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

Re: BETTER THAN A HOBBY SWAP!??

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Y'know what we'd need to make this work BEAUTIFULLY is a space age gizmo that will temporarily resize a foot. Need to try on this lovely size nine shoe that might leave space for your bunion? POOF you're a size nine for the next few minutes! Then you can go buy the appropriate size shoe, knowing it will work.

Even without that, though... the more I brainstorm about my feet, the more I hear about all my friends' and coworkers' foot pain. I swear half the people at my company wear orthotics and a quarter have had surgery. It's incredible how many people's feet hurt. So there might well be enough weird shoes out there!

What size Birks do you wear? I have two pair of sevens I can't wear, and I'd gladly hand 'em over if they'd work for you.