A quote from my most recent blog, “Foot Arthritis” (1/24/11), states, “To a person with arthritis in their feet, ‘shoe’ is a four-letter word.”
Do you agree?
I have never experienced the high people get when shopping for shoes. Nor have I been excited, thrilled or found joy in the act of sticking my foot into a cramped space then bearing weight for hours on end, feeling confident that my shoes complete the look.
It’s an accepted fact in my world – my feet are far from stylish. And when it comes to choosing shoes, I’m the model for ‘fashion faux pas!’
My hero is the shoe designer who combined wide widths with Velcro straps in a variety of colors! Although personally I am not a fan of socks with sandals*, I can appreciate the comfort of wearing them together. As a person with deformed, gnarly feet, foot comfort trumps every law of fashion!
In a comment on my blog, “National and State Parks” (6/15/09), Lauren was planning a trip to Yellowstone National Park and asked what kind of shoes I wore while hiking in the Great Smokey Mountains. My answer from that hike was sandals with adjustable Velcro straps near the toes, midsection and ankles. For me, the option to adjust the fit on either foot according to my needs at any given time is gold and well worth the investment!
Hiking is one activity I still enjoy and am able to do (as long as the path is cleared, free from steep inclines and declines, non-vigorous and short ☺). And chances are, whatever I’m wearing in the woods, whether it’s sandals, ankle boots or athletic shoes, I’ll wear one of the same with a dress in a fancy restaurant on date night. As I stated above, foot comfort rules!
Are your feet in trouble? Have you had foot surgery? Do you have painful, sensitive feet as a result of arthritis or another degenerative disease? What shoes or inserts would you recommend?
*My personal grudge of wearing socks with sandals has nothing to do with the look, comfort or style. It’s a lack of courtesy that dates back to my wedding day – and quite possibly a future blog.
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