Asics and Saucony are the two brand of walking sneakers, (in-comparison to others we have tried), which have provided us with support, stability and comfort. Both of these retailers offer sneaker that provide fantastic flexibility and stability. And, can be tailored to fit your foot type by simply going to their website and putting in your personal specifications.
It is important to find out which kind of shoe you need. And to do that, you’ll need to know what kind of feet you have. Two pieces of information are necessary to find the perfect pair for you.
You’ll need to know what kind of arch your fee have (normal, flat or high) and what level of pronation you have (normal, under or over). With this information, you can select a shoe that will provide maximum comfort and minimize or eliminate injury. Posture is always an issue for individuals dealing with chronic pelvic pain issues so it is important not to make matter worse by wearing the wrong shoes.
Here are some easy tests to help determine the best walking shoes for your feet:
To Determine your arch type all you’ll need is a piece of colored paper, a brown paper bag or cardboard. Get one foot wet and stand on the paper. Take a look at the imprint your foot leaves.
Normal – Your imprint will show most of your foot and you’ll notice a large band on the outside of your foot imprint, connecting the ball of your foot to your heel.
If you have a normal size arch and the most common foot type. Also known as a normal pronator, which means your foot, collapses inward slightly to help absorb shock. In most cases a person with normal or neutral feet can wear most any shoe but not in the case of an IC patient. You should wear a shoe that provides your arch with stability.
Flat – If you can see nearly the entire imprint of your foot, it means you a low arch, or flat feet. This is common for those weighing over 165 pounds. Also known as an overpronator, your feet roll excessively inward when they land, which can cause pain in your knees and shins.
A person with flat needs both stability and support.
High Arched Feet – If your imprint shows a thin band on the outside of your foot connecting your ball to your heel, you have high arches, the least common foot type.
Most likely, you’re an underpronator or supinator, meaning your feet tend to roll outward as they land and you can develop problems with your knees if you don't wear the right shoes to help with this issue. And, you should wear a shoe that provides stability, support and flexibility.
When looking for your perfect pair, look for the following qualities.
Flexibility. Look for a flexible forefoot that bends at the ball of the foot.
Try to bend the shoe at the ball of the foot. To test the flexion stability, apply pressure to both ends of the shoe with the palms of your hands. It should bend around the ball of the shoe, but not at the arch.
Heel Cushion. A walker’s heel strikes the ground the hardest (runner’s strike the middle of the foot hardest), which requires good cushioning and support of the natural heel-to-toe roll. Give the heel a good press. It should have some “give”, but shouldn’t bend in all the way under the pressure of your fingers.
Toe Box. A roomy toe box is essential so the toes can spread during the pushoff (using your toes to push off to the next step).
Upper Materials. Breathable materials such as mesh or leather are best as they will allow air to flow to your feet. Width. Shoes that are too narrow or wide can cause blisters and calluses. Ouch!
When trying on the shoe, place your fingers around the widest part of your foot. Is there a lot of extra material there? That means the shoe is too wide. Is it uncomfortable and tight in that area? That means it’s too tight.
Examples:
· Tom has a flat foot, wide and his foot rolls inward and flattens (pronates) and creates lower back, hip, pelvic and knee pain.
- · The two pairs of walking sneakers that are best for his foot type are the Men’s Grid Omni Walker and Asics Men’s Gel-4-to-8 Walking Shoe.
· Gloria has a high arch supinator, medium width, and I deal with Achilles tendonitis, and plantar fasciitis.
- · The two pair of best walking sneakers for her foot type is the Women’s Grid Launch and GEL-Fitwalk Lyte.
Note: The latest shoe crazy are “Shape Up’s” which I do not recommend. Individuals with pelvic pain issue have issues with posture, so if you wear a pair of shoes that try to pull you back into alignment and use muscles that are tight and full of tension you’re going to end up in a flare or making a one episode worse. Have you ever walked in sand? Yeah you probably have I would imagine. When you walk in the sand you need to make adjustments in your posture in order to compensate. As a result you use muscles you normally don’t use and again in the case of an IC Patient these muscles are usually tight, and full of tension.
Starting a daily walking routine (with the right walking shoes) and stretching afterward with the New Dawns Pilates DVD have made a huge difference in my recovery from chronic pelvic and bladder pain.
(Stretching should always be done after muscles have been warmed up via walking.)
If your already doing some form of exercise, no matter how little or how much, that's fine. What I wish to accomplish here is get you moving, with the correct footwear and to realize that walking 4 x per week is crucial to your physical and emotionally well-being.
I wish you the very best success and remember walking should be enjoyable not something that you feel pressured into. I began with 10 min walks 3 x per day and as time went on I built it to up to several 45 min walks per week. It boosted my self-esteem, toned my legs and I overtime I have experienced less and less neurogenic pain in the core of my body.
If you would like to join our Fitness/Walking group go to www.icfriends.ning.com or www.IC Anonymous.com
Warmest Wishes
Gloria Prater, Whole Health Educator and Advocate for Patients with IC
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