Help! My Zumba Instructor Says My Shoes are "Carp"!

[Jean in Newcastle]

I've been having a lot of pain in my feet and ankles. I was having swelling too but a diuretic has taken care of that problem. I was talking to one of my Zumba instructors and she told me, in her upfront way, that she thought my athletic shoes (about 4 months old) were "carp" (only she said the real word). I've always gotten my athletic shoes at New Balance. This last pair of shoes was a different style than before and don't support me as well. Should I go back to New Balance? I thought they were a good shoe store but am I correct? I can ask for a better style. Is there another better place to go?

[nmoira]

I bought a pair of walking shoes at Nordstrom late last spring, wore them for a two mile walk, and was in agony for much of the next two months. It's only recently that my feet don't have to "unfold" every morning. I'd never had foot problems or shoe issues prior. These shoes (New Balance, but I don't remember the model) were apparentlydesigned to help correct a problem/condition I don't have, and they messed me up.

 

Do you have a Shoe Mill nearby? They helped fix me up after the Nordstrom debacle.

[cbollin]

I'm a group dance fitness instructor (not Z).. I like my New Balance shoes for class.

I'd recommend that if you've had those shoes for 4 months and been wearing them often, it might be time to get a new pair. One of the industry recommendations is to have shoes replaced after 100 hours of high impact aerobics. One of the things that I"ve noticed is when my knees are hurting, maybe I need a second pair of shoes to rotate. I also shelled out some money for NB inserts. oh.. it was nice..

 

ask them at NB for recommendations for design for cardio, or dance or at least cross training. Running shoes don't support the same way. I have a child's size foot and can't get the fancy "aerobic shoes" (like Ryka). I have to get a child's cross trainer or similar and have been happy with NB.

 

Hopefully your class instructor just meant the shoes were worn out and not the right kind of support. I hope she wasn't saying the brand was bad. I think the company she works for has their own brand of shoes. ;)

 

I'm sorry she said it in such a way.

 

I try to keep my class shoes only for class until they are "worn out". I think my shoes wear out quicker than 100 hours because they are made differently with children's support.

 

NB is fine.. Ryka is supposed to have a nice cardio shoe.

 

-crystal

[NittanyJen]

I have back, knee, and neck issues, and my physical therapist told me to specifically buy New Balance for the quality.

 

I agree with a PP-- depending upon the frequency and intensity of the workouts, it is possible you may have broken them down, or (even more likely, as NB shoes last longer than most) you may have selected the wrong shoe for your type of foot or the use you are putting them to. For example, my kids both use the New Balance shoe that has a built-in anti-pronation bar, because they both pronate badly. When they use these sneakers, they don't need orthotics. Somebody who does not pronate would probably find that style kind of uncomfortable, and might even end up in pain if working out hard in them.

 

I would buy at a NB store and get their advice on what to wear for that type of activity at first; after your first pair has been a success, then you can buy them elsewhere if you wish. Our local store is family owned and run and they really know feet very well-- the prices are higher, but you get fantastic service in exchange for paying that price, so I like to give them my business.

[cbollin]

I would buy at a NB store and get their advice on what to wear for that type of activity at first; after your first pair has been a success, then you can buy them elsewhere if you wish. Our local store is family owned and run and they really know feet very well-- the prices are higher, but you get fantastic service in exchange for paying that price, so I like to give them my business.

 

:iagree:

 

same here!

 

-crystal

[misty.warden]

I get professionally fitted for exercise shoes. Yes it's more expensive than buying from a department store, but it's worth not being in pain and worrying about having to have joint surgery later in life.

[gardenmom5]

go to super jock and jill, across from green lake. the people who work there know what they're doing. they carry many brands and fit the shoe to the person. This is where the running teams send their teens.

 

otherwise, I'd go to REI (redmond, issaquah) or someplace that specializes in a supportive shoe. (I know there is one in bellevue, just don't know the name.)

[Jean in Newcastle]

Hopefully your class instructor just meant the shoes were worn out and not the right kind of support. I hope she wasn't saying the brand was bad. I think the company she works for has their own brand of shoes. ;)

 

I'm sorry she said it in such a way.

 

Oh, she's a good friend. She's just blunt.;)

 

And no, she wasn't trying to sell me the Zumba brand shoes. I think she just thought that they were worn out.

[JFSinIL]

The shoe guys at the local sporting good store have always been helpful in finding which models of which shoes are best for my plantar fastisis* (no, I can NOT spell it). Last time I got shoes (just a few weeks back) I asked about NB, as they had been the first type I had used a couple years back. I have recently been in Asics and after talking with the shoe guy will remain in them - they just come with better arch support. Also - I am in RUNNING shoes (although I do not run!) since the arch support is maximum in shoes made for runners.

 

I end up paying $100 or less ( last time $59 and this time $69 thanks to sales on Asics when I go in) for my shoes. I even asked, if I paid more and got the top of the line NB running show would it have better arch support and the sales guy told me - "No."

