Ever wonder what the best type of shoe is if you want to avoid problems with your feet? A good walking runner is the answer, according to a podiatrist at the Kilkenny Foot Clinic.
“This is a really excellent shoe style,” she says.
As well as being a good-quality shoe, a good walking runner has these important attributes:
• A thick shock-absorbing sole.• A good, strong heel counter (the reinforced heel cup of a shoe that increases foot support by cradling the heel and arch of the foot).• It is deep. • It is wide.• It usually laces up so there is good fixation of the shoe on the foot and • It has a structured upper. But what would one need to spend to ensure getting a good pair of walking runners like these?
“Between €70 and €100 would be the usual price, but they will do you for a long time for regular wear. If you’re a sports person as well you probably should have a couple of pairs though, so that you can alternate them.”
The only people that runners may not suit are those with hyperhidrosis – excessively sweaty feet – she says, as they may find runners too hot to wear.
GOOD V BAD SHOES
These are a podiatrist’s comments on the main types of women’s shoes and their suitability for feet:
• Flats: There are some good flat shoes and some dreadful ones. Pumps that you often see teenagers wearing are not good, they have a very thin sole, no shock absorption and are too flexible, so the foot has no structure around it to help it maintain its alignment. They are usually low cut in the foot, so walking you have to claw your toes to hold the pumps on, resulting in an altered gait pattern. • High heels: The loading force on your foot changes when you wear stilettos. Your heel is up and your forefoot is down – an abnormal position. That means that all the load will transfer towards your forefoot, so you’ll get a lot more callus build up there and more issues with your forefoot generally. You can get lateral ankle instability through wearing high heels and lateral ankle sprains. Also tightening of your Achilles tendon and calf muscles. Stilettos are too narrow and shallow in the toe box, your foot is squeezed into them and shoved up to the top of the toe box because of the height and the angle your foot is in. Wear your high heels for your special function only – confirmation, birthday party, etc then take them off and get back into regular footwear.• Wedge heels: These are a bit more stable than the high heel, with less risk of a lateral ankle sprain, but there will still be some lateral ankle instability with overloading on the ankle and toe area. • Mules or open-back sandals: These are not good for your feet because they don’t have a good heel cup to help your alignment and your gait. The worst ones are those with just a little strap at the front. The ones where the material on the upper comes up a bit higher on the foot are better because there is better fixation of the foot, but generally speaking they are not good for your feet. People get a lot of dry cracks in their heels with this kind of shoe also. This can lead to fissures that can open and bleed and be portals for infection. • Slippers: Fine for wearing while sitting down watching telly with no load going through your feet, but don’t wear while working around the house as your foot will have no support. • Wellingtons: Not ideal for wearing for long periods. Buy wellington boots that have good arch support and insulation and change out of them as soon as you can to more supportive boots.Recognise WORN OUT shoes
Look out for wear patterns.
1. Turn up the sole. Lateral heel wear is usually the first obvious sign because most of us come down on our lateral heel for heel strike.2. There may also be wear on the sole along the ball of the foot or the forefoot, perhaps under the big toe. 3. Look at the upper also. Check if it has bubbled in a certain area, eg where you have a hammer toe. A hammer toe is a deformity that causes a toe to bend or curl. It may be genetic, caused by arthritis or wearing ill-fitting shoes.4. Look inside your shoe. You may see little holes appearing on the area of the insole where you have a lot of load going through your foot. If you have a bunion this can lead to signs of wear in the insole at that spot.FITTING SHOES IN A SHOP
If you are worried about length you usually need about 1cm space beyond the longest toe. This gives a good fit. If you’re unsure and the shoe you are fitting on has an insole, pull this insole out and stand your foot on top of it on the floor so that you know if the shoe has that 1cm you need for comfort beyond your longest toe. This may not be your big toe.
MAIN FOOT CONDITIONS
It is usually pain that brings people to a podiatrist’s door. Problems like corns, verrucas and bunions can necessitate a visit to the professionals.
Podiatrists/chiropodists (the terms are interchangeable) treat many different foot conditions that are generally categorised into four different types – biomechanical, genetic, systemic and skin issues.
Biomechanical problems include problems like plantar fasciitis, Achilles tendon injuries, fallen arches and trapped nerves.
Genetic issues include bunions, and while bunions run in families they can also be exacerbated by poor footwear.
Systemic diseases are diseases like diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis that affect the whole body and such illnesses can affect your feet. With diabetes poor vascular and arterial blood flow to the foot area can lead to nerve damage in the feet.
“Those with diabetes are nine times more likely to get foot ulceration than the rest of the population,” the podiatrist told us, “and the ulceration usually occurs on bony prominences.”
Wearing ill-fitting footwear can trigger the problem, she says. Rheumatoid arthritis is another systemic disease that can result in foot problems like pain and joint deformity.
Lastly, skin issues related to feet often bring people knocking on a podiatrist’s door.
“These can include verrucae and athlete’s foot, corns and calluses.
