The shoe review: From high heels to low flats, local podiatrists analyze footwear

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

By Robyn Gautschy ~ Flourish

Women have been told that sometimes they have to suffer for fashion. That is certainly true when it comes to shoes.Whether it's sky-high stilettos or the latest sandal trend, women's shoes are not often designed for function over fashion.
Local podiatrists give us the low-down on how our feet are affected by various styles of shoes.
Furry boots

(Kristin Eberts)

How they affect your feet: "They're very comfortable and warm, but there's not much support in them," says Dr. Hugh Protzel, podiatrist at Foot and Ankle Centers of Southeast Missouri. Wearing these popular boots may lead to heel pain, foot aches and arch pain, especially if you have flat feet. "I wouldn't go for a long walk in them," says Protzel.As for the furry lining, doctors don't see any relationship between the material and foot fungus.
"If someone already has a problem with excessive foot sweating, they could have a problem with foot fungus. But for the average person, there shouldn't be any kind of issue," says Dr. Robert Daugherty of Advance Foot & Ankle Center.
How to find a good pair: You may want to get a prescription insert for added support, says Protzel.
Flip flops

How they affect your feet: Flip flops are a good way to protect your feet when you're hanging out at the pool, says Protzel, but if you plan on going for any length of walk, they offer no support. "They don't allow for the proper gait cycle your foot should go thorough with each step," he adds. Protzel's flip flop-wearing patients have problems with heel pain and tendinitis.How to find a good pair: Look for sturdier sandals. Protzel says Birkenstocks offer very good support.
Stilettos

(Kristin Eberts)

How they affect your feet: "The visual, aesthetic things going on are nice, but functionally, they are potentially deforming," says Dr. Zenon Duda, podiatrist at Cape Foot Clinic. Stilettos alter the way the head and shoulders sit, increase the arch in the back, relax the calf muscles and cause the chest to protrude. As a result, you place excessive pressure on the balls of the feet, take unnaturally short steps, and struggle to maintain stability. With long-term wear, you're likely to see hammertoes, bunions, corns and red spots. Pointy-toed heels will eventually mold your feet into a triangular shape.How to find a good pair: If you must wear stilettos, look for a pair made of soft leather and with not many stitches -- these will be more flexible and protective than heels made of man-made materials. Duda suggests wearing them in short bursts, with time in between for the feet to breathe and stretch.
Flats

(Kristin Eberts)

How they affect your feet: "Most don't have any cushion or support, but then again, they don't cause any problems because they're nice and wide and are often made of soft leather," says Dr. James Main, podiatrist in Cape Girardeau. "Other than if you have a problem where you need cushion or additional support, these are probably not too bad. They're better than heels or pointy shoes." Daugherty thinks most women without foot problems can get by wearing flats, but he worries about the long-term effects. "If you wear them excessively over time, you might wind up with some problems. They have no support, especially for the arches, and people that stand a lot with their jobs will probably have some pain," he says.How to find a good pair: Look for flats with enough room for an insert -- that way, you at least have some type of arch support, said Daugherty.
Wedges

(Kristin Eberts)

How they affect your feet: "They're a good way to hurt your ankles," said Dr. James Main, podiatrist in Cape Girardeau. "Anytime you wear a heel, you shift your body weight forward to the front of the foot, and you're inherently unstable." Like heels, wedges place more weight on the front part of the foot, which can cause knee and lower back problems, says Main. Wedges usually have no support on the sides, making it easier to lose balance and topple over. "On a wedge, the weight is at least spread out over the heel," he concedes.How to find a good pair: "A woman should go with the very lowest heel height that she can go with. The lower the better," says Main. Many wedges have a rubberized or corklike bottom, which Main believes may add more support than a hard material.
Platform heels

(Kristin Eberts)

How they affect your feet: Platforms are better than stilettos, but still, "Any kind of shoe that puts abnormal stresses on the balls of foot can cause problems," said Daugherty. "Occasional wear is not a big deal, but this is definitely a shoe that I don't recommend."How to find a good pair: A stable bottom should be the No. 1 concern, says Daugherty. Wood bottoms are probably more stable and will last longer.

© Copyright 2011 Southeast Missourian. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Bunions take toll on life Read more at: http://doctor.ndtv.com/storypage/ndtv/id/5039/Bunions_take_toll_on_life.html?pfrom=home-DoctorNDTV&cp

Arthritis Care & Research,
March 2011

Bunions, a common but painful deformity of the foot, are more likely to develop in older people and women. And the more severe the bunion, the more likely the person is to have pain in other parts of the body, leading to declines in both general and foot-specific health-related quality of life.

