I took advice from a previous shoe thread and went to The Walking Company today. I was under the impression they carried a wide variety of brands of shoes, but my salesman was laser-focused on the Abeo brand. Is that their own house brand? He overwhelmed me with his sales pitch, including that research was done at Stanford to prove the benefits of the Abeo design.
Abeo shoe wearers, were you able to adjust to the strange way they designed the insole? It has the arch support rise in the rear part of the shoe so your heel is going up and down with each step, and supposedly it helps you walk in a more healthy way that takes pressure off your knee, and is supposedly better for people with arthritic knees. I walked around the store a good bit, and it just had me feeling so off balance and uncomfortable, with my heel coming up and going back down, separate from the shoe itself. (Does that even make sense? Please, Abeo shoe wearers, help me out here.)
I finally got him to bring me a Taos and a couple of Rockports, but he kept making negative comments about the non-Abeo shoes. I ended up leaving without buying anything. But I really need to buy a shoe I can stand in at a work event for 2-3 hours at a time. Salesman mentioned it might take a couple of weeks to get used to the new walk of walking in the Abeo, and my next event is early March, so I am nervous.
I went to the barkingdogshoes.com website, and it seems like there is a “Best shoe” for each and every type of foot/ankle/knee problem. I have heel spurs and arthritic knees. I sometimes have to use a cane, and am in need of a partial knee replacement. I currently wear tennis shoes 95% of the time, and that seems to take care of my heel spurs. But I wonder if I could help my knees by the kind of shoe I purchase?
I am fine with a Mary Jane type low or no heel, I just need a black closed toe shoe with a good size toebox that will go with black casual dress pants.
I am a Podiatric Surgeon. I do not send my patients to this company since they will push products you don’t need. Most likely an incentive manufacture sale to give bonuses back to the store. If you didn’t feel stable then don’t buy it.
Without knowing about your foot type etc hard to recommend but Rockport is fine. Try also a shoe company called https://www.propetusa.com/
Look at the stretchable styles if you have deformity and arthritis.
Never buy a shoe that “feels weird.” I’ve sold shoes and also bought many shoes that didn’t feel quite right. Those shoes eventually all got donated as they didn’t improve.
Some if those shoes were very expensive (Viotic, I’m talking about you), and some wrecked my feet and required me to wear custom orthotics and oxfords for several years in college — quite the fashionista.
I hate stores that push a particular product irrespective of customer needs. Good luck! H and I both love SAS, San Antonio Shie Company. They make comfortable walking shoes, but it depends on YOU and your feet. .
I’m home most of the day and bought a pair of Vionic slippers; they’ve made a huge difference in reducing foot and leg pain. I wish I’d done it years ago.
Thanks Knowstuff. I dislike this company as they are trying to sell their arch support system.
I did finally find one SAS shoe that works for me. Funny story is that 20 years ago I wrote a letter to that company telling them that they needed to make decent likable looking shoes. I received a letter back from the owners explaining that their footbed did not allow for modern shoes. I was in my 40’s and their average buyer was no doubt over 80, LOL.
Fast forward–the owners died and their kids took over. The SAS has come down in price and up up up in style. and now I am 68…
Also, Zappoes carries them.
I love Abeo sandals! They are my favorite, I have not worn their shoes, there are different types of foot soles for those that need an orthodic footbed. Did they not tell you that? There is neutral, metatarsal, and something else. You had a bad salesperson. The ones in my store just get my shoes, never push anything. Did they have you walk across that machine to see what kind of arch you have? If the shoe is uncomfortable in any way, you shouldn’t buy it.
@Knowsstuff, it’s been a year since my bunion surgery. Really, the bone was more bulbous on top, so that was fixed along with a spur taken off. The top of my foot has been hurting, sore, like tendinitis, and a shoe touching it was sore. (This has not been in the surgical sight and X-ray is fine). My doc put me on meloxicam for a month and that has really helped, although not totally gone, but close. He mentioned shock wave therapy as a next step if I’m still bothered by it. Have you ever done that and what are your thoughts?
