Plantar Fasciitis and walking around Disney ...

[NHDisneyMom]

I'm looking for recommendations for sandals or light shoes that you would wear touring the parks all day. I have plantar fasciitis and I tend to have an issue with sandals. We are heading down in Aug. and I'm trying to find something I can test drive at home first. Most of the shoes they recommend are so institutional looking. I just can't bear it. I'm looking for cute, stylish and comfortable. I think I may be asking for too much *sigh*

Anyone suffer from plantar fasciitis and have a great and stylish sandal recommendation to share?

 

[woodkins]

I'm looking for recommendations for sandals or light shoes that you would wear touring the parks all day. I have plantar fasciitis and I tend to have an issue with sandals. We are heading down in Aug. and I'm trying to find something I can test drive at home first. Most of the shoes they recommend are so institutional looking. I just can't bear it. I'm looking for cute, stylish and comfortable. I think I may be asking for too much *sigh*

Anyone suffer from plantar fasciitis and have a great and stylish sandal recommendation to share?

My dd has plantar fascitis and she wears crocs to walk around the parks and finds them most comfortable.

 

[susykt4]

I'm just ending 12 weeks in an air cast boot for plantar fasciitis. I'm pretty much to the point I'll never wear anything "cute" again. I face a life of custom orthotics. Before this last flare-up, it was Crocs at Disney all the time, every time. I wore the ugliest original clog ones, but they have so many different styles now, maybe you can find something you can tolerate. I vaguely remember a similar thread years ago where people recommended Birkenstock and Keene sandals. Good luck!

 

[robinb]

I have heard that people really like Fit Flops. I also have PF off and on and I was thinking about trying them this summer.

Be sure to ICE you arches when you get home every night. I bring zip lock bags with me that I fill with ice and then rest my feet on them when I get back to the room.

 

[ajjollie23]

I have the same problem and have to wear a night splint at times. Luckily it tends to go away for long stretches. I have been looking into the Rx crocs. they make some that are specifically designed for Plantar fasciitis. try the crocs.com website and look at all the different Rx crocs

 

[princessmom29]

I have PF, and I don't recommend trying it in anything but tennis shoes. They are the most supportive. I made the mistake of trying it, and even in my good mephisto sandals it was BAD. I wouldn't dare try it in crocs. I wear them arond the house like a house shoe, but cannot walk any distance in them. You may be a little hotter in tennis shoes, but it beats not being able to walk by the end of the week!!! My doc has PF. His si so bad he has had the surgery on both feet. I haven't gotten to that point yet, and he tells me over and over that if I don't want to end up there I need to wear tennis shoes anytime I am on my feet or walking.

 

[Jenny-momof3]

My dh has pretty severe PF and wears the original crocs all day in the parks. The few times he's tried to wear his tennis shoes or flip flops he's in agony within hours!

Crocs seem to work best and we hit the parks from rope drop to closing many days in a row!

 

[woodkins]

I have the same problem and have to wear a night splint at times. Luckily it tends to go away for long stretches. I have been looking into the Rx crocs. they make some that are specifically designed for Plantar fasciitis. try the crocs.com website and look at all the different Rx crocs

dd wore night splints for over 2 years and it helped ALOT! Prior to wearing them she could not tolerate hardly any shoes at all. Crocs were pretty much it. Now she is able to wear almost any shoe (at least for short periods) and her pain levels are much lower.

 

[disneymomof1]

I have PF off and on, my last three trips to the world I have worn Merrell Encore Mary Jane, they are a sneaker, but have a strap across the top and clog back. They are the best, so supportive, comfortable, cool and cute !!! Do a google search, QVC has a few colors, Zappos has tons of colors. They really are worth looking into. I had used a Keen sandal and a Teva walking sandal before I found the Merrells, and I was in a lot of pain after walking all day. One day in Epcot, I couldn't stand the shoes any longer and broke down and bought the Mickey crocs in world showcase. It's so important to find a good shoe, and wear it a lot before you go down, so you know exactly how they feel and how you feel after wearing them. Good Luck, check out the Merrells !!

 

[NHDisneyMom]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I had a pair of croc sandals last year and it seemed to be the only thing I could wear that didn't irritate the PF. I replaced them this year with the same style and they are really bothering my foot. It is a sandal and not the clog type original croc. I have even tried their new slide - some recover type name - and it bothers me too. I was looking at the Merrill Heather that has good arch support but just don't know if I want to spend the money on another failed attempt at cute but PF irritating.