 

So ask the instructor what shoe she'd recommend, and talk to the shoe salesperson. A big sporting goods store will probably have a more knowledgeable person to help you than the local department store or mall shoe store, too. And better shoes. Our Kohls, for example, carries decent brands - but never the upper end models with the arch support I need.

 

I also rip out the inner sole of my new shoes and slip in a $20 set of liners - also sold at sporting goods stores. I get the ones with max. extra arch support.

 

And - every few months you WILL have to get new shoes. If you only wear them to Zumba class I think they'd last longer than if you wear them everyday (as I do).

 

* spell check thinks I want to type a Nazi word ;-)

[Jean in Newcastle]

And - every few months you WILL have to get new shoes. If you only wear them to Zumba class I think they'd last longer than if you wear them everyday (as I do). Yes, I wear them every day.

 

* spell check thinks I want to type a Nazi word ;-)

 

:lol:

[TravelingChris]

Most shoes don't have good arch support. I took my adult son to buy new shoes since he stands all day at his work and he needed new ones (yes, he is mostly independent and does pay his own rent, insurance, gas, food, etc but really doesn't make enough to buy proper shoes). I don't know which brand he ended up with but we must have looked at 70 shoes or so before he found a good one. Almost all just had really lousy arch support. We did find a pair, though it was the kind not on sale so I think I spent about $70 or $80.

[wintermom]

Sounds like new shoes would be a good start. Go to a quality athletic shoe store and tell them what the shoes will be used for - include some examples of the movements. Running shoes may have good support, but not have the ankle support you might need if there is a lot of side to side movements in your activity. I can't use my running shoes for playing tennis, for example.

 

On another note, if your joints are in pain and have swelling, resting, applying ice, compression and elevation is the recommended treatment. Swelling is a normal body reaction to accute injury. Taking diuretics may seem to eliminate the swelling, but may end up masking an on-going injury ultimately resulting in more damage to the joint.

[Plateau Mama]

Jean,

 

Go to the Foot Zone. They have one in Bellevue, Issaquah & Redmond. They will watch you walk and help you figure out what shoes will fit you best based upon what you will be doing how you walk/run etc. they have treadmills in store so you can run n them and see how they feel.

[Forget-Me-Not]

Go somewhere you can get professionally fitted. I have arches that fall a bit more with each pg and weak ankles. I use stability running shoes (mine are either NB or Saucony) with orthotics for low-impact exercise. It was pricey, but makes a big difference.

[BrookValley.]

I'm not recommending this, especially if you have joint issues--but I do 110% better with NO support. I think super supportive shoes alter what your body is naturally meant to do, for the worse. I use barefoot shoes (currently Merrel trail shoes with Vibram soles; basically, they protect your feet. Nothing else). I am a runner, but I use them all the time. I have no more knee or joint pain.

 

Like I said, not recommending someone with a joint or other issue start going barefoot, just commenting on what has worked well for me.

[Jean in Newcastle]

Sorry, I didn't see the recommendations for other stores until after I had already gone to buy new shoes.

 

I went to New Balance and got new shoes. They had me stand on this pressure sensitive pad and could see that my heels are getting the bulk of my weight. I tried on a number of shoes. As soon as I got out of my old ones and into new ones my feet felt better. I chose some that give good support but will still pivot for Zumba. I also got new inserts. I walked around the store to see how they would feel. As soon as I paid for them and walked away from the store, my feet started to hurt. Of course they hurt most of the time anyway so it's hard to tell if it's really the shoes' fault. I hope I don't have to go back tomorrow to get new ones. They were pretty spendy.

[Blueridge]

I just saw that zumba wear is on an Amazon gold box special today. :)

 

http://www.amazon.com/b/ref=xs_gb_A1N2JPR3VF5DO3?_encoding=UTF8&node=6059137011&pf_rd_p=441937901&pf_rd_s=right-1&pf_rd_t=701&pf_rd_i=20&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=1F6B3E2071M0XTMTX277

[Plateau Mama]

Sorry, I didn't see the recommendations for other stores until after I had already gone to buy new shoes.

 

I went to New Balance and got new shoes. They had me stand on this pressure sensitive pad and could see that my heels are getting the bulk of my weight. I tried on a number of shoes. As soon as I got out of my old ones and into new ones my feet felt better. I chose some that give good support but will still pivot for Zumba. I also got new inserts. I walked around the store to see how they would feel. As soon as I paid for them and walked away from the store, my feet started to hurt. Of course they hurt most of the time anyway so it's hard to tell if it's really the shoes' fault. I hope I don't have to go back tomorrow to get new ones. They were pretty spendy.

 

New Balance just might not be the shoes for you anymore. I used to wear a certain brand and then all of the sudden I couldn't wear them anymore. That's when I started going to Foot Zone.

 

If it were me I'd return the NB shoes and got to Foot Zone and get professionally fitted. You could go there first and see what they have and then return the NB. Your feet should not hurt when wearing sneakers.