Ergonomic, orthopedic-friendly, Shoes

[Torn Mind]

After having to do major DIY muscle healing and a youtube video of someone pointing out the importance of a strong heel support in a shoe, the mindworm of finding good shoes has entered my mind.

So I came across the following.

Men's Work Shoes Safety Composite Toe | Granite Black Orthofeet

Get The Ultimate Comfort & Pain relief. Premium orthotic insoles, cushioning soles, wide toe box, extended widths. Free Shipping & Returns. 60-day wear test. Granite Black Work Shoes.

www.orthofeet.com

I figure if I'm going to blow money, it'd be on something that would save me expenses in the future, because those tight muscles have been fucking with me for nearly 18 years.

 

[lxskllr]

I'd be leery of taking advice from youtube. Maybe it's good, maybe it isn't, but there's a lot of shit advice, some of which will get you killed.

Those boots are cheap. Good thing is it's a cheap gamble if they don't work. Bad thing is the price is low for a good basic boot, nevermind all the engineered orthotic stuff, which to really do right needs to be customized to the user.

Maybe try stretching more.

 

[Torn Mind]

I'd be leery of taking advice from youtube. Maybe it's good, maybe it isn't, but there's a lot of shit advice, some of which will get you killed.

Those boots are cheap. Good thing is it's a cheap gamble if they don't work. Bad thing is the price is low for a good basic boot, nevermind all the engineered orthotic stuff, which to really do right needs to be customized to the user.

Maybe try stretching more.

Well, I have 60 days to try out to see if they do anything significant or they are just hot air.

The following is the video I was watching.

 

[deadlyapp]

It's generally not the shoe, but the insole itself. Spend money on a good insole and put it in whatever shoe you like the most.

Heel support is not necessarily the issue anyways unless you're a serious heel striker. For you, you probably have far less musculature in your lower body to help support the bones and ligaments and you'll only be bandaid-ing over that by going to a softer style of shoe.

I don't know why you would gravitate to a work boot unless you need a work boot. There are plenty of normal walking / cross training shoes that would be better suited and you can get a high quality insole for.

 

[herm0016]

if you are of the mind to get work boots, I have found that large brand, higher end work boots really do have good insoles and construction. i have worn out a few working on oil rigs and wearing them for days at a time. Wolverine were my favorite, but its a personal choice. go to a real shoe store in an industrial part of town and get fitted. they really do know what's up with boots that are worn longer than one sleeps every day.

my last pair was something like this, still have them and use them on the farm.

Raider DuraShocks® Waterproof 8" CarbonMAX® Work Boot

After maintaining its bestselling position for more than 10 years, the Wolverine Raider is getting a performance upgrade with DuraShocks® and waterproof pl

www.wolverine.com

 

[Captante]

Well, I have 60 days to try out to see if they do anything significant or they are just hot air.

Unless you're going hiking or working in a warehouse with high toe-crushing risk I would lean towards a good solid pair of walking shoes or maybe supportive cross-trainers to help with foot-troubles.

The problem buying footwear online is that no matter how high-quality those boots are or how great they feel on somebody else's feet, unless you put the exact pair you'll be buying on and walk around at least a little bit you have no idea how they'll actually fit you.

However as long as you can return them for 60 days no questions asked, I don't see any serious downside to giving them a shot beyond the PITA-factor of having to possibly ship them back.

 

[BoomerD]

I've worn orthofeet slippers for almost 10 years. They're decent. I looked at some of their work boots, even ordered one pair. They were way too lightly built for my liking, so when they didn't fit, (too big) I didn't mind sending them back.
You might look at Propet shoes and boots as well.

 

[igor_kavinski]

I can say from personal experience that medicated shoes are heaven. When I bought my first pair, I just felt bliss walking about. Sadly, it only lasted three days for me. On the third day, the sole of my shoe hit on a broken pavement and sliced right off. I was so disheartened and disappointed that I decided not to buy another one ever again (what's the point of a great sole if the rest of the shoe is crap?). Now I just wear Sketchers. Not the same feeling of heavenly bliss but it's good enough.

 

[brianmanahan]

Spam quote removed.

Please don't quote spammers.
admin allisolm

 

[Torn Mind]

I have bought the ASICS Gel-Venture 8 and it looks like a keep. Decent colors and only 42 or so buck, on clearance and paid for by cash back bonus. Just a little slip but far better than the totally worn out shoes.

I think, iirc, the two other shoes that passed the "test" of ergonomics for me in Kohl's were the Under Armour Surge line and some Giannis shoes from Nike. All other had issues like being way to easy to fold at some place.

I was using some guide by Kaiser to do the testing, I think. To check higher end shoes would require a trip to the company outlet store.