They are usually a symptom of overload and that can lead to a lot of different problems. They can be related to bony changes – bony deformities with rheumatoid arthritis, for example. The loading through the foot changes and the corn or callus builds up where the load has transferred to.”
WHEN SHOULD YOU SEE A PODIATRIST?
Podiatry Ireland’s advice is that many times the problems in your feet and ankles go away with time, rest, ice, anti-inflammatories (NSAIDS) and shoe gear changes. Sometimes those problems won’t go away, and that’s when you may need a podiatrist’s help and expertise.
• A wound or sore that does not heal: Especially important to see a podiatrist if you have diabetes.• Foot discolorations: Redness in a foot may indicate infection or gout. A blue or purple colour may indicate a vein problem. Whiteness or paleness may be a sign of decreased blood flow. • Pain and swelling in one foot: Pain and swelling (edema) in one foot and not the other, could be caused by a broken bone, tendonitis, tendon rupture or infection. Swelling in both feet and ankles could be due to lymphedema.• Numbness, burning and tingling: These three things can be signs of neuropathy which can cause decreased sensation in your feet. • Pain that increases with activity: This may be a sign of a stress fracture. • Severe pain lasting more than 24 hours: This is especially important if you’ve had surgery. Possible problems could be an infection, tight dressing, DVT (deep vein thrombosis) or compartment syndrome. Don’t be afraid to see a podiatrist.• Foot pain with legs elevated: If you have pain in your feet when you are lying in bed and the pain goes away when you dangle your feet off the side of the bed, this may be a sign of decreased blood flow or peripheral artery disease. This is a condition that needs to be addressed by a few different doctors. You may start with a podiatrist, but you may also need to see a vascular surgeon.• A deformity that progresses suddenly: One example of such a deformity is charcot arthropathy. Charcot is a problem that can occur when you have diabetes. Signs and symptoms include pain, redness and a hot, swollen foot. • Arch of one foot flattens: Could be a sign of tendon dysfunction or even rupture. A tendon that does not work properly can lead to the bones not being lined up and this can cause arthritis in the joints. • A mole that changes: A lump or bump that grows or hurts.USEFUL INFORMATION
• www.kilkennyfootclinic.com• The Society of Chiropodists and Podiatrists Ireland (podiatry Ireland) and the Irish Chiropodists/Podiatrists Organisation Ltd (chiropody podiatry Ireland). www.podiatryireland.com has 300 registered members and www.chiropodypodiatryireland.ie has 450. CL Read more:
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Ever wonder what the best type of shoe is if you want to avoid problems with your feet? A good walking runner is the answer, according to a podiatrist at the Kilkenny Foot Clinic.
“This is a really excellent shoe style,” she says.
As well as being a good-quality shoe, a good walking runner has these important attributes:
• A thick shock-absorbing sole.• A good, strong heel counter (the reinforced heel cup of a shoe that increases foot support by cradling the heel and arch of the foot).• It is deep. • It is wide.• It usually laces up so there is good fixation of the shoe on the foot and • It has a structured upper. But what would one need to spend to ensure getting a good pair of walking runners like these?
“Between €70 and €100 would be the usual price, but they will do you for a long time for regular wear. If you’re a sports person as well you probably should have a couple of pairs though, so that you can alternate them.”
The only people that runners may not suit are those with hyperhidrosis – excessively sweaty feet – she says, as they may find runners too hot to wear.
GOOD V BAD SHOES
These are a podiatrist’s comments on the main types of women’s shoes and their suitability for feet:
• Flats: There are some good flat shoes and some dreadful ones. Pumps that you often see teenagers wearing are not good, they have a very thin sole, no shock absorption and are too flexible, so the foot has no structure around it to help it maintain its alignment. They are usually low cut in the foot, so walking you have to claw your toes to hold the pumps on, resulting in an altered gait pattern. • High heels: The loading force on your foot changes when you wear stilettos. Your heel is up and your forefoot is down – an abnormal position. That means that all the load will transfer towards your forefoot, so you’ll get a lot more callus build up there and more issues with your forefoot generally. You can get lateral ankle instability through wearing high heels and lateral ankle sprains. Also tightening of your Achilles tendon and calf muscles. Stilettos are too narrow and shallow in the toe box, your foot is squeezed into them and shoved up to the top of the toe box because of the height and the angle your foot is in. Wear your high heels for your special function only – confirmation, birthday party, etc then take them off and get back into regular footwear.• Wedge heels: These are a bit more stable than the high heel, with less risk of a lateral ankle sprain, but there will still be some lateral ankle instability with overloading on the ankle and toe area. • Mules or open-back sandals: These are not good for your feet because they don’t have a good heel cup to help your alignment and your gait. The worst ones are those with just a little strap at the front. The ones where the material on the upper comes up a bit higher on the foot are better because there is better fixation of the foot, but generally speaking they are not good for your feet. People get a lot of dry cracks in their heels with this kind of shoe also. This can lead to fissures that can open and bleed and be portals for infection. • Slippers: Fine for wearing while sitting down watching telly with no load going through your feet, but don’t wear while working around the house as your foot will have no support. • Wellingtons: Not ideal for wearing for long periods. Buy wellington boots that have good arch support and insulation and change out of them as soon as you can to more supportive boots.Recognise WORN OUT shoes
Look out for wear patterns.
