Walking sneakers&boots ??
 

Hello,

I have had neuropathy in both feet for approx 4 years, my number one symptom, is numbness, however the numbness with tender to touch pain exists up to my knees.

It appears to be progressing slowly, I have a few flair ups of unusually more numbness, or pain at times.

My question is this, I would like to know what sneakers will give me the most comfort for walking, and boots for hiking.

I have been trying to walk a mile a day, since I live in WNY, where we have snow, I am also interested in comfotable hiking boots as well as the sneakers.

I wear clark sandles in the summer, they are great.:)

The cost is not an issue, if the sneaker and boots enable me to walk, hike, and be active with the highest level of comfort possible even with my neuropathy.

Thanks for your input.

Patty

great sneakers
 

I wear Ryka sneakers; in particular, the Versa model which is a Mary Jane style which closes w/ velcro. I love them! I just bought 2 more pairs from their website, which happened to have free shipping. They cost about $60 which is really a bargain since they enable me to walk for about a mile without the usual excruciating foot pain. The first pair I bought a year ago @ Filene's and once I knew which style suited me, I could order them online.

I own a pair of LL Bean boots which provide good traction but I don't wear them much so I cannot vouch for their PN'ability. I am terrified of walking around in snow or rain so I mostly stay home in the winter.

Good luck in your shoe quest!

Thank you for the information, I will look into those options.

Patty

New Balance Velcro Walkers have been good for me for the past 5 years.
The style that sells for about $60-$65, I haven't tried the more expensive $80 or so, as the others work well.
Also the Dr. Scholl's Velcro Walkers fit well too. I switch between the two.
I also remove the innersoles & arch (I have flat feet) and use full gel innersoles topped with a foam cushion innersole because my feet are sensitive and need cushioning.

i second the new balance velcro walkers, i got a pair recently and they have a lot of room in the box which is what i need and the adjustable straps help deal with the swelling that i get in my ankles and feet. if they get too tight they are very easy to loosen.

Nike Air 360
 

Completely walking on air. Worth the extra price bump.

Too much arch for me.:eek:
Feels like I have a rock in my shoe, :confused: where I have no arch.
NB's Velcro Walkers, or Dr Scholl's - are easy to convert for me, cause I was born flat-footed- and wear a size 13. :rolleyes:
Just pull the insole & arch out and re-build with gels and foam cushions.
Large box at the toe to wiggle my tootsies, & easy to adjust,
even while driving (using cruise control) longer distances.:cool:

I second the New Balance, but don't use the velcro yet
 

Hi there...
I like the New Balance also, they have a great "toe box" for the really sensitive toes. I haven't given in and started using the velcro ones yet, as in my mind those are for "handicapped, an/or old" people. I know, I "am" handicapped, and I "am" old... but I'm not ready to admit it yet. So I still wear the ones with laces. I just tie them loosely.

I have really progressed in what shoes I can wear now. Two years ago, there were almost NO shoes I could tolerate. Now, I've learned that if I switch out almost every day, I can tolerate a pretty wide variety of shoes. The priorities include: NO squeezing of the toes... NO pushing on the tops of the feet (I have a high instep) NO heel, whatsoever, that puts pressure on the balls of the feet and the toes... and NO flip flops, there is no feeling in my toes to "grip" the shoes, so they fly off when I take a step. It's quite entertaining actually.

So, basically they have to be
1. Flat
2. Grip my foot, not my foot grip them
3. Lots of toe room
4. Made from as natural a breathable fabric as possible. However, I usually wear socks unless it's above 80 degrees out.
5. If they are "closed" shoes, must be adjustable for days when my feet are feeling like they are giant baked potatoes.

Hope this helps!

The absolute only shoes I can wear at this point is crocs (the ones with all the holes in them), and I think that they are so ugly! I have always refused to wear them, no matter how comfortable others say they may be. But now, I can't get a tennis shoe on, even if I take out all the laces. I tried sandals this summer, but they would slip off my foot and it literally felt like my foot itself was sliding off the bone--so painful. The crocs are not good for long term walking, and the texture on the inside of the shoe hurts if I am not wearing socks, so I have to always wear socks. The only problem is, I live in South Dakota. It's going to get cold soon--and before long, we will have our -25 degree weather that "feels like" -45 with windchill. I will NOT be able to wear crocs with holes in them in three feet of snow. I am so worried about what I am going to do as it gets colder--I need a tennis shoe or boot that can keep my feet warm. Even the air conditioner makes my feet freeze--and it is SO painful. Being outside in -25 degree weather is NOT going to work with these crocs. I have no idea what I'm going to do. :(

Think of it this way?
 