A bunion (also called hallux valgus) is a common foot condition that is caused when the big toe bends in towards the smaller toes. This condition develops over time and is accompanied by a painful soft tissue and boney protrusion, commonly known as a bunion. As the deformity progresses the lateral displacement of the hallux (big toe) begins to interfere with normal alignment and function of the smaller toes, leading to further deformities such as hammer toe or claw toe, altered weight-bearing patterns, and the development of corns and calluses. Family history, wearing high heeled shoes or shoes that are too narrow and flat footedness have all been suggested to contribute to the development of bunions.

Researchers collected data from 2,831 people, aged 56 years and older, who were taking part in an osteoarthritis research project in the United Kingdom. They examined the prevalence of and factors associated with hallux valgus, and assessed the severity of deformity on general and foot-specific health-related quality of life. The team established five severity grades of hallux valgus, corresponding to the angle of deformity of 0, 15, 30, 45, and 60 degrees, with one representing no angle and five indicating the most severe deformity.

It was found that just over one-third of the participants had some degree of bunion, with a greater prevalence among women and older people. Pain in other parts of the body beyond the foot was associated with increased bunion severity. Individuals with bunion had greater impairment and in those who reported foot pain in the past 12 months, those with bunion deformity had a higher score in both the pain and function subscales. The impact of increasing hallux valgus severity on health-related quality of life was independent of age, sex, education, BMI, and pain in other regions, and extended beyond pain and physical function to affect general health, vitality, social function, and mental health.

The study concluded that hallux valgus was a significant and disabling musculoskeletal condition that affects overall quality of life. Interventions to correct or slow the progression of the deformity offer patients beneficial outcomes that extend beyond merely localized pain relief.

Read more at:http://doctor.ndtv.com/storypage/ndtv/id/5039/Bunions_take_toll_on_life.html?pfrom=home-DoctorNDTV&cp

Model Falls at Christian Siriano Fall 2011 Fashion Week

by StyleList Staff (Subscribe to StyleList Staff's posts) 
Posted Feb 11th 2011 at 12:54PM  





Lord knows, we love us some big, aggressive shoes. High heels, platforms, over-the-knee boots -- bring it on. But sometimes there can be too much of a good thing.

As was the case at Christian Siriano's otherwise fabulous show Thursday for Fashion Week. Several models tripped on their big, platform stillettos, one fell and one had to finish the show halfway unshod.

And these are women who walk for a living!

AP

Siriano usually does some version of the shoes he shows at Fashion Week for his line at Payless. We beg you, C.S.: Don't make us mere mortals suffer this much for beauty. Even if a woman is wearing a dress as lovely as your chiffon, three-D floral numbers, the look falls apart when she walks ungracefully or she trips.

So keep the cool metalwork and the lovely colors. Keep the concept. Lose some height. Just a wee bit will do.

StyleList readers: What do you say? What's the highest heel you'll wear? Have any tumble stories you care to share?

For more on Christian Siriano take a look at this video of Karen Duffy's preshow interview with the designer!

Names You Need to Know in 2011: FiveFingers

Image via Wikipedia

Here’s something you need to know about: Could we be seeing the beginning of the end of the modern running shoe? A growing legion of runners and recreational joggers—I am one—backed by a rising number of physiologists, believe that running shoes do more harm than good for millions of people. With their inflexibility, cushioning, and raised heels, they almost force you to crash down on your heel and send the impact of all your weight in every step straight into your knees and hips.  That’s not how our bodies were designed to work, and it does terrible harm. 

Millions of years of evolution gave us a much springier way of running, which begins with our coming down on the front of our foot, a little like when you run in place.  You necessarily run that way when you run barefoot, because hitting with your heel would be unbearably painful.  But who is going to run barefoot in the modern world?

Enter FiveFingers, a line of shoes by the Italian company Vibram that are really gloves for the feet, with minimal protection and a finger for each toe. They look like the feet part of a gorilla costume, and they feel almost like being barefoot. They have grown a cult of devotees over the past few years, and they’re starting to go mainstream. You see them on more and more runners, and the stores that sell them can’t keep them in stock. The running shoe industry has begun trying to figure out how to either beat them or join them, and they and other new minimalist shoes are the subject of a long article in the November 2010 issue of Runner’s World.

I’m a believer.  I became one after seeing the wacky-looking things on someone, asking about them, learning more online, and deciding to spend the $85 to try out a pair of FiveFingers KSOs (a model that covers the top of the foot and “Keeps Stuff Out”).  I feel freer, faster, lighter on my feet, and my knees and hips don’t hurt anywhere near the way they used to. Pronation and plantar fascitis seem to disappear when you start using your feet the way they were designed to be used.