I was in the lead group for high energy shock wave in 2001.Was among the first 10 doctors trained in it outside the fda study so yes, I know a little about it) :. What people are using now is low energy shockwave. If you had a bunion bump on the top of the big toe joint and not the side then this was most likely an arthritic joint vs a bunion. If your pain is tendonitis vs bone plain old ice, anti-inflammatory meds, rest. Then maybe physical therapy. If he has success with Shockwave for this then maybe but it wouldn’t be my first go to.
You know…shoes are very person specific. While some here love Merrill or Dansko shoes, I find it depends on the style.
I do not buy shoes that feel funny in the store. If they feel funny in the store, they probably will continue to feel funny forever, and you won’t wear them…OR they will feel funny enough that you won’t wear them to break them in enough.
Frankly, there are tons of shoes that don’t need “breaking in” or getting used to. Find ones that work for you @powercropper
@Knowsstuff , thank you! Actually I started physical therapy after surgery and then about 6 weeks in got tendinitis on the top of my foot and had to stop, wear my boot for a week and I quit PT. Things were progressing well enough through the year, but I was giving it that one year healing. Then a few months ago it starting hurting again, it was very sensitive and I couldn’t walk on the treadmill. Anyway, there is still some swelling around the surgical site and he said sometimes that never goes away. The X-ray showed nothing wrong with my foot, that’s why he first prescribed the anti-inflammatory…which has worked. Yesterday was my last day taking it. I’m still not 100%, but so much better. My fingers are crossed I don’t regress, but if I do he says that’s the next step. Do you think the shock therapy might work?
Xray won’t show tendon pathology. Get a diagnostic ultrasound of the tendon in question or an mri. I can go further into this but this is now hijacking this thread and not relevant to it. Pm me if further questions. Thx.
I automatically walk out of any hard sell situation, sometimes because I can’t think straight and sometimes out of spite.You don’t listen, you don’t get my business.
Also, if the shoes don’t feel like a sweet lullaby in the store, I don’t want to own them. Shoes you have to “break in” are really breaking you in.
Pro tip :buy shoes at the end of the day. That is your most swollen state. Even if you think you don’t swell
Also only buy shoes that feel comfortable right away. We are not back in the 70’s that you have to “break in” shoes for the most part. If you have to have a shoe but it pinches you… Take it to a shoe cobbler so they can get the pinch out.
My job requires me to stand all day for 3 days straight as I teach software classes. I work on different college campuses, so I also have to do a lot of walking (plus walking in airports) so comfortable shoes are REALLY important to me. I have wide feet.
This is currently my go-to pair from Earth Origins:
If the shoes don’t feel comfortable immediately when I try them on, then in my experience, they’re not going to feel comfortable later.
I also have had good luck with Naturalizer, Clarks, and Easy Spirit. I have gone to the Walking Company, but haven’t been able to find the wide widths I need carried in stock.
Anyone have any recs for shoes with a wide toe box? I have a bunion on my right foot, and also a Haglund deformity that probably needs surgery, but I’d rather put that off a little while longer. I was always an 8AA, but now find I need an 8.5 to accommodate the Haglund deformity and a wide toe box for the bunion.
Thx to all for responding. @Knowsstuff are you familiar with the Stanford research that Walking Company has used to promote their Abeo line? In theory, they are saying that allowing the heel to move up and down naturally is going to ease the pressure on the knee so the asteoarthritis is slowed down. Any truth to that?
I knew going into the store that I wasn’t buying shoes that day. I always have a hard time making a decision, and knowing I need a much better shoe, the higher cost makes me even more cautious. But their hard sell was unexpected, since so many posters had recommended this store.
I would have to look it up. Lots of theories out there but the only shoe that is good is the one that fits comfortably. Remember that. I am driving to Detroit since my mother fell and broke her pelvis so I will look at this much later etc. Also price has little to do with what is /isn’t a good shoe. Also for every study you show me I am sure I can find a counter study. I am currently doing a review of a study for a major foot /ankle publication of someone’s research. I get to comment and give my views of it. Fun Stuff.) :
@massmomm - I have a wide toe box as does my DD. For sneakers, my favorite is Brooks. For regular shoes, I’ve had good luck with Merrill’s, Keens, and Dansko clogs. Clarks makes my go to sandals and heels.
and now I am 68…