shoes for troubled feet

[campanula]

Even worse than my teeth, my feet cause me almost continual mortification - awful circulation, corns, a bizarre bone failing (my toes don't bend), ingrowing toenails, heel spurs...the whole dire show. Footwear is...problematic...even more so now I can no longer wear my Meindl boots (the bone thing). Birkenstocks proved to be good for ingrowing toenails and bunions...but hopeless for the intractable corn. Nonetheless, I had thought my foot needs were covered as I have been wearing the same 2 pairs for years...and I am so bored with brown or black dinnerplates on my feet. So, I need to find soft, but sturdy, wide shoes which are OK with an orthotic...so high on the foot...and something other than brown. So far, I have looked at Duckfeet but they are not cheap and I have doubts about durability...but basically, I hate shopping and especially hate shopping for footwear...but am really clueless where to begin. Not trainers of any type though. Or mixed materials. Or loads of irrelevant stitching. Or pointy toes.

I have finally been driven to go to the GP as I am also fed up of home surgery also.

 

[Boudicca]

Do you have a Pavers anywhere near you campanula? I buy all my shoes there, these days. They do wide fit shoes, skechers and also a few loud and glorious Italian shoes.

Marks & Spencers Footglove range also.

 

[weepiper]

Solidarity. I've got a really bad bunion/hallux valgus deformity on one foot and I'm pretty much unable to wear anything except skate type trainers these days.

 

[Mumbles274]

If trainers are OK, why not where them? Your post implies trainers arent a problem but for other reasons you chose not to wear them? Maybe i read it wrong?

 

[8ball]

 

[spanglechick]

Every physio I've ever met has been a trainers-cheerleader. But... I can't. Anyway, I wear las chocalticas / hcd Mary-Janes, which would be perfect for you, but for their not being allweather.

 

[bellaozzydog]

Even worse than my teeth, my feet cause me almost continual mortification - awful circulation, corns, a bizarre bone failing (my toes don't bend), ingrowing toenails, heel spurs...the whole dire show. Footwear is...problematic...even more so now I can no longer wear my Meindl boots (the bone thing). Birkenstocks proved to be good for ingrowing toenails and bunions...but hopeless for the intractable corn. Nonetheless, I had thought my foot needs were covered as I have been wearing the same 2 pairs for years...and I am so bored with brown or black dinnerplates on my feet. So, I need to find soft, but sturdy, wide shoes which are OK with an orthotic...so high on the foot...and something other than brown. So far, I have looked at Duckfeet but they are not cheap and I have doubts about durability...but basically, I hate shopping and especially hate shopping for footwear...but am really clueless where to begin. Not trainers of any type though. Or mixed materials. Or loads of irrelevant stitching. Or pointy toes.

I have finally been driven to go to the GP as I am also fed up of home surgery also.

Amputation?

 

[Baronage-Phase]

I've tried all sorts of shoes because of foot problems. My muscle condition messed up certain joints especially in my feet...well...other muscles recovered but the little muscles and ligaments and tendons in my toes didn't cope well..so I have twisted toes and two hammer toes...and bunions plus corns plus calluses ...
Things came to a head with plantar fasciitis and Achilles tendinitis.
Any inflammatory condition worth having has visited me.. fuckers.

Anyway.
Shoes. Big issue.
Birkenstocks are great but if you've got Achilles tendinitis they can bother it a bit...
Doc Martens are fantastic but again you've got to make sure you're happy with the width of the toe and buy bigger if you need to put in any kind of insole or insert.

What has surprised me is that the most comfortable footwear of all are trainers. Sorry but you can't beat them ... they really are excellent. But if you have to wear shoes for work and need to wear a dress or skirt then the doc martens Mary Jane style are good.

I had a pair of Hotter shoes with soft spongy insoles that lasted me a few years for work.

The other shoes that were comfortable (as in nothing was hitting or pressing any sore bits) were ugg boots. They are absolutely not recommended by foot people but I found them fantastic for work. Not for walking though so I always had trainers or docs for walking.

Recently discovered Good For The Sole shoes. They're ok...for about 5 or 6 hrs.

Not sure that's any help? I think trial and error is best bet.. as some will work for some people but not everyone

 

[izz]

Do you have a Pavers anywhere near you campanula? I buy all my shoes there, these days. They do wide fit shoes, skechers and also a few loud and glorious Italian shoes.

Marks & Spencers Footglove range also.

I thought Pavers was boring Boudicca but 'loud and glorious Italian shoes' caught my eye - and some of the boots are almost kinky !