You have to adapt to barefoot or FiveFingers running very carefully and slowly. Much of the impact that used to shoot into your knees and hips now gets absorbed by your calf muscles. Those muscles will get very sore at first and then very strong. You have to wake up muscles all over your feet that you haven’t been using. You have to toughen the bottoms of your feet.  You can get blisters—I wear five-fingered socks to prevent that. But I’m loving running more than in many years. I feel throughout my body that I’m doing something right that I always used to do wrong. If my experience and that of thousands of others is any guide, the FiveFingers phenomenon can only grow and spread. The age of the modern running shoe that began in the 1970s with Phil Knight and Nike could just possibly begin to enter its twilight.

Ankle Boots

What to Wear with Ankle Boots

By Desiree Stimpert, About.com Guide

In all honesty, ankle boots are probably my least favorite style of women's footwear.

It's not that I dislike ankle boots for what they are, it's more that I dislike how they're worn -- which is often in the most unflattering way possible.

I blame the media. Okay, that's a cop out, and technically, I am part of the media, so I guess that statement needs a little clarification.

What I mean to say is that what we see on the runways and in fashion magazines does not always translate well for our own bodies and lives.

For example, ankle boots with cropped leggings or shorter tights is a definite "don't" for women who have shapely calves. Even women who are on the thin side have to be careful as the combination seems to chop inches off your height while adding bulk to your legs.

So what should you wear with ankle boots? I'm so glad you asked. Here are a few of my favorite combinations.

Ankle Boots with Long Skirts

Whether they're flat or heeled, ankle boots and long skirts are a classic combination. While I personally prefer to pair them with a long skirt that is on the fuller side, I've also seen ankle boots paired fairly successfully with long skirts that are more narrow. Whichever style you prefer, the key is to show no leg. If the skirt isn't long enough to cover the top of the ankle boot on its own, add a pair of tights.

Short Skirts and Ankle Boots

This look is definitely a little more difficult to pull off, because a lot of women don't like their legs. But it works well because instead of showing no leg, you're showing a lot of leg -- the real trouble comes in when you only show a little leg. Look for skirts that are a couple of inches above the knee or shorter and skip anything that's too full, lest your outfit start to like a figure skating costume.

The Best Pants for Ankle Boots

This one is nearly a no-brainer -- ankle boots work with any kind of pants. The advantage to wearing them over shoes or taller boots is that you get ankle coverage without the bulk of a knee-high boot. But -- and this is a big "but" -- the only pants that work well tucked into ankle boots are very tight ones. Wide-legged pants tucked into short boots create a very unflattering balloon effect.

Ankle Boots with Leggings or Tights

I mentioned before that cropped leggings don't work well with ankle boots. Long leggings or tights however, look great -- assuming of course, that leggings look good on you in the first place. If they don't, pairing them with ankle boots isn't going to make the situation any better.

Clothes to Avoid Wearing with Ankle Boots

• Cropped Pants
• Cropped Tights
• Mid-Length Skirts with Bare Legs
• Pencil Skirts
• Shorts
• Capris

Shoes Good Enough to Eat

Crisp waferlike textures bejeweled with beads of fruit combine to create beautiful layers of puff pastry in the form of two mille-feuilles. But these Mille feuille are not the kind you eat: You wear them on your feet. Yes, this is just one of the many pairs of shoes among the works on display at a fun exhibition of Chiho Akama's podiatric creations.

Chiho Akama's Edible Shoe Creations

Shoes? Shoes...Still, Shoes! is a showcase of her sometimes scrumptious footwear, themed on everything from sushi to insects. The event lends a fun, pleasant atmosphere to Pola Museum Annex in Ginza, Tokyo, where a selection of her works are currently on show. Each of the shoes uses original fabrics and other materials to re-create a variety of objects, ranging from grasshoppers and beetles to ikura, Christmas cakes, and roasted chicken.

Source: Kumi Matsumaru, Daily Yomiuri  via AP [12/17/10]

Beach shoes combine high heels and flippers

Known as High Tide Heels, they combine the elegance of stiletto heels with the swimming speed of flippers.

They could provide a fashionable alternative for sun-seekers who don't want the hassle of changing footwear every time they cool off with dip in the sea.

But don't expect to see thousands of tourists ditching their flip flops and sandals in favour of High Tide Heels this year.

The shoes were created by the Belgian artist Paul Schietekat for an exhibition in 2006, and there are not thought to be any plans to release them commercially.

Even so, similar designs are causing excitement among style-conscious travellers on shoe websites.