Creature Comforts

When I signed on for Ad Sense, I knew that my blog would be "monitored" somewhat to determine good places to throw in ads that may get some response. With that in mind, I'm going to mention a few of the stores, websites and brands that have helped me survive day-to-day with these painful feet. 

ECCO: I suppose, first and foremost are my Ecco shoes. Ecco produced the first sandal that satisfied all my foot needs. Adjustable front, back and heels. They even had smooth soles I could walk on. For the first time in years, I not wearing tennis shoes all the time! I could wear my Ecco sandals with shorts, crop pants and skirts. Later, I even had the joy of a great pair of Ecco hiking boots. I literally wore the sole off of them. I've had Ecco tennis shoes and Ecco dress shoes. They were great. What can I say? My closet began to look pretty normal. Expensive? Yes. But so worth it!


ECCO athletic shoes are in a class all their own. At some point, I actually found great tennis shoes that I could wear - ECCOs. I must say that these are the shoes I wear most. Right now, I'm wearing my third or fourth pair and need new ones. But regardless of how great they are, the insole has to come out to make space for my Spencos. Read more to learn about my pain saving Spencos.

Fit-Flops: My latest love is for something called "FitFlops." Not to be confused with "flipflops." I can't wear anything between my toes. Absolutely nothing between the toes. Ever. But my FitFlops are suede clogs and, for me, they're about as  comfortable as shoes can get - for ME.


MBTs: These are uniquely designed shoes and I've had mixed results with them. The name "MBT" is for some kind of Indian Barefoot Technology. They come with a video that explains the design process and how they came to be. The soles are to designed to feel like walking on sand. The soles "roll" back and forth so that there is no weight on a particular part of your foot (for me, nerve centers) for long. I've had great luck with the sandals. The rolling action seems to take the pressure off the "nerve" spots in my feet.

Spenco Orthotics: Through the years, I've been through orthotics of every kind. Custom made, doctor built, memory foam - you name it. But I always return to my favorites, Spenco Cross Trainers. My favorite green cushy Spencos rule. I don't know what I would do with out them!  Many years ago, a young manager in a Footlocker asked me to try one shoe with the Spenco and one without. "Walk around the store. See which one feels the best."  Wow, I've thanked that girl ever since. I order my Spencos online or get them at the Academy. They're not expensive but I wear them all the time. I even use my older Spencos in my pool shoes for water aerobics. They're great. Spenco cushions make life easier! 


The Walking Store: I find it very difficult to buy shoes in stores.  The Walking Store is one of my favorite places to buy them online! In stores, if I try them on early in the morning, my feet don't hurt quite as much and there's no swelling. So I can easily be fooled into thinking I can wear shoes that I absolutely cannot wear. If I go late in the day or at night, my feet usually hurt so much, there is no shoe in the WORLD that looks good to me. At that time, the thought of buying shoes is unbearable. And watching girls try on 8-inch heels makes me want to puke! But sometimes I find a style and color I like, then I go home (in the comfort of my recliner) and look for them online. Once I "Google" the kind of shoes I'm looking for, I will likely find websites for the shoes I want. As I mentioned, The Walking Store is one of my favorites - online or in-store.

Foot Smart: I like Foot Smart because I get great catalogs. They deal with all the reasons people have foot problems and offer shoes or comfort items to help each problem. They have brands of shoes I like, as well as creature comforts for the foot problems I have. Foot Smart was developed for people like me. They cater to foot problems and carry shoes and other footwear that are helpful for people with foot problems. 

Returns and Exchanges: I mentioned that much of my footwear is purchased online. These companies are very good about returns and exchanges. I can usually find some pretty good bargains and REALLY shop without walking the malls. I can see all the styles and colors they have available, along with the price of each. Even the Spenco orthotics are easy to find and come with a nice guarantee.  I usually buy a couple of them at once because I wear them in most of my shoes. I even save my older ones to wear in my pool shoes. What? No water aerobics without good support on my feet!

Dr. Scholls: Lastly, you have to know that Dr. Scholls is, of course, a close friend. I get toe separators, callous cushions; you name it. When I know I'll be walking or on my feet a great deal, I pad them in all the spots that need protection. And it helps.


Just a Reminder: That even with all these great amenities, it still "feels like I'm walking on broken glass!"