Any other suggestions are welcome!

I miss cute shoes!

 

[NHDisneyMom]

Thanks Disneymomof1. I was just investigating Merrill's. I may give them a try after all.

Anyone else have any experience with Merrills?

 

[princessmom29]

Thanks Disneymomof1. I was just investigating Merrill's. I may give them a try after all.

Anyone else have any experience with Merrills?

I have high arches, and they just never seem to work for me. Arch is always in the wrong place. My DH has flatter feet, and LOVES his merrells.

 

[RMulieri]

I have sever PF FROM wearing Sketchers shape ups and fitflops..I know some Docs recommend them for people with PF, but it depends on WHAT caused the PF in the first place...As for disney I wear Crocs or Tevas terra fi sandals.My New balance walkers that I was fitted for HURT after 10 hrs of huffing it around the park.

 

[jjpope1]

i just got back in march and mostly used my new balance shoes. and also used my crocs. and got around pretty good.

 

[Gianna'sPapa]

For my PF, I had to have the custom orthotics made. After that it was some type of gym shoe all the time. The Doc told me he never wanted to see me walking barefoot or without the orthotics for the rest of my life. Otherwise I risk further damage and severe consequences! That was enough for me and I found a pair of cross trainers that the orthotics fit well in (Nike Monarch III) and that's all I wear.

 

[EKW]

The only thing I would try is a New Balance sandal. I've had PF for years. I was willing to buy custom shoes, but my ortho told me New Balance would be better than anything I could have made.

He was right. I've been wearing them for years without any more trouble from the PF...except in the summer when I wear cheapie sandals!

 

[santa's surpriz]

The only thing I would try is a New Balance sandal. I've had PF for years. I was willing to buy custom shoes, but my ortho told me New Balance would be better than anything I could have made.

He was right. I've been wearing them for years without any more trouble from the PF...except in the summer when I wear cheapie sandals!

We must have the same doc! Mine told me the same thing. In addition to the New Balance, I have found Merrill's help. I switched to the Reebok Easytones, and that cushion of air under my heal really seems to help. I no longer feel pain at all, especially on the treadmill where my heel always took a beating.

 

[ShannonMB]

I have PF pretty bad, and since I stand on my feet a lot at work, it was to the point that when I woke up in the morning my feet would KILL right when I got out of bed until they 'worked themselves out', especially my left foot. I thought about going to a podiatrist and looking into night splints, etc, but I ended up going to the Good Feet Store and getting their inserts last year. First I tried wearing them in my crocs, but my ankles started hurting because of the lack of support. Now I wear them in my Brooks tennis shoes, and my feet have been pain free for several months now. I still wear 'cute' shoes unless I'm going to work or planning on doing some serious time on my feet (Disney!).

When I'm at Disney, fashion has to take a back seat, because I need to be able to be on these feet of mine to see and do everything!

Best of luck in your search!

 

[curlybop]

I also have PF. I've worn New Balance for a long time. A month or so ago I read a recommendation for Dansko shoes. I bought a gently used pair on eBay, sterilized them then tried them out. Let me tell you, they are the best shoes I've ever owned. I can finally wear cute shoes and come home pain free. It's amazing. The real test was a couple of weeks ago when we took our kids to the children's museum. We stood, walked, chased them, etc., went out to eat, shopping and came home. Normally my feet would be on fire and aching. They never hurt at all. I can't get over what a difference these shoes have made in my life. I bought a red pair of new Dansko sandals for summer and have worn them briefly around the house.

I recommend Dansko shoes to everyone I know with any type of foot pain.

 

[Snow Shoe]

Well I tore my PF in my right foot completly last July 4th. I was in an aircast boot through thanksgiving. Then came physical therapy for 2 months. I walked the parks at Disney last October with our son and his family for their first visit. I wore my aircastboot boot the entire time. Since early March have I been able to get into most of my shoes, but tennis shoes feel the best. There are times when it hurts very much still, espically when I've been standing on it for a long time. I plan on taking my cast boot with me next month just in case it's needed. I don't wear sandles, flip floops or any other low heal "shoe". For me it's all about good arch support and comfort, and I find that in good tennis shoes.