Ever have foot pain or discomfort and cannot find the right shoe for your foot? Feel like all of the cool name brand shoes just don’t quite cut it? If so, there have been many patients who have the solution to your problem! There are a variety of shoes that help to minimize many of the “foot-pain” issues. These include a wider toe box, zero-drop sole, and flexible sole. What do these things mean??
Toe box: the area where the toes reside. In general, the widest part of the shoe should be at the end of the shoe and not at the ball of the foot.
Zero-drop sole: The sole of the shoe does not have a build-up or larger heel as compared to the toe of the shoe. In many traditional shoes, the heel has a larger sole, which can sometimes be the cause of foot pain. This also contributes to a tighter calf muscle, which when wearing sandals, as we often do in Arizona, would cause increased pain. **Warning: if you are have not transitioned to a zero-drop sole yet, please talk to us or a trained professional prior to quickly transitioning out of an elevated heel. This will prevent pain from starting!
Flexible sole: The bottom of the shoe should not be rigid when bending the toe towards the heel, which allows for a more natural motion of your foot. There should also not be a crease that occurs in the toe box when bending the toe towards the heel. This also goes for orthotics that are placed in the shoe. If you experience increased toe pain after inserting orthotics, please inform the medical professional who suggested them, or bring them in and let us check them out!
There are a couple of brands that have withstood test of time: Altra and Lems. These two have been created for the active person while allowing the foot to remain in a natural, relaxed position across every terrain!
If you have any further questions or are curious if you could benefit from these shoes, please contact us and we will help you figure out what is best for you! Happy Shoe Shopping 🙂