1. Turn up the sole. Lateral heel wear is usually the first obvious sign because most of us come down on our lateral heel for heel strike.2. There may also be wear on the sole along the ball of the foot or the forefoot, perhaps under the big toe. 3. Look at the upper also. Check if it has bubbled in a certain area, eg where you have a hammer toe. A hammer toe is a deformity that causes a toe to bend or curl. It may be genetic, caused by arthritis or wearing ill-fitting shoes.4. Look inside your shoe. You may see little holes appearing on the area of the insole where you have a lot of load going through your foot. If you have a bunion this can lead to signs of wear in the insole at that spot.FITTING SHOES IN A SHOP
If you are worried about length you usually need about 1cm space beyond the longest toe. This gives a good fit. If you’re unsure and the shoe you are fitting on has an insole, pull this insole out and stand your foot on top of it on the floor so that you know if the shoe has that 1cm you need for comfort beyond your longest toe. This may not be your big toe.
MAIN FOOT CONDITIONS
It is usually pain that brings people to a podiatrist’s door. Problems like corns, verrucas and bunions can necessitate a visit to the professionals.
Podiatrists/chiropodists (the terms are interchangeable) treat many different foot conditions that are generally categorised into four different types – biomechanical, genetic, systemic and skin issues.
Biomechanical problems include problems like plantar fasciitis, Achilles tendon injuries, fallen arches and trapped nerves.
Genetic issues include bunions, and while bunions run in families they can also be exacerbated by poor footwear.
Systemic diseases are diseases like diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis that affect the whole body and such illnesses can affect your feet. With diabetes poor vascular and arterial blood flow to the foot area can lead to nerve damage in the feet.
“Those with diabetes are nine times more likely to get foot ulceration than the rest of the population,” the podiatrist told us, “and the ulceration usually occurs on bony prominences.”
Wearing ill-fitting footwear can trigger the problem, she says. Rheumatoid arthritis is another systemic disease that can result in foot problems like pain and joint deformity.
Lastly, skin issues related to feet often bring people knocking on a podiatrist’s door.
“These can include verrucae and athlete’s foot, corns and calluses.
They are usually a symptom of overload and that can lead to a lot of different problems. They can be related to bony changes – bony deformities with rheumatoid arthritis, for example. The loading through the foot changes and the corn or callus builds up where the load has transferred to.”
WHEN SHOULD YOU SEE A PODIATRIST?
Podiatry Ireland’s advice is that many times the problems in your feet and ankles go away with time, rest, ice, anti-inflammatories (NSAIDS) and shoe gear changes. Sometimes those problems won’t go away, and that’s when you may need a podiatrist’s help and expertise.
• A wound or sore that does not heal: Especially important to see a podiatrist if you have diabetes.• Foot discolorations: Redness in a foot may indicate infection or gout. A blue or purple colour may indicate a vein problem. Whiteness or paleness may be a sign of decreased blood flow. • Pain and swelling in one foot: Pain and swelling (edema) in one foot and not the other, could be caused by a broken bone, tendonitis, tendon rupture or infection. Swelling in both feet and ankles could be due to lymphedema.• Numbness, burning and tingling: These three things can be signs of neuropathy which can cause decreased sensation in your feet. • Pain that increases with activity: This may be a sign of a stress fracture. • Severe pain lasting more than 24 hours: This is especially important if you’ve had surgery. Possible problems could be an infection, tight dressing, DVT (deep vein thrombosis) or compartment syndrome. Don’t be afraid to see a podiatrist.• Foot pain with legs elevated: If you have pain in your feet when you are lying in bed and the pain goes away when you dangle your feet off the side of the bed, this may be a sign of decreased blood flow or peripheral artery disease. This is a condition that needs to be addressed by a few different doctors. You may start with a podiatrist, but you may also need to see a vascular surgeon.• A deformity that progresses suddenly: One example of such a deformity is charcot arthropathy. Charcot is a problem that can occur when you have diabetes. Signs and symptoms include pain, redness and a hot, swollen foot. • Arch of one foot flattens: Could be a sign of tendon dysfunction or even rupture. A tendon that does not work properly can lead to the bones not being lined up and this can cause arthritis in the joints. • A mole that changes: A lump or bump that grows or hurts.USEFUL INFORMATION
• www.kilkennyfootclinic.com• The Society of Chiropodists and Podiatrists Ireland (podiatry Ireland) and the Irish Chiropodists/Podiatrists Organisation Ltd (chiropody podiatry Ireland). www.podiatryireland.com has 300 registered members and www.chiropodypodiatryireland.ie has 450. CL Read more:
Health: Bowel Cancer: I would have been dead in 18 months if i hadn’t had it
Your health: What’s love got to do with it?
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