I have had a HUGE life changing problem, I can't wear shoes and walk more than 20 minutes or else I get intense foot sweating, veins get very large and it becomes very painful to walk. Strange thing is I can stand using sandels for 3 hours on concrete floors walking around with no pain. Obviously the difference between sandels and shoes is that with sandels your feet stay cool and aired out while with shoes for me it gets wet and hot. If I put my feet in ice water all the pain goes away. I have had to wear sandels most of the time against what I would like, but now and then I will have to wear shoes for some reason and perhaps get in a situation like in New York where I end up having to walk very long and in these situations the foot pain gets extremely bad. At first I have been thinking, I must have hardcore arthritis but how can this be if I can take 3 hours of walking in sandels? I have custom orthotics - which do nothing. Any insights would be very appreciated.

Could your shoes be too tight? Maybe changing socks to wear a kind that is lightweight could also help. Don't diabetics have issues with shoes or am I wrong? So they have special shoes made and I know you said the orthotics didn't work but maybe a special shoe. Sorry not much to offer. I'm a tennis shoe only person. I need the cushion/support. It may be worth going back to the foot doc.

I cannot wear shoes that tie too tightly or bind across the top of the foot.
They pinch nerves and create all sorts of pain.

Even sandals, I have to try them on. Also anything that hits a certain height
on the Achilles tendon, is problematic. There is a nerve that comes down under the inner ankle bone...and if it gets compressed, the whole foot hurts.
This is where I sometimes put my magnets.

This is a view of the top of the foot...the nerves there:
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgu...&ct=image&cd=3

this sequence shows the tibial nerve as it comes around the ankle bone
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgu...&ct=image&cd=1

also:
http://www.rrca.org/resources/articles/sum99oyn.htm

I have the same shoe problem. Even in winter I often wear sandals with socks. I have also found that I tolerate Crocs well. Also, at sporting goods stores you can find a type of athletic shoe that has a closed in toe, but is open like sandals on the side. These work well for me in the place of tennis shoes or athletic shoes. I just dress like I used to, even nice "church clothes", and wear these shoes on my feet. What the heck. Who is going to arrest me, the fashion police? You can also look around at stores that sell shoes for diabetics. If you live near Atlanta, we have a fabulous shoe store here called Abbadabbas that carries comfortable, but more stylish, shoes.

I can only wear the crocks with thick socks. If I wear them barefoot, something inside the crocks cut into my toes. I had some sores, so I just stopped wearing them. Then I put my foot back into them and felt the sharp pinching things attacking the tops of my toes again, so I immediately knew "go and put some thick socks on".

And I did so love these crocks. Oh well, now I know that next summer, I can't wear these. Back to my sandals.

I found that too, Melody. They were biting my feet. They are comfy though. I wish they would make them in a leather! They would be that much nicer to wear and much more stylish for the office. I have a pair of Mary Janes from Dr. Scholls that are at least 4 yrs old, if not 5 and they are showing their age, but so comfy. I have GOT to find a new pair soon, the doc will not let me wear slippers to work! I am so sickof shoe shopping, there is nothing out there that my feet want! They do have a mind of their own!!!