SHOE INTERVENTION FOR SANDAL SEASON

It's sandal season and time for a shoe intervention for the good health of your feet.  Many women seem to think that the style of sandal as seen in the image to the left will bring relief and freedom for bunions and hammertoes, when in fact this style of sandal will only exacerbate these conditions and contribute to further foot problems.

As discussed in a previous shoe intervention post, much like flip-flops, these thin soled sandals without arch support or protection from pounding on the pavement contribute to quick callus build up, cause the feet to pronate (roll inward), and aggravate existing foot, ankle, knee, hip and back problems. In addition to all of that, they don't allow you to walk with a normal gait - toes scrunch up, gripping for support as there is nothing to stabilize the foot upon movement. Oh yes, and then there is the extreme foot fatigue that comes with walking in this type of sandal for extended periods. 

These photos make you wonder about

the intelligence of the individuals
wearing these sandals and what

happened to their self-respect.

Below is an example of one of the
ways you can develop claw toes or

hammertoes.

Now the aesthetics - if the above information doesn't deter you from wearing this style of sandal, how about the extreme grotesqueness of how bunions and toe deformities are displayed in them. These sandals are in fashion, but they are not a smart  or attractive choice. The same applies to the high heel version, including all of the points above.



SANDAL TIPS

• Look for sandals that offer some arch support and cushioning in the footbed 
• Avoid strappy sandals that cut across the bunions, put pressure on them, or allow them to poke out between straps
• A strap over the instep will hold the foot back against the heel and prevent it from slipping forward, and will also prevent the heel from slipping out (note, flimsy straps on ill fitting sandals won't do the job)
• The shape of the sandal should be as close to the shape of your foot as possible
• Sandals for extensive walking should have arch support and shock absorbing soles
• Avoid extreme heel heights - but if you won't, then at least avoid walking in them for extended periods, or consider platforms or wedge heels as they take some pressure off the balls of the feet 

If you haven't already, check out this post: Celebrity Feet, A Shocking Eye-Opener.

Coming in the next post, tips on how to camouflage bunions with the right style of sandal and maintain some dignity . 

A FISH PEDICURE - CREEPY OR SCINTILLATING?

The Garra Rufa fish, also referred to as the Doctor Fish, is a toothless member of the Carp family. The fish were first used in Turkey in the early 1800's as a treatment for skin conditions such as psoriasis - quickly becoming a popular therapeutic skin treatment throughout the Middle East and Europe. The fish sucking away dead skin where damaged or dead skin is shed proved to be beneficial in the healing of skin problems - because the fish produce enzymes which slow down the development of skin cells where problems occur.

These days Garra Rufa fish are part of a popular spa treatment in Europe, Asia, parts of the United States and Canada, used for manicures and pedicures. This is  considered to be a natural organic form of pedicure that improves circulation, leaves feet feeling rejuvenated and  provides general relaxation. Your hands and feet are immersed in water and are exfoliated by the fish sucking away dead skin. Some spas provide facilities for the immersion of your whole body - imagine that. 

The fish are starved before going into the foot

bath so that they are ravenous and do a good

job eating the dead skin, fungus and other crap

from your feet.

There is no way to sterilize fish since you can't boil the little suckers. So it is no surprise that the Garra Rufa fish pedicure is banned in many US states and Canadian provinces due to public health and sanitation concerns - one of them being, the the use of the same fish to clean the hands and feet of multiple clients and spreading infection. 

I personally find this creepy. How about you - would you try a fish pedicure?

TIPS FOR TIRED ACHY FEET

Strenuous walking