Silly question, but here goes...Shoes
 

My pn pain is currently being managed pretty well. I even was able to walk barefoot in the house this week!:) My question, though, is now I'm having shoe problems that aren't pn involved. I work retail and am on concrete 9-10 hrs day. I've always had hammertoes but now am getting callous/corn/something painful on top of some of the toes. Apparently my toes are curling up more than before...we're working on finding out why, but in the meantime I must have something on my feet!

Because of the hammertoes I've always bought shoes with deep toe boxes but now am not sure where to look since I am not finding anything with deeper toe boxes than what I already have. Does anyone have any recommendations? I have to have a closed toe and heel and prefer lace ups so I can customize the fit better. If I can find anything with a deeper toe box with steel toes I will go with that since I was told to protect my feet better due to loss of sensation. Of the shoes that I can wear, the best brands so far have been Ariat, Earth and Born.

Currently am waiting for dr office to get me in with podiatrist or ortho to further discuss the hammertoes. Until then, though, I need some relief! Has anyone tried custom shoes? If so, how was that experience? I've also thought about trying diabetic shoes but the ones I've seen online don't look any deeper in the toe box than what I already have. Help!

I just got shoes yesterday from a place that makes Prosthetics & Orthotics. My insurance even paid for them because my Dr requested them as durable equipment due to some problems I am having with my feet. These places specialize in shoes for people like us. For deep toe boxes, look especailly for shoes designed for diabetics.

You can also go on line to FootSmart.com. They specialize in shoes for people with special needs too.

Hope this helps. Good luck. I know how important shoes are.

I wear New Balance Walkers. they come in lace-up or velcro.
Deep toes boxes, soft comfy fit. I also insert gel insoles to cushion better.

I third the New Balance Walkers!
 

I work in a Corporate Office and it's not the corporate uniform, but I get to be the exception! (Our lab techies wear white shoes in the lab, so I pretend I'm wearing them so I can go into the lab).
The New Balance shoes have a Wide Toe Box. I wear the lace up ones, and on bad days, I loosen the laces almost all the way.
When they get a little older, I buy the inserts and it feels like a new pair of shoes all over again.
I also wear them with my Diabetic Socks. (I buy them at Walgreens) They are soft, cushiony and no seams near the toes to irritate me. The tops of my toes are very sensitive and I am very picky about shoes!

Mephisto
 

I have wide feet with large bunions and a narrowish heel. I need a big toebox, but not heel. I buy Mephistos. They are expensive, but they have what is probably the most absorbent sole made. And what's more, they guarantee their shoes for life. So if you buy a shoe for $250, and it's getting messy looking or worn 5 years later, you can send it back for refurbishing.

I've unfortunately grown a size, so my size 8 mephistos dont all fit me anymore, and I've had to move on to size 9s. But they are well worth it; I wear these shoes exclusively.

Wow! I just found their website!
http://www.mephisto.com/PublishOnlin...0_Introduction

If you find a pair you like, you can then froogle them. I've been given size 9 shoes from a friend who is now a size 10, and they are perfect. These are definitely shoes that can be passed along or bought used.

hI
 

i ALSO GET A SCRIBE FOR DIABECTIC SHOES. bUT SENT MY aUNT
A CATALOG FROM FROM fOOTSMART.COM SHE LOVES THERE HAMMERTOE
PRODUCTS. AND NO QUESTION IS SILLY. GOOD LUCK:) SUE

Hi
 

I juat bought some new shoes yesterday. I tend to prefer rubber soles,as they are better for my back. Even before my PN, I had to wear squarish wide toe boxes. I have solved me foot/shoe issue by buying shoes up to one size larger. This allows me to wear most shoes.

Thanks for the great resources everyone. I glanced through the footsmart website yesterday...will look more in depth today. Mephisto link is booting as I type (lovely dial up connection).