'Beauty IS as beauty DOES'! IF, unless, you are in a 'coctail dress' situation? Wear comfy whatever works for YOU!. Tell folks you have a rare foot condition, and just leave it at that. Sort of like someone wearing a 'soft-cast' at any event. Only? Yours is going to be longer term.
In all honesty? Many are going to be sort of 'envious' that you can wear comfy footwear when they can't!
When I wear sandals, that don't put pressure on my fussy toes? I try and wear socks that are also comfy, and blend in with the footwear. Less noticable that.
As for finding perfect footwear? It's a BIG hit or miss for many of us! When you try them on in a store? That doesn't really tell you IF you can LIVE WITH THEM! I've donated lot's of lost leaders to the charities over the last few years.
Good luck and keep searching! :hug::hug:!'s - j

Very very true. Thanks for that much needed reminder! :hug:

I do have to find a solution for winter, because, as I said, -25 degree weather will not work with holes in my shoes, even with socks on. But at this point, I can't even get a regular shoe on--and there are no stores around here that have extra extra wide shoes--so I have no idea what I will do. Guess I'll have to keep searching. :confused:

Walking Sneakers&Boots??
 

The athletic shoe I can wear is the Brooks Addiction. I got a double wide and there is lots of room for feet. Plus I need the motion control and support. I wear orthotics with mine. Its a hard job to find the right shoes.

Karli

As long as I've got toasty socks?
 

I wear my sandals! I get VERY Grumpy in toe covered things. VERY GRUMPY!
IF feet get wet? They dry. If feet get not too cold? They warm up. I am not going to expose myself to pain in the toes if I don't need it. Ergo. It's all in the timing? Except for last year - THAT was an exception to everything.
Soo, ya either lie or obfuscate about your 'choice' of footwear! WHO really should care? Only time it'd be an issue if'n you were a top of the line MODEL! IF that's the case? I'll betcha, there are a hundred ladies here looking for 'socially accepable shoes' and will likely find you some!
Otherwise? Frumpy is OK by me! Yer feet hurt? So, you are in comfy shoes! Ergo, you aren't distracted, thus smarter because your feet don't hurt! IF I were in business? I'd do business w/ you any time! Because I know your feet at least are happy... the rest is 'other business'.
Happier feet and soon! :hug:'s!!! - j

I have seen Crocs with a lining on their web site. I do remember -25 couldn't do it now! I wear Birkenstocks year round, they have roomy toes, arch suppot, variety of styles. I think they have a web site?

That's what I've heard (about the crocs), but the back (heel) is still uncovered, and we get 3-4 feet of snow frequently (and often we get even more than that), so I can't have anything that is opened... my socks would get wet and cause issues. I can't wear anything with an arch.. I have flat feet and have read that with PN, avoid the arch if you don't have one. I went to the hospital today for a bone scan, and the ladies were talking about boots that look like/are made from sweater material.. I don't know if I would be able to use those or not, but I'm going to check it out.

I don't know what kind of hiking you do but I highly recommend you hike. I has been a real life saver for me and I have pretty bad PN too.

These are the best selling highest rated boots out there. Really comfortable right out of the box. Believe me I have tried tons and always come back to these. I snowshoe in them as well and they hold up pretty well for how comfortable they are. Not the toughest out there but we don't have the feet for them anyway.
http://www.sportsauthority.com/famil...goryId=2962984

As for shoe I wear NB 927's. I buy them in a 6E and one size to big. I pretty much use them as a slip on because I can not wear shoes for more then 5 minutes unless I'm keeping my mind plenty busy. I put orthodics in them as well.
http://www.shoebuy.com/new-balance-ww927/307095/656362

Shoe's remain one of my biggest frustrations!!!!!!!!! I'm sitting here at work right now with no shoes on, when I get up to go the copier etc. I slip into my huge, way over sized NB's.

I don't know if anyone else has experience this but once my feet get us to one shoe I can switch. It's like my PN has memory. I can get more out of the day only by switching shoes if they are the same kind. I have 4 sets of NB 927's. I'm at present trying to get my feet to except Crocks. I've been working on it for 2 years and it's getting much better. I can walk around the house for a few minutes now.

I wear NB's & Dr Scholl's, similar styles-Velcro Walkers. They look almost identical. But I bought a pair of Dr Scholl's that look like moccasin type Timberland boat/sailing shoes. When I sailed (before PN). I used to wear nothing but those Timberland moccasin type boat shoes when off work.
I'm finding that I am slowly getting used to these 'boat' shoes (and ' breaking them in', as well) and feel really good about the old 'look' again. I can now wear these shoes as casuals with slacks & crew socks out for dinner, or going to the mall wearing cargo shorts. sometimes with 'shorty socks' (the type for tennis or athletic shoes) but I'm working on wearing them with no socks. I can go for about 1-2 hours in them, now.