 

[campanula]

Um, I am not set alight by either Pavers or Hotter (soz, Boudicca, Pippin Took) - not quite throwing in the towel just yet, slipping into middle aged dreariness. Doc's...well, I fell out of love with them some decades ago...when the quality seemed to vanish overnight. As for trainers...well, just no. Not ever. The only 2 clothing principles I have held to, my entire life - no jeans, no trainers. Useless in bad weather, useless for digging, useless with every other item in my wardrobe. Would wear the orthopaedic blodgers of my childhood with more enthusiasm than (shudder) trainers.
Tried on some beautiful green Think shoes...but at £160, I would be too frightened to wear them - I already have a pair of Birkies I only allow myself to wear on special occasions.
Years ago, I used to make my own shoes - cowhide soles with a hand sown (saddle stitch) welt - The Duckfeet shoes were an almost exact match so I am feeling a tad resentful at spending well over £100 for something so structurally simple. In short, I cycled home empty handed and am sitting here in my slippers...although I do need support from my shoes on the soles and around my ankles (Uggs would be fine for lolling about but hopeless for walking in.
I did notice some Clarkes 'Happy Dream' which reprised the grim Nature Trek of the late 70s. Hideous though they were, I had an extra large pair, bought during a particular chilblain ridden winter. True, I was mocled and ridiculed...but my feet were encased in layers of wool and huge leather flaps...the chilblains vanished almost overnight so I vaguely thought why not? But then recalled Clarke's awful quality control of the past 20 years and binned that idea also.
Think this might be a long and frustrating search.

Yep, bellaozzydog, have often thought amputation would be simpler.

 

[Saffy]

Have you looked at ecco shoes?

 

[campanula]

Have you looked at ecco shoes?

I have Saffy...but never really liked them because they always have those (practically ubiquitous) rubbery moulded soles...which don't stand up to even an hour of pressing on a spade. Really need proper leather soles...but will take a punt on crepe as I used to wear crepe soled shoes a lot back in the distant past.

 

[Baronage-Phase]

Have you tried Good For The Sole?
They're quite comfortable
And have wide fit.
Plus some padding inside.

 

[ShiftyBagLady]

I have troubled feet, well they're fucking beleaguered to be honest with you (won't bore you with details), finding shoes has been a life long struggle for me. Trainers can be alright but they don't have the structural support I need and I'm supposed to wear a little heel of some sort so they're not ideal.
The best shoes I have found at are Ugg boots. Not the soft sheepskin ones but the leather boots (ankle boots for me as I don't like their knee highs). They've helped enormously but what I really need are new feet

 

[8115]

My top recommendations for shoes are Fly boots although I'm not sure about the new ones, the old design called Seti are really comfortable and are still kicking around in Amazon and EBay. Also Toms slip ons are very comfortable. This is speaking as someone who doesn't have foot problems but does spend a lot of time on their feet and likes comfortable shoes. Neither will do as proper work boots though.

A question - have you seen a podiatrist? It really does sound like you are suffering and I just wondered if you're getting all the help you need. I would imagine a GP referral is the way to access one.

 

[campanula]

Yep, waiting on a referral to the podiatrist (the GP was a bit shocked at my limpy state). My daughter swears by Fly (but that wedge thing they all seem to have!!!)
Anyway, bought some red Joseph Siebel lace up Oxfords off Ebay. Wearable (with insoles) and I like them - looks like my feet are smiling up at me, if you know what I mean.

 

[kebabking]

If you can find your way clear to visiting Richmond in North Yorkshire, Alt-berg are based there, and will build a shoe/boot around your feet.

They've had the contract to supply boots for the misshapen plates of soldiers for 30-odd years, the have lots of experience, and they produce fantastic quality stuff...

 

[campanula]

If you can find your way clear to visiting Richmond in North Yorkshire, Alt-berg are based there, and will build a shoe/boot around your feet.

They've had the contract to supply boots for the misshapen plates of soldiers for 30-odd years, the have lots of experience, and they produce fantastic quality stuff...

Um, if I wasn't so perpetually broke, I would definitely consider custom-made shoes as worthwhile. More than happy to spend largish amounts of cash on a quality item if it means I don't have to shop again for years (my winter coat is nearly 50 years old)...and my workboots cost an eye-watering amount (was working more then) but at over 5 years old, I am still miffed that I could get at least another 2-3 years if my bloody feet co-operated. I will have to work in my Birkies...or De Walt rigger boots which are enormous - big enough to fit a rechargeable heated insole in...assuming I can actually get my feet in them. Too embarrassed to say what I paid for heated things (winter desperation).
Hugs, ShiftyBagLady - my feet have been well dodgy all my life so, solidarity sympathy.

 

[Sapphireblue]

I had some awesome Fly boots a couple of years ago, loved them. and then they completely fell apart in less than a year (seams went and leaked massively) and the cobbler said they weren't fixable, he tried to seal the gaps but it wouldn't hold and still leaked. i don't like the current wedge trend either but every now and then i consider getting some more despite the outcome of the last pair because i really did love them.

 

[8115]

I've had 2 pairs of Fly boots, they both lasted about a year and a half but that was basically wearing them every day and that's what I usually get out of boots, if that.

Those Josef Siebels look gorgeous. I'm sitting on my hands.