 

[sdifox]

Get ortho inserts, as in go to a doc, get your feet moulded and use inserts in shoes you like, taking out the original inserts of course. Probably need to buy half size bigger to account for taller insert.

 

[Torn Mind]

https://mydoctor.kaiserpermanente.org/ncal/Images/JOB-MA039%20ADA%20-%20The%20Right%20Shoe_tcm75-548885.pdf

https://mydoctor.kaiserpermanente.org/ncal/Images/shoe_recommendations_list_tcm75-1151689.pdf

First link is the more useful one, the second one for mental consideration of what some dudes working for Kaiser Permanente thinks is "good". The second author(s) may have no relation to the first.

When using the info from the first link, I found out that most shoes in the Kohl's stores failed to meet the cut in some way. I think I adidas failed the worst in that every single line is soft and squishy in their Kohl's grade shoes.

Also, the same company has so many lines and names that your brain is put into a blender and doesn't know what to pick. I suspect some shoes are made to dump crappy rubber soles.

Today, I found out even within the same line, like the Gel-Venture 8, don't count on it to apply to the corresponding opposite gender shoe. The Gel-Venture 8's good properties are not present in the corresponding woman's version of the shoe. Because I didn't have the documentation memory, it wasn't totally fresh, but a couple New Balances were more promising.

 

[I'dluv2]

I worked in a warehouse for over 40 years, walking concrete every day. About 10 years in was talking to an older guy and telling him how my feet were sore. Looks at my shoes and says" why would you spend $20 on a pair of shoes your going to wear over 40 hours a week and $100 on dress shoes you might wear once a week?" Kind of looked at him and said I don't know.

Gave me one of the best pieces of advice that I can remember. Get yourself a pair of Redwings. Back then they a shoe called the 101, a masons shoe meant for walking on concrete. Once I broke them in they were the most comfortable shoes I've ever owned. And born with flat feet made those shoes so much better.

I could get about 2 years and then get them re soled for free at Redwing.

 

[WilliamM2]

I've been wearing New Balance 608's. Very comfortable, and they hold up very well. The same shoe is sold at Kohl's as the New Balance 619, not sure why they have to give kohls thier own number (available nowhere else). 608's were on sale at Amazon last month for $45, very reasonable.

Not sure what you are really looking for, your first post links to boots, the others to shoes. Do you stand a lot at work?

 

[BoomerD]

I worked in a warehouse for over 40 years, walking concrete every day. About 10 years in was talking to an older guy and telling him how my feet were sore. Looks at my shoes and says" why would you spend $20 on a pair of shoes your going to wear over 40 hours a week and $100 on dress shoes you might wear once a week?" Kind of looked at him and said I don't know.

Gave me one of the best pieces of advice that I can remember. Get yourself a pair of Redwings. Back then they a shoe called the 101, a masons shoe meant for walking on concrete. Once I broke them in they were the most comfortable shoes I've ever owned. And born with flat feet made those shoes so much better.

I could get about 2 years and then get them re soled for free at Redwing.

Two things a working man should never scrimp on...his mattress and his work shoes/boots.

he will spend too much time in one...and not nearly enough time in the other.

for more than 30 years, I wore one of these boots:

The Original Smokejumper: White's Boots, Inc.

Hot Shot® 55 Classic Arch - NFPA - Quick Ship!

The Hot Shot® is our hardiest work boot!

nicksboots.com

 

[brianmanahan]

Gave me one of the best pieces of advice that I can remember. Get yourself a pair of Redwings. Back then they a shoe called the 101, a masons shoe meant for walking on concrete. Once I broke them in they were the most comfortable shoes I've ever owned. And born with flat feet made those shoes so much better.

redwings are the only things my grandpa would wear, working 60 hour weeks on his feet for decades

had to get a new pair every year or two

 

[Muse]

After having to do major DIY muscle healing and a youtube video of someone pointing out the importance of a strong heel support in a shoe, the mindworm of finding good shoes has entered my mind.

So I came across the following.

Men's Work Shoes Safety Composite Toe | Granite Black Orthofeet

Get The Ultimate Comfort & Pain relief. Premium orthotic insoles, cushioning soles, wide toe box, extended widths. Free Shipping & Returns. 60-day wear test. Granite Black Work Shoes.

www.orthofeet.com

I figure if I'm going to blow money, it'd be on something that would save me expenses in the future, because those tight muscles have been fucking with me for nearly 18 years.

Do calf stretching, it will help your heel pain, prevent or cure plantar fasciitis. I have seen many foot specialists, not for 15 years or so now, once I had surgery for my Morton's neuromas (two removed from my left foot during the same procedure). I have 4 sets of custom orthotics, all via the same Rx done by the same guy who did the surgery. Those orthotics are very durable. I have never had to throw out a pair. They were pricey. I put them in my most used shoes, have Superfeet too, which aren't AS pricey. They are decent, I put them in some shoes.