I usually wear crocs, I have a pair with the liner, very comfortable, but they only sell them in the fall/winter in that style around here. I have a regular pair without the liner, but I find I have to wear thick wool socks with them or they make my feet sore.

I also use New Balance 882 - Nice and wide with a big toe box so nothing is rubbing my feet.

K-Mart has come out with tennis shoe, also in mary jane style that is called the Rocker. I bought the MJ's to wear this winter, still can't wear a lace up tenny! Anyway, sent my daughter down there to get a pair for her work and she runs into a lady that is there getting her third pair in different colors. Her ortho has said its the best shoe out there in the new rocker style and they only cost 19.99, so she is stocking up, maybe before the word gets out. My daughter says no burning legs at work yesterday like she usually has, so it works for her, i figure 20 degrees cooler and I can wear mine all day! Hope its not just another shoe that gets to take up space in my closet....

Lacing shoes too tightly can compress nerves, at the top of the foot and create more numbness and tingling.

I have a thread here with a link that explains an alternate way of lacing shoes to help with this problem.

http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/thread121539.html

Also please try searching "shoes" in the search function at the right top of this forum for other threads. There are some posters who have left over time, but did post other shoe recommendations.

Uggs
 

:hug:I borrowed my daughters $$$ UGGS her feet are about a 1/2 size larger then mine they worked like a charm it may not have looked great but who cares if only my feet could talk!

I am not sure what your price range is for shoes, my doc recommended something like Redwing Hiking Boots. They lace up pretty high giving lots of ankle support and would be pretty warm in the snow. The redwing shoes website has lots of nice looking ones.

The main thing is - what is a description of how they fit?
I have a closet full of 'suggested' shoes and 'seemed to fit' (at the store) that I cannot wear and are a waste of my money (Goodwill should get them, I guess).
Where can we find reviews in detail?
Zappo's does have a user's review ability for every shoe they sell, as well as detailed descriptions on the last, composition, etc.
Even with info, its still a 'crapshoot'.

I looked those up online and they seem to be like the sketchers shape ups--and I have heard over and over that they are the worst kind of shoes for people with PN. I think I've also read from a few people that they liked the shoes, but the most common consensus is that they are awful for PN. Definitely try one pair first, and maybe borrow from your daughter or walk around for a bit in the store before investing in some. Even if they are cheaper than other brands, if they end up doing more harm than good, they are not worth the money. Just be careful!

I think UGGS would be too tall for me.. I can't get my foot into even a tennis shoe because I have to dip my toes down to get into them.. and my toes are so sensitive to the touch.. if anything touches them, they go into major spasms. That's why crocs work--I can slide my feet in from the back, and don't have to stick my toes downward. Unfortunately, all boots and tennis shoes are that way that will keep my feet warm in the winter. Dilemmas...

Hey Sara Mae, I just had an idea: you're OK with the Crocs, right? And did I maybe see that you were OK with warm socks inside the Crocs, right? What if you got some galoshes that would fit over the Crocs? They would keep water from getting in the Crocs' holes. Here are some:

http://www.shoebuy.com/mens-galoshes.htm

Ugly yes? But maybe it would work.

Check out crocs. They make all kinds now not just the original clog style. My son bought me a pair a year ago and that's all I've worn since. Even in the winter.

http://www.crocs.com/home/homepage,default,pg.html

PS: Here ya go!

http://www.crocs.com/crocs-trailbrea...footwear-sport

Thanks for that idea. I don't know where I'd find some around here and when I will be able to afford them (I have no money right now), but I will bookmark that site and see if my mom can look at Walmart... it's not the most stylish, but mostly I care about keeping my feet warm in the winter. :)

Thanks. As with the last reply I posted, I have no money right now to buy anything... and I only see a few pair of crocs that are not holey... and very expensive! I will bookmark that too and keep checking. The problem is that I have to be able to slide my foot in, not stick my toes downward.. and anything with an open back that allows my foot to slide in.. isn't going to be warm enough. I didn't know crocs made boots, but they are just like any other boot--have to put your toes down in there.. that's what I can't do. This is hard.

:hug:

Ebay sometimes has various crocs on sale ... I got a pair that way.. the heavy duty ones 2 yrs ago.

Just a word of warning about buying Crocs online: you can't assume that all of them will work for you the way the classic style does. I bought a pair of them that looked like a moccasin but had the open back with the strap. They were horrible--had a low toebox and hurt more than even regular shoes do. Same as anything you can't try first, hunh?