Hi All,
I was wondering about what type of exercise shoes everyone uses. I'm having a real hard time with my feet. I was born with flat feet (and a little sharp pointed head), and age and weight have taken their toll.

I use Brooks shoes and some Scholl gel inserts, but I'm still in pain after my walks and for the rest of the day. (Gee, do ya think that dropping that 125+ pounds I carry around might help?) This stinks and every morning I have to talk myself out the door to get my walking time in. Right now swimming is not an option-I'm waiting for them to make swimsuits that have sleeves, thank you very much!

Anyone have this type of problem? Any good ideas about shoes or inserts-or where I can buy new feet?

Sorry to hear you're having a hard time...that sucks. Pain is NO fun and definitely not conducive to exerercise...I do have flat feet, too, Kat, but have never noticed pain specifically from that. I used to get a lot of knee pain and sometimes foot cramps, but that got better after I lost some of the weight.

You know, I just got a pair of "Fit Flops" from Bath & Bodyworks and I like them a lot...they are supposed to help increase muscle tone by design, and several people mention in the reviews that they are very comfortable and help with various types of pain, although I'm not seeing mention of the particular type of pain you mentioned.

Be aware that they are pricey- $50 a pair! I do really like mine, and find them comfortable and, if I wear them several hours, I can tell that my legs are getting an extra workout (it's supposed to be an extra 10% or so from normal walking). The site also says to size down one size, but I checked with a pair for my daughter and the size that's right for me is my real size...

you can take a look here - Bath & Body Works - Spa: FitFlop® Walkstar and here is the shoe's website - The FitFlop

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Fat Baggage- Is Yours Packed?

Kat,
I have had a couple of serious rounds of PF (plantar fasciitis) and the absolutely best thing I ever did for it, shoe wise, was to go to an actual New Balance store and get professionally fitted and get the shoe that was recommended, plus the New Balance super arch support insert.
The New Balance shoes that I ended up with were the 1122's. I think they may have discontinued those, but the 1123's have taken their place.
These shoes have a stabilizer bar and prevent a lot of wonky foot action that can occur when you walk or run. They also have a more roomier and rounded toe box(I have clunky old nurse's feet! ha!) I totally will NEVER be with out them again. I keep 2 pair (1 for work, and 1 for my fitness walking) in use, and I have a new pair still in the box as a back up.
Here's a link to where I order online now that I know my exact size and the fit.

Also, Kumus put me onto the 881's. Again, I think they have been discontinued, but the 882s have taken their place. I wear these with jeans etc out shopping and running around.

Good luck. Aching feet are truly a missery to deal with.

hth
s

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Shelley
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Life deserves a treat now and again, but life also deserves being healthy[with required disipline] to make it worth living!

Goddess and Shelley,
Thanks for the replies and the links-I'm going to look into both of them. I saw the New Balance shoes at the Footsmart store I go to-will check them out.
I've had bad pain and foot cramping since I was a kid. In grammar school the shoe store put this horrible medieval torture device in my shoes for arch support that caused pain worse than the flat feet. And I had to wear shoes that looked like they belonged to Mickey Mouse. Sheesh.
I'm always on the lookout for anything that can help. Thanks again.

OMG!!!...Did we grow up in the same town and just don't know it???? LOL!
You are describing my story EXACTLY!!!! Yep...I was diagnosed having *flat feet* by a podiatrist and stuck in *corrective shoes*...ACK!!!!
They were gawd awful black suede and leather *oxfords* that even Minnie Mouse would've refused to wear!!! Yep...killer arch supports in them as well. And back in *the day* (prolly around 1965 or 66), $50 bucks for ONE pair of shoes was a fortune! I cried everyday I had to wear them. Thankfully, I out grew them by the end of the school year, and my parents decided it wasn't worth the fight (and the expense) to make me wear them anymore. I vividly remember my mom telling me...."you'll probably have flat feet for the rest of your life if you don't wear these shoes!".
Oh well, at least I wasn't knocked kneed or pigeon toed like my cousin!!!
Oye! Kids! I'm pretty sure I was a little *ring-tail-tooter* as my daddy used to say!

s

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Shelley
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Visit Kassie's Korner



Life deserves a treat now and again, but life also deserves being healthy[with required disipline] to make it worth living!

Yep-those sound like the same shoes-and phooey on them too! They hurt so bad-I'd take them off once out of Mom's range and walk barefoot to school. My parents were like yours-why drop such big bucks for shoes that your kid wasn't going to wear. Nasty cartoon shoes-.

Shell-Thanks for the heads up on the New Balance 1123's. While I can't say that I'm pain free with them, there is a noticeable difference. My ankles feel 100% better as they aren't free to roll around anymore. I've ordered some pretty heavy duty arch support/pads-so I'm sure that things are looking up. (Take that Mickey Mouse shoes!) Thanks.

Kat,
YW! And yay that you can tell a difference for the better!
I'll gladly pay extra when it comes to shoes if it means the old feet don't hurt. I mean, come on, if your feet hurt you're miserable all over(at least I am), and if the feet hurt and decide not to take you where you want to go, well, that's a bad news deal! LOL!
Here's hoping you get many comfortable miles out of those shoes!

s

__________________
^*^*^*^*
Shelley
^*^*^*^*

Visit Kassie's Korner



Life deserves a treat now and again, but life also deserves being healthy[with required disipline] to make it worth living!

Amen to that!