I have FLAT FEET, can you help me find shoes?

[JenneinCA]

I need help with shoes. It is really bad. I have no fashion sense and even worse feet. I have very very flat feet, no arch to speak of, my knees don't actually hit but I can tell my feet are tipping in just to keep me standing up.

 

I have one pair of shoes I wear, a pair of New Balance sneakers I got 2+ years ago. They are worn out and aren't doing a good job supporting my feet anymore. I tried a pair of NB sneakers on at the mall last week and it felt like there was a fist sized lump in the shoe. I couldn't walk far with them. I would really like a to find a pair (or even more than one pair!) of shoes. The last time I had shoes that really felt good on my feet were some high-top basketball style sneakers I had in 1989, my senior year of HIGH SCHOOL!

 

So do you have ideas for shoes for me. I would like some sneakers and I would like something I could wear that isn't sneakers too. I have not worn anything with a heel of any kind in years, they are uncomfortable and I have a hard time walking in them at all. Do you have a store that might be able to help?

 

Thank you!

[MIch elle]

They are expensive but worth it to save my feet, back, knees and body.

Edited March 26, 2009 by MIch elle

[Tap]

I would go to a walking store. A store that can look at your gait and see what you need. You can call ahead and see if they have a specialist, and then schedule an appointment.

 

Have you ever looked into orthotics?

[JenneinCA]

I will see if I can find Danko shoes. What kind of store would have them? I haven't been in anything other than Foot Locker, Payless and Target.

 

Walking store? How would I find one?

 

And no I have never had orthotics. I was mostly able to just deal when I was younger. Unfortunately, I am not able to do that any more. Who would be the right person to talk to?

[LG Gone Wild]

I get my shoes from Lands End because I can order wide shoes and my orthos will fit.

 

ETA: You can cheat and buy them in the foot care section of any drugstore. That will tie you over. Get custom orthos from a podiatrist. Think 200-300 bucks, usually not covered by insurance. My pod. dr. recommended not to be seduced by shoes which offer cushion, you need support. Orthos are rigid and hard and you think that they would make your feet sore. They don't. It's when your arches fall flat that your feet hurt.

Edited March 26, 2009 by LG Gone Wild

[klmama]

You may need to see a podiatrist to have custom orthotics made. They will cost several hundred dollars unless your insurance is particularly good for durable medical equipment. Read your policy. If you do go with orthotics, you may need to buy a larger shoe size than you do now, as some types of orthotics push your foot forward a bit.

 

In the meantime, or instead of that, try Avia 330 shoes. They are endorsed by the American Podiatric Association (I think that's the name) and are much more comfortable than the expensive New Balance shoes I used to wear. I've found them on sale for $30 a pair at Famous Footware and department stores.

[fivetails]

I have horrible feet. Flat feet, nearly sideways big toes, collapsed-something-or-other inside (I forget what it was called), inherited my mother's pokey side bone things, and they're always always always cold. Now you know way TMI about my ugly ugly ugly feets. :tongue_smilie:

 

Anyway. I live in crocs. :D

 

 

'course, a foot lady bawled me out for that. She says they're the worst things I could be wearing - go figure, cuz they're the only things that don't hurt. I smiled, nodded, and bought crocs in more colours. ;)

 

(okay, crocs & winter boots.)

[LlamaMama]

I also wear Danskos for my flat feet. Some styles work better than others for me. In my sneakers and hiking boots I use SuperFeet inserts.

[StephanieF]

My ds has flat feet and the specialist said he would need to wear "inserts" for life-or else he would have joint problems in thefuture. She said that the ones you get in a drug store would be fine for him. The ones we have are made of gel so they are quite soft and they came with several different size inserts so you can choose which one you need. (They ost about $25).

If you can I would get yourself checked out properly so they can tell you whether you have any other problems but these inserts fit into all of his shoes and he just swaps them around. They only thing is that he needs to go up a size now and we always take them with us when buying new shoes

Stephanie

[MIch elle]

I will see if I can find Danko shoes. What kind of store would have them?

 

 

http://www.dansko.com/ Try to find a store to try them on and if not order from Zappos; they have free shipping & on returns.

 

Orthodics don't work for me because then I would have to wear men's shoes! I wear a women's size 10.

[lionfamily1999]

I will see if I can find Danko shoes. What kind of store would have them? I haven't been in anything other than Foot Locker, Payless and Target.

 

Walking store? How would I find one?

 

And no I have never had orthotics. I was mostly able to just deal when I was younger. Unfortunately, I am not able to do that any more. Who would be the right person to talk to?

Foot doctor, podiatrist, orthepedic (sorry for my spelling) specialist. The interserts would keep your arches supported, regardless of shoes, but they will make your feet come up higher, so you have you get tall backs on your shoes (iykwIm). You can get orthotics at some chiropractors' offices, but I wouldn't reccomend it. Go to the foot people and they will get you exactly what you need.

 

At first, I thought the expense was insane, but then I considered how I wore out my shoes (walking on the insides of my feet messes my shoes shapes up) and how often I had to replace them. With the orthotics I can even get cheaper shoes, without having to worry about my knees, hips, feet or back getting out of whack.

[Jacklyn]

and very narrow feet. It is hard for me to find good shoes, and my legs ache when I don't wear good shoes. I found a sneaker that I LOVE. It is by Brooks. I had never heard of them, but I was told they've been around a long time. I found them at a shoe store in our area that carries higher-end brands. They were about $100, but they are SO worth it. I just realized that my legs haven't ached at all since I bought these shoes about six months ago.

 

Good luck!

 

Jacklyn

[Deidre in GA]

just today i bought a pair of Superfeet inserts. i'm flat footed and having heel problems. these inserts are highly recommended on another board i frequent, amazon, and rei. at $35 more expensive than typical drugstore inserts (which have not helped me) but less than custom orthotics. we'll see if these help. you might look into them.

[TKDmom]

I wear custom orthotics from a podiatrist. In the summertime when I'm running around in flip-flops, I don't wear them as much and I can tell a HUGE difference in how everything feels--feet, ankles, knees, hips, back--they all hurt when I don't wear them. They are more expensive than a good pair of shoes, but they should last you at least 10 years. Then you can save yourself from buying a $100 pair of shoes every year and just get $50 pair.

 

It is really important to get new shoes on a regular basis, too. They don't support your feet properly once they start to wear out. I just go and look for the cheapest pair of tennis shoes that is comfortable and will hold my foot in with the orthotics in. Usually I end up with New Balance. And I try not to care that I don't get to wear all the cute non-tennis shoes that other people wear. :)