Plantar fasciitis and summer sandals - help!

[bobbisey]

I love these and they have helped me tremndously! I have been wearing the "Flips" (aka flip flops) for about a week and my heal pain is almost completely gone. I used to wear my running shoes all the time, because they were the only things with enough arch support. Chacos are even better!

I was reluctant to buy a $50 pair of sandals, but after wearing my cheap Target ones in Cancun for 5 days, I was miserable. These are the best. The styles are pretty casual, but so am I! I wear my cute shoes for short perieds of time when I dress up. Other than that, I am in my Chacos or running shoes.

Good luck!
Bobbi

[Daphne M]

Originally Posted by Andrea

But, I really like the Merrel sandals. From your link, Daphne, only one sandal states that it has a molded footbed to support the foot. Do they all have that and just not say it?

Andrea

Yikes! I'm not sure!

I have two different pairs of Merrell sandals and both are very supportive. I'm not sure if the footbeds on the ones I own are what they term "molded" or not. They are firm, supportive, kind of suede-y feeling, but not hard. I find Birks a little too hard, similar to how wooden or Dr Scholls shoes feel to me. The Merrells have shaped to my feet very nicely.

[hounddog]

Wellies are better for goat milking than Birks.

I ain't buying the no down-dog bit, either. Esp since my calves are very loose and it works better than any other stretch I've found. She also said it's more important to stretch the gastrocnemius than the soleus, but I'm not really buying that, either. I think both would apply. Aren't you glad you're not my doc?

--Ann

[Andrea]

Well I did some reading on Merrell's website and it sounded like the dressier ones might not be as supportive. Do you have any of the dressy ones Daphne?

I couldn't wait and ordered 2 pair. This site has free shipping and free returns, so I figured I'd take my chances. I'm hoping the thongs feel good. If I absolutely love the taupe ones I'll keep them, but otherwise I'll return them.

I got these:
http://www.shoebuy.com/sb/s.jsp/r_ss...1/sbstl_202038

and these:
http://www.shoebuy.com/sb/s.jsp/r_ss...8/sbstl_202595

These are the dressy ones I wanted (in black), but I couldn't find out enough about them to satisfy me:
http://www.shoebuy.com/sb/s.jsp?Style=36613

On one-leg balances, I will admit that sometimes my foot feels as if it is going to cramp up. I would think down dog would be wonderful for PF though. I agree with Kimberly to stretch every single day! If I do nothing else, I stretch my calves. It has helped tremendously.

Andrea

[luvcritters]

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[Kathryn]

I don't have PF, but I know from my chiropractor testing them that Birkies (I DON'T find them to be ugly!) and Teva sandals have excellent arch support that put my feet, at least, in a neutral alignment (ie: put my arches where they are supposed to be!)

[kathys]

Originally Posted by hounddog

I ain't buying the no down-dog bit, either. Esp since my calves are very loose and it works better than any other stretch I've found. She also said it's more important to stretch the gastrocnemius than the soleus, but I'm not really buying that, either. I think both would apply. Aren't you glad you're not my doc?

--Ann

Ann- the first doctor I saw for PF recommended calf stretches. I did them for 6 months with very little improvement. Then I saw a Birkenstock wearing, marathon runner/podiatrist who recommended lots of down dog and other hamstring and back stretches along with inserts and supportive shoes. I saw a great deal of improvement very quickly once I started to concentrate more on my hamstrings and back.

Clark's sandals and shoes work well for me. Last summer there were a few attractive styles in their sandals line. My feet are a little wider than average.

[cid]

Originally Posted by hounddog

I chose to have a hearing problem right when my podiatrist said downward facing dog and one-legged balances are BAD FOR PF!!
Too intense of a stretch?!?!?! That's what she said.
--Ann

Wow. I'd never heard that before. I LOVE ddog for stretching the calves. One leg balances make my butt fry, not my heels!! I'll hang with you on the hearing problem.

CinDee

[EriCha]

Can you get PF in your ankle area too or just the arch? I suffered from it off and on (in the arch), but not often enough to do something about it. Yesterday I wore my adorable black kitten heel sandles and today I can barely walk because of pain from the inside of my right ankle to the bottom of my shin.

[Dianeksu]

My foot doctor gave me a great tip for wearing your ortothics with regular shoes. Buy some double sided tape a tape them in. I have had great success with my backless shoes and will try it with my Born sandals. The secret is to buy your sandal 1/2 size bigger.

I really miss the old days of going barefoot. I bought several pairs of no thrill berks at HSN and QVC. I got two pairs for under 80 dollars total this past January. Not sure what they have now.