I found diabetic socks last year and they have been a godsend. Got mine at WalMart but have seen them even in the local farm supply store! I haven't tried any on any other shoe brands since my feet are better, but Nike was the only athletic shoe that felt even remotely acceptable when my pn was acting up. I'm off work today, so maybe a trip to the local shoe store is in order. My dress code allows athletic footwear but they tend to dress down the outfit so it will probably be "granny shoes" for me since I really do need the adjustability of lace ups. Like another poster I have to redo my laces as the day goes on to remain comfortable.

Until pn came into my life I wore a ladies size 10 shoe. Went up to 11 to try to find more comfort and since one of my arches has fallen a bit. The downside is that on the foot with the remaining high arch I get a lovely callous around the back of the heel--goes beautifully with the new ones on the toes on my feet;) .

Script diabetic shoes...how are they different from the ones that can be purchased online? Went to ebay and they had several as well as the footsmart website. I'm just a wee bit scared to purchase without trying on first (just in case!)

pt

I like the velcro because they can be adjusted in less than a second (literally) either toe area or instep.
They also arr good with the arch insole removed and a gel and cushion insole put in for flat feet or fallen arches.
Try here:
http://www.zappos.com/n/p/dp/1205597/c/3.html
http://www.llbean.com/webapp/wcs/sto...t=ssdpa1011-xs
http://www.nbwebexpress.com/informat...ageType=method

And, with a LLBean Visa Credit Card they will ship your order to you FREE and no sales tax (at least in my state). AND, if your not satisfied with your order...even a year or more later...they will refund or credit your account. This is really true!
P.S. I have no financial or other connection with LLBean or Visa. Just a satisfied customer.

Shoes and PN
 

I just posted a discussion of shoes in the stickies section: http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/sh...751#post117751

Here it is in this thread.
===============

The topic of shoes came up so I'll continue the discussion with this fairly exhaustive posting.

This is a summary about shoes to maximize your comfort, minimize pain, and avoid damaging your feet and nerves.

1) Shoes should be roomy in the toe box, snug in the heel area, and give good support. There should be NO squeezing of your toes or metatarsal heads (the foot just behind your toes). Be sure there is at least a thumb width between your toes and the front of the toe box. The sides where the laces insert should be parallel or slightly in, indicating that there is enough room for your instep (the middle part of your foot). You don't need an arch support. If you have flat feet, an arch support will put undue pressure on your arch, making the PN in the area worse. If you have high or medium arches, a little rise in the arch area is OK as long as it is comfortable.

2) Our feet spread with PN so expect to need wider than you used to wear. The brand you've always worn may no longer be right for you. I went from 10 1/2 D to 11 EEEE. I used to run in Asics, but no longer can wear Asics (or run).

3) Try shoes on in the afternoon when your feet are a little bigger, or whenever your feet are at their largest. When trying on the shoes, use the thickest sock you're likely to wear with that shoe. If your feet are different sizes, go for a good fit on the bigger foot. You can always add a thin insert for the smaller foot.

4) Acrylic socks are best. Acrylic doesn't compress so they give cushy comfort. Acrylic dries quickly, keeps your feet warm even if wet, and wicks moisture away. Next best are nylon/polyester blends, or wool. A LITTLE cotton in the blend is OK. AVOID COTTON SOCKS. They compress during the day, take forever to dry, and are cold when wet. When I used to run and backpack, cotton gave blisters. This is not just my opinion. It is what I learned in Sierra Club classes and is agreed to by Walking Magazine and Backpacking Magazine.

5) Fit is much more important than brand or cost. Shoes are made on a form called a last. Each brand uses their own last, so if you find a model that fits you, other models of that brand are liable to fit you. SAS, Spalding and New Balance work for me, so I don't waste my time on Florshiem or Nike (for example).

As a cost example, Tom McCann shoes in the wide widths from K-Mart work great for me as dress shoes, much better than $200 Italian shoes with a narrow toe box.

6) Walk around in the shoes at the shoe store until you are absolutely sure there are no places the shoes are tight, press, or rub.

7) Good fitting shoes should feel comfortable right away. Shoes do not break in, your feet do. To demonstrate this, put on an old pair of shoes you had to break in and that you haven't worn for a year. They will be uncomfortable, demonstrating that it was your feet that broke in, not the shoes.

