I’ve been having significant pain in my right foot and back, and it’s made me look at my shoes for answers. I had worn one pair (Clarks) exclusively for about 8 weeks leading up to this current wave of discomfort.
My first thought was that I had found my Crocs pretty darn comfortable for the past couple years, until I lost one (from my backpack) on my bike ride home. I reluctantly headed to the Croc outlet. I wasn’t crazy about the “look” of them, and the holes weren’t great for winter wear. I picked up some rather normal looking Crocs and saw some immediate improvement. The soles are super cushy. However, they are summery (the name of the model is Santa Cruz) and the canvas is flimsy. I doubt they will last very long. And again, while they don’t have actual holes near the footbed, they are not shoes for wading through winter slush.
As I was looking for another option I found a rather puffy shoe that really caught my attention with claims that it could make you stronger, eliminate pain, and give you workout. It cracked me up how the video re-teaches you how to walk… apparently the theory behind the shoes is that they are a couple of “unstable platforms” so your legs and core muscles really work hard to keep you balanced. Maybe soon I’ll be lurching down the sidewalk in them, feeling healthy. Has anyone seen these out in the wild? I’m wondering how orthopedic they really look.
I have seen people walking in these, looking pretty normal. I wonder if they wouldhelp? I have friends who swearby Birkenstocks, after all these years. I have to have arch supports in whatever shoe I use, so Crocs are only good for around the house, not for long walking or standing. I’ll be interested to hear what works for you.