Mostly my feet are pretty OK now.

 

[WelshBloke]

Buy the shoes that suit what you are wearing them for.
There's no point in wearing heavyweight work boots for shlupping around the house.
I'm on my feet for 12 hour shifts in a hospital and I swear by Doctor Martins but they take a fair bit for wearing in (there'll be blood) but when they are worn in they are really comfortable for 12 hour stretches and last for ages (just replaced a pair that were definitely over a decade old)!

 

[brianmanahan]

SAS shoes are my favorites. they feel great and i can walk miles in them, but they aren't heavy work boots.

 

[Torn Mind]

I can safely say Adidas is so consistently bad that they're basically the shoe equivalent of Forever 21 but charge high fashion prices. Lol, they all fail to meet the ergonomic standard.

 

[ch33zw1z]

I can safely say Adidas is so consistently bad that they're basically the shoe equivalent of Forever 21 but charge high fashion prices. Lol, they all fail to meet the ergonomic standard.

the guy who made my custom orthotics actually recommended sambas because of the hard gum soles. Due to the orthotics I needed, this was the recommendation. But they’re too narrow for me, so that didn’t last long. I did keep wearing them for biking but suspect they started to cause in grown toe nails on big toes

I have a hard time finding boots to wear my orthotics with. Many of them tend to push my foot forward on the orthotic so my heel doesn’t settle in all the way.

so it’s kinda like find the ones that work for you and let the orthotic do the work

 

[BoomerD]

SAS shoes are my favorites. they feel great and i can walk miles in them, but they aren't heavy work boots.

The San Antonio Shoe company makes VERY good shoes. I have a pair of these:

They're almost 9 years old...and still in excellent condition.

 

[igor_kavinski]

They're almost 9 years old...and still in excellent condition.

People joke about my 2 to 3 year old worn out Sketchers!

You must not have gone out with them in the rain. I wouldn't take my Sketchers out in the rain either, but when it rains, they are the only shoes I have so they get soaked and then ruined.

 

[BoomerD]

People joke about my 2 to 3 year old worn out Sketchers!

You must not have gone out with them in the rain. I wouldn't take my Sketchers out in the rain either, but when it rains, they are the only shoes I have so they get soaked and then ruined.

Nah, they're definitely not waterproof beyond the silicone spray I hit them with every year or two.

I also have two pairs of these:

Finn Comfort Dijon. One pair in that brown, one in black. Ugly as hell...but VERY comfortable. Made in Germany.

Product information - Finn Comfort

 

[Torn Mind]

Do calf stretching, it will help your heel pain, prevent or cure plantar fasciitis. I have seen many foot specialists, not for 15 years or so now, once I had surgery for my Morton's neuromas (two removed from my left foot during the same procedure). I have 4 sets of custom orthotics, all via the same Rx done by the same guy who did the surgery. Those orthotics are very durable. I have never had to throw out a pair. They were pricey. I put them in my most used shoes, have Superfeet too, which aren't AS pricey. They are decent, I put them in some shoes.

Mostly my feet are pretty OK now.

the guy who made my custom orthotics actually recommended sambas because of the hard gum soles. Due to the orthotics I needed, this was the recommendation. But they’re too narrow for me, so that didn’t last long. I did keep wearing them for biking but suspect they started to cause in grown toe nails on big toes

I have a hard time finding boots to wear my orthotics with. Many of them tend to push my foot forward on the orthotic so my heel doesn’t settle in all the way.

so it’s kinda like find the ones that work for you and let the orthotic do the work

I know about stretching but always managed to forget. I probably did myself no favors walking on my old Nikes long distances up hill during my time in university. Weren't bought for ergonomics, plus probably a budget choice(at Kohls). I had an ankle injury in HS as well.

I don't think orthotics will be in my budget but I still have a couple things.

Just how much do they change the "flexibility" of the shoe. Because if the sole is super floppy or bends too much in the middle of the foot, how much would the orthotics.
I would think the best combo would a shoe with the parameters outlined in the Kaiser document I saw with an orthotic.

I made the comment on Adidas because I was in a different store(Dick's) to just check out the performance of the displayed shoes. So for giggles, even though I already was confident they would suck, I gave the Adidas the pressure test. None were good, regardless of the price, except maybe the Ultraboost 22 in terms of a firm sole; hence my comment. But even that one was maybe too stiff in the toe area. I was more in the women's department to prepare a list of possible "good ones" for buying a shoe on clearance for my sister in the coming months.

The Gen-Venture 8 I got is ever so slightly a bit too big, so I could use an insert to correct the extra space.