Post-op shoes do help

[cjsmith]

OK, I'm definitely having LESS pain while walking... as long as I wear my post-op shoes.

The $64,000 question: Why?

• The post-op shoes have absolutely no arch support of any kind -- the inner surface is flat as a board.
• The post-op shoes put a lot more of my weight on my heel because they are tilted.
• The post-op shoes are kind of cushiony inside.
• The post-op shoes are missing a big chunk under the toes.
• The post-op shoes are very rigid, not allowing my toes to bend during my stride.
• Something else I haven't thought of yet.

Obviously the next step is to isolate these things and figure out which one(s) are helping. I hope it's not item two, 'cause that's probably the one I can't sustain (these shoes will cause heel damage if I use them too long).

1 - Walk barefoot on a wood or tile floor. This HURTS! OK, 1 alone is not good.
3 & 5 - My very rigid sandals have two pair of squishy insoles, which *improved* things but sure didn't fix them. OK, 3 and 5 alone are not enough.

1 & 3 - A pair of cushiony flip-flops? Walk barefoot on pile carpet?
1 & 4 - Japanese geta?
1 & 4 & 5 - Japanese geta with an added strap across the instep?
1 & 3 & 4 & 5- Doctor a bunch of cushiony flip-flops? Geta with gel insoles?

edit: After 15 minutes of walking on pile carpet, I ache but not much. Hrm. Pacing around one's living room for 15 minutes gets boring. :-)

Comments

[dr-scott.livejournal.com]

If you hadn't seen this, here's another data point: "barefoot" running shoes. There are a few different kinds. Nike's noted here: http://www.wired.com/news/technology/0,1282,68474,00.html. If/when you isolate the helping factor, you might find something which meets the need.

[tsjafo.livejournal.com]

I don't know if you remember Earth shoes, shoes with the toes higher than the heel. They might be worth a look.

[just-cyd.livejournal.com]

hrm, i wonder... adding to the above, would making some sort of cut-out area for the spot that ouchy help even more? like the Dr Scholl's Corn Cushions (http://www.drscholls.com/product.aspx?prodid=48), but bigger and probably sturdier.

what's the verdict on the pressure-wrapping you'd done pre-op? still allowed? still work?

[platypus]

Oh my god. Custom shoes for only $200ish? Why the fuck am I buying shoes that don't fit for $150? Except there's a $200 setup... hrm. This Hersey stuff would be totally worth it if they could make a shoe that fit me.

[sunnydale47.livejournal.com]

Those geta look horribly uncomfortable. I'm sure I'd fall off and break my ankle if I tried to walk in them!

The flip-flops you linked to don't look very cushiony, actually. All the flip-flops I've ever seen look soft but actually have no give to speak of. (But then again I only look at cheap ones, so maybe good ones are softer?) I don't think the platform flip-flops would be any softer than the normal ones.

crazyladynocats's idea of cutting a hole in a soft insole sound like a good one. They make heel pads with holes in them for heel spurs ... why not full-length pads with holes in them for forefoot pain?! You can't cut up gel insoles, but buy a pair of good-quality thick foam ones, and cut a hole in the appropriate place. You can make the hole as big as it needs to be as long as there's a little bit along each edge to connect the front and back to keep them in place. Why not try a $20 fix before you go for the $200 fix!

BETTER THAN A HOBBY SWAP!??

[moriamerri.livejournal.com]

Okay, I only thought of this NOW, on RE-reading this
whole thread---- anyway I am *excited*:

A SHOE TRY OUT PARTY

Have a shoe try out and swap event. Okay, okay, this is
limited by the fact that we all have different sized
feet. None the less: advertise at shoe stores, and
?orthopedists? ?podiatrists? ?foot-clinics?
--wherever the foot with special needs is likely to
be found.

PROCEDURE:

Everyone brings ALL of their shoes. The more unusual
the better, of course. All the shoes brought
have to be labelled with owner's names. Then put
in ?different rooms? ?different corners? by size.

Then everyone spends some prearranged time (a couple
of hours?) trying on any shoes that interest them,
and walking around, etc. Then everyone helps to sort
the shoes and get them back to proper owners.
Possibly while eating snacks or trading phone numbers.

Problem: it would be hard or impossible to leave early.
All those shoes roaming around.

Risk: some shoes could get lost or stolen.

Sad limitation: more common sizes have more shoes to try.

Possible opportunity: maybe some foot docs or shoe companines
would either "sponsor" or attend and provide free advice,
shoes to try out, fitting tips, ???

Important need: how to label all the shoes so the labels
do NOT come off? The labels could have room for other info
besides owner's name, too -- type of shoes, size,
how old they are?, cost? whether the shoes are available
for trade or sale???

Oh! everyone should wear nametags with name (duh) and
shoe size. I can really imagine there would be a LOT
of discussion about the shoes. Which ones we like/love/
hate. How they feel. "Let's see, these shoes I have
on are from Katie. Where is Katie? Katie, do you
like these? Do you wear them much? Do you know if
they come in other colors??"

I'm not sure if trading/selling shoes is just tooo
complicated. Maybe that could be done AFTER the
"try on" event ends, as a separate optional thing.
Just the try-on would be complicated enough.

I'd find it really interesting to try out lots of
shoes. I'd never worn Birkenstocks till a friend
recently sold me some at a garage sale. Now they
are my favorites. (Sadly, I somehow lost them at
STtSG, and have to buy some....)

I'm picturing this as a shoe party that is especially
oriented to feet with special needs, but hope that
everyone would be welcome. But the more unusual shoes
that attend, the more it would be useful for feet with
special needs.

Suddenly I'm thinking this idea is not so great.
Maybe everyone with special shoe needs has already
figured out what kind of shoes to get? Maybe this
wouldn't attract many people with really interesting
shoes?

Re: BETTER THAN A HOBBY SWAP!??

[moriamerri.livejournal.com]

Oh, thanks so much for the offer, I'm more like 8 1/2 or 9, I think (I'm notoriously bad at remembering sizes I wear--- but 7 is for sure too small.)

Finding someone (or more) who is/are size 7 is a really swell thing to do though--- the friend I got the Birks from was getting rid of LOTS of shoes, many new or nearly new. I paid her some for them, but felt it was a very good deal. Actually, I don't remember now, but it probably WAS some foot problem that led her to get rid of many shoes... :(

Modified shoe party: could be just size 7 shoe party -- limits attendees, but then everyone there is more size compatibility.

I *swear* there is some as-yet-not-happening way to trade and borrow and give away stuff that would be wonderful. Or, actually, I think there must be SO MANY not-happening ways to trade and get stuff that could be wonderful. Makes my mind just spin.