8) Some brands to check out that work for me are:
- S.A.S. (San Antonio Shoes) Comfort Shoes, top rated by Walking Magazine
- New Balance, also top rated by Walking Magazine. Be aware that New Balance uses at least two different lasts depending on where they are made.
- Knapp shoes are well made and available in widths. Check the web site for where to by them.
- Again, fit is more important than brand.
- Other people have great suggestions that work for them. This is just a starting place. Be willing to try on different brands until you find what works for you.

9) Open sandals are great in warm weather. I like the kind with Velcro adjustments across the toe box and instep so they can be adjusted for socks or not. I get cheap ones from Payless Shoe Stores, Wal-Mart, and Sears. They look great, are comfortable, last a long time, are waterproof, and cost about $20 on sale. Again, fit and comfort are more important than the brand.

10) Don't go barefoot if you have PN. Imagine the pain of stepping on a stone, or hot pavement. You can seriously damage numb feet and not know it until infection sets in. Sore feet are far better than amputated feet.

11) Wear surf slippers at the beach, lake shore, or in streams.

12) I have a hard time telling if a pair of shoes fit when my feet are very sore or numb. You can tell a little by moving the shoes around to check fit, and being sure there is room in front and in the instep. If in doubt, don't buy them.

13) A good professional shoe salesperson is invaluable. Years ago I worked part time in a running shoe store. We were extensively trained and had experience in fitting shoes for individual needs. We also charged full list price.

Shoes are a tough area for us PNers. However, it is possible to get comfortable, protective, reasonably priced, and good looking shoes if you are patient. Once you find what works for you, it will be easier in the future.

Good luck.

Thank You! Great Post
 

All of it is sooo true ime since I've had to go on the great shoe journey. My big whine is that finding a skilled shoe fitter/salesperson is nearly next to impossible these days. Do shoe stores even have the contraptions that used to be everywhere to measure the foot? I don't recall seeing one for years.

I'm still wondering if there is a difference between prescription and off the shelf diabetic shoes. Does anyone here know?

Arcopedicos...
 

work well for me. They are painless on the tops of the toes. The black is
fixey enough for dress/work or casual.

There are other styles too, and many catalogs sell them, price varies.

http://www.footsmart.com/P-Arcopedic...-On-71314.aspx
http://www.footsmart.com/P-Arcopedic...les-70545.aspx
http://www.footsmart.com/SearchRetur...ction=4&Page=1

I have several of them. They are all ultra comfortable, but I have not seen styles for men, unfortunately.

New Balance 608. I have to buy the mens shoes because I have high insteps. The mens have *much* more toe room than any shoe I've ever had before. The higher the number the better the shoe (the number is located on the back of heel). I was working in a yarn factory at this time last year as a spinner. I walked a *minimum* of 9 miles a night and that's a conservative estimate. 12 hour night shifts. Those New Balance shoes saved my life. I took my other shoes with me and if my feet were hurting, usually about half way through my shift, I'd change shoes. Made a world of difference as did gel inserts.

Got
 

them today,the lady ordered to sizes and told me to where them
around the house all weekend, i like them they expand on the top
and really they are cute. :D Sue

Sas shoe brand
 

try looking online for sas shoe brand -- they were developed by a podiatrist --
-
when i broke my foot in december it would not heal right --
-
by the end of march i could not stand the open toe shoes because i had to wear them 24\7
-
i found a store which carried sas brand which is all my podiatrist would let me wear as a real shoe -
-
they are not gorgeous -- but they feel good and come in different styles -- but are pricy --
-
happy shoe hunting -- hope you find what you need -- --- dvora

I love my Birkenstocks. Come in a variety of styles, seem to have roomy toe boxes. Pricy though.

Plus, many of the styles are made in the USA in Oxford, ME!!! I picked up 3 pair at their factory store there in August!

Shoes
 

I have been wearing CROCS for the past three years. They are now in a variety of styles, some even resemble "real" shoes and they work better than anything I've tried to let me walk without looking as though I am hobbling..which is what I look like barefooted on hardwood floors. Good luck!