nursing shoes" have back of heel coverage, either as a strap or the full shoe coming up:

http://www.crocs.com/nursing-shoes/nurse-shoes,default,sc.html?start=0&sz=12

 

[keahgirl8]

My feet used to hurt every day, whether I was working or grocery shopping. I went to a running store and was fit for shoes. It changed my life. My feet haven't hurt since. You don't have to be a runner to get help there. I do run now, but I wasn't the first time I went there. My dad has foot issues and they were able to help him as well. You just tell them what you need the shoes for and what your issues are. They will watch you walk and give you some options to try. A good store will let you wear the shoes for a while and bring them back if they don't work. I even got flip flops from them.

 

[bohemian74]

Look into Brooks Motion Control styles, IIRC there was a style called "glycerin" I think. I too, suffer but more from RA. The balls of my feet suffer the worst, feel as if walking on a bruise all day , very painful. I can only get about 6-8 months in a shoe before it no longer feels comfortable, but the Brooks I had helped me for almost a year. I have to alternate shoes, if I wear the same one everyday, my back, knees, everything suffer. What is the worst is that if my feet are tired the rest of me follows...saps all my energy

Brooks glycerin are the ones that helped my heel pain. They are my only workout shoes now, I wear them daily.

 

[smokeyblue]

I had two "attacks" of PF. The first time I just suffered for months and months, I did the stretching and what I needed to do and was still miserable. Crocs were just getting popular in the medical community and my dad bought me a pair for work. My PF went away almost instantly! A few years later that familiar PF pain came back. I jumped on-line and ordered a pair of the Rx Crocs. They came in, I wore them for a few days and the PF was gone!

I've gone through a million shoes trying to find the ones that make my feet feel the best. For tennis shoes it is Brooks Glycerin. I have been wearing this style for 7 years now. Now that I wear dress casual to work I pretty much exclusively wear Soft Walk shoes, by far the best shoes I have ever bought. I am a heavy person with a lot of pain issues, but I can happily say that foot pain is not one of my problems!