The Importance of Wearing Appropriate Shoes For You

We change people’s lives by giving them the confidence to achieve their goals of an active, mobile lifestyle without the use of pain medications or surgery.

NEWSLETTER EDITION 33

The Importance of Wearing Appropriate Shoes For You

I was recently asked by a nurse how I liked my sneakers because she was thinking about buying the same shoes. She liked how they looked.

Now if you know me by now, you know how much stress I put on buying shoes. I always say you can go around with holes in your underwear, but spend the money on a pair of good shoes that fit how you walk.

The feet are the first thing that hits the ground and then reverberates up the chain, so if the shoes are not fit for your biomechanical function then it puts you at risk for injury somewhere in your body.

So as I continued the conversation with the nurse I told her I actually did not like the shoes I was wearing, for me. The shoes were giving me Achilles tendonitis. The nurse asked me how I knew ( we won’t get into that) and that maybe then she won’t buy them. By the way, the shoes I was wearing were the current model of the shoe I had the previous year and I did not have issues with that shoe.

Well my foot is not her foot and I told her the way how I walk is different from how she walks and these shoes may very well be a good fit for her biomechanics.

This brings me back to the original statement: spend money on a pair of shoes that work with your mechanics.

You don’t want a pair of shoes that are the latest fad, or a pretty color, or on clearance at an outlet store. Should that shoe actually have these qualities and match your gait pattern – then congratulations!

I had a client who came to me for knee pain. I watched her walk without and with the shoes. The shoes she was wearing forced her feet to weightbear on the outside of her feet! No wonder she was having knee pain as it put stress on that joint. I was surprised she also didn’t have hip and low back pain, for that matter even foot pain as she was staying on the outsides of her feet.

As soon as she bought a pair that actually fit her mechanics, the pain was eliminated.

There are several things to consider when buying shoes:

1. Be sure someone is watching you walk without shoes and then with shoes they have chosen. Hopefully they are trained in what to look for in gait.

2. Think about what you are using the shoes for: are you standing all day, are you chasing children around, do you work where there are only hardwood or cement floors?

3. You can buy 2 of the same shoes, but realize that even if you don’t wear them all the time they still break down. So don’t leave 1 in the closet for next year. The technology wears away with time/environment/use.

4. Your feet can change in shape and size yearly. What may have worked 1 year does not work the next. Think about your weight, as an example, it fluctuates all the time.

5. If they fit well and feel good, ignore the color and price. In the end, you may pay a higher price for not buying a pair that fits you correctly. Sometimes getting the exact same shoe in a color more pleasing to you may not work out. I tried a pair of shoes on, exact same brand and model, in 2 different colors. One was purple, one of my favorite colors, and the other was neon orange and lime green. (Not my favorite.) The shoes felt very different and I bought the neon orange ones.

6. Lastly, buy a new pair every year! Please don’t save the old pair for gardening outside so you don’t dirty up your new pair. Think about it – you’re getting a new pair because the old has outlasted its effectiveness. So why wear them for hours on end outside on uneven terrain when you need the support most from a well fitted shoe. Instead here you can buy 2 pairs to wear one outside in the garden and the other one everywhere else.

So when you decide to finally dump your old shoes and get new ones, remember to go to a store where they are knowledgeable in gait, go with an open mind and try different brands/models as your feet may have changed as well as the technology in the shoe, and get something that fits well and does not give you pain anywhere in your body.

And please buy a new pair every year and ditch the old one!

Have questions about your gait and what you should look for in a shoe, contact us at 301-493-9257. Already injured and need a specialist to help you recover to get back to the activities you love, click here to schedule your Free 20 minute Discovery call to discuss how we can set you on your journey to being fully functional and mobile.

To Your Health,

Cynthia

P.S. If you are still not 100%, give us a call at 301-493-9257 to set up a time to discuss the health issues you are having and how we can help you.

PROGRAMS OFFERED AT WELLNESS REHABILITATION INC.

Looking for a healthy gift to give to yourself or loved ones?

We offer SAFE PILATES VIDEOS to work on in the comfort of your home. I have created 3 Pilates videos if you are not ready to join a class or can’t find a class that suits your time-frame or you need another day for a workout. These videos you can work on at home and at your own pace. Each exercise is explained thoroughly as to what it is accomplishing and what you should feel. Part I goes over the foundations of Pilates exercises. Part II uses foam rollers and Theraband or weights. Part III teaches more advanced Pilates skills.

Click here for more information on the safe Pilates videos and to watch the short clips.

INDIVIDUAL PILATES SESSIONS

Many clients feel that the work we have done in Physical Therapy was so effective that after discharge they want to continue the Pilates and strengthening work to continue improving their outcomes to prevent recurrences.

We offer 5 and 10 session individual packages of Pilates/strengthening.

Click here for more information on our individual Pilates sessions.

GROUP PILATES/EXERCISE CLASSES

These classes work on cardio, strengthening, and balance. Class size is limited to 6. They are offered on Wednesdays 12-1 in 5 class series only.

Click here for more information on our classes.

YEAR OF WELLNESS PACKAGE

We offer a Year of Wellness package for those who would like to have a monthly checkup of their home program to be sure the exercises are still valid and performed correctly or to address any other issues that may arise.

TELEHEALTH

We offer online Physical Therapy sessions. These are the same 1 hour sessions as in clinic. You still get the personal touch. Click here for more information on our telehealth sessions.

Interested in continuing the work we did or just want to get stronger or be sure you are still on the correct path towards your goals of a fully functional life, give us a call at 301-493-9257 to discuss how we can help you.

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A Physical Therapist’s specialty is in observing deviations in your movement patterns to find the root cause of the problem, then effectively treating it with individualized exercises to correct the problem. You will understand what the issue is that is causing the problem and be given effective exercises to do, thereby ensuring that how you move becomes permanent in your muscle memory.

Did you know that Maryland has Direct Access for physical therapy? That means you can see a Physical Therapist without seeing your physician first and getting a prescription. We can evaluate and treat you without a referral. Through the extensive evaluation, if we feel that other issues may be involved that may require you to see your physician, we will refer you back or recommend someone who is appropriate for you.

We invite you to ask about our Free Discovery Call and look forward to assisting you with anything you may need.

STILL NEED HELP? CALL TO DISCUSS YOUR ISSUES OR BOOK AN APPOINTMENT IF YOU ARE READY: 301-493-9257

This is for those who are still unsure if Physical Therapy is right for them. We offer a 100% Free 20 minute Discovery Call to answer all your questions and see if you are the right fit for our clinic. Space is limited. Call us at: 301-493-9257 or email us at cynthia@wellnessrehab.org

UPCOMING EVENTS:

In Person Pilates/Exercise class: 5 class series beginning mid-October 2024. Stay tuned for date and location! An email will be sent to announce the class.

Wellness Rehabilitation Inc.

10410 Kensington Parkway, Suite 11, Kensington, MD 20895
www.wellnessrehab.org
301-493-9257