Tuesday, January 6, 2009

Are Crocs Good For Your Feet?

Are Crocs Good For Your Feet?

What's with these Crocs? If you are a shoe watcher like me, you may have noticed an interesting new trend. Crocs! They are a very interesting shoe that comes in almost every color and size. Everyone from toddlers to grandparents is cruising around in this flashy, foamy, footwear. You can even buy decorations for your crocs if getting them in hot pink is not enough. Though these appear very comfy, how do they rate for your feet?

There is actually a special line of Crocs for the medical profession, Crocs Rx. These are made with better material and have more support than the average Croc. They were especially designed for people with common foot ailments. They have a wide toe and firm support! These shoes are a great substitute for your slippers, garden shoes, or even your everyday shoes. They are made with deeper insole that allows for a comfortable fit with your orthotics. Crocs Rx are especially useful for diabetics because they have a wide toe and some have built-in antimicrobial properties. Crocs Rx can actually provide better support than some of your high end athletic shoes. Before you go out and buy your new pair of Crocs, make sure you are buying the Rx line. Crocs are only available through the medical community. You may find them at some pharmacies, and podiatric medical offices.

Always check with your podiatric physician to find out if this footwear is appropriate for your foot type. Like any shoe, it is not good to wear the same shoe every day. A major benefit of these shoes is its ability to fit comfortably with an orthotic insert. This is important because many people have these custom inserts but can not put them in any shoe besides their sneakers. You should be very selective with type of inserts you are putting into your shoes because no foot is created equal.

Your podiatric physician can also assist you in finding the correct orthotic device and can also make you a custom orthotic. These custom inserts are different than the over-the-counter ones. Custom inserts control the way you walk, thus aligning all the joints in the foot as well as the lower extremity. Over-the-counter inserts are just cushions and do not control your feet while you are walking. If all you need is a cushion, then the inserts found in stores might just be good enough for you.

So if you are looking for shoe that is convenient and fun, but do not want to sacrifice comfort, Crocs Rx may the new shoe for you! It's trendy and podiatrist approved!

Got The Ball of Foot Pain Blues?

I’ve got the ball of foot pain blues! I really do! I have had them for over a year now and it is time to come out and share with you all why things like this happen and what keeps me pain- free and happy!

Pain under the ball the foot is known as “Metatarsalgia” in the podiatry world. Where your pain is under the ball the foot makes a big difference on what your problem in particular could be. Mine happens to be underneath where my second toe, next to the big toe, attaches to the ball the foot. This seems to be a pretty common area. The reasons for things hurting in this area are either because you have toes that are bent (hammertoes) which put pressure under the ball the foot (not my problem); you have a lot of flexibility in the front part of the foot (the forefoot) which puts increased pressure under this area (not my problem); you have a bunion which makes your foot unstable, putting pressure under the ball the foot were the second toe attaches (not my problem); you have a whopper callus underneath the ball of the foot (not my problem); you have a fracture from some injury (not my problem) or you've done some pounding, hopping, or other “impact” type exercises for some time (BINGO for me!). But enough about why I got pain in this area and let's move on to why you could have pain in other areas under the ball the foot. Well, it just so happens that pain in any area under the ball of the foot can be caused by any of the above-mentioned reasons! And for the most part, every reason mentioned above, other than the direct impact or other injury, is because of the type of foot you were born with!

The good news is, you can go back to having a pain-free life like I have by seeing a podiatrist (how convenient for me)! My self-treatment was a concoction of a custom-made orthotic with padding in the right places, physical therapy and toning down the impact exercises for while. Oh, and no way on the high heels! Do not wait too long to have your foot checked out or the dreaded cortisone injection or, heaven forbid, surgery may be inevitable! I haven't had to go there in over a year now and I don't expect to anytime soon. In fact, now that I think about it, I haven't been singing the blues for while! Another reason why I love my profession!