This week, I saw a returning patient who, on our first meeting, learned the origin of his crippling heel pain. The first step on the road to curing his heel pain was identified as improving the support offered by ALL of his footwear.
By “All” we mean home, work and play. He returned today with disappointingly unsupportive shoes. Upon discussion, he revealed that the shoe store clerk, upon observing him testing the stability of a shoe, forbade him from testing any others.
Yes, he was able to try them on, but he absolutely was not allowed to test for flexibility in the arch (or Shank) of the shoe. Thus, the disappointing purchases he presented. The images below demonstrate poor mid-foot stability.
This was only one of several important attributes we had recommended to seek in his new acquisitions, but an exceptionally important one for someone with such an unstable midfoot and suffering from heel pain.
We armed him with a letter of explanation, and he was able to explain to a different salesperson the importance of being permitted to test and thus choose an appropriate product. The subsequent images display a more stable shank.
As harsh as it may appear to the shoe store staff, its imperative that if you’ve been advised to seek stable shoes, then you must physically test their capabilities before even trying them on your feet. Click on the following link to view our quick guide to selecting a stable shoe suitable for good foot function.
This is another reason we try and steer patients away from online shoe purchases. Even if it’s the same model of shoe you bought last year, the manufacturer will likely have sought to cut production costs in this year’s offering. Oftentimes, that will translate to a reduction in quality, durability or stability. One way or another, if they won’t permit you to assess the stability of the shoe, they don’t deserve the benefit of your custom…. There are lots more deserving shoe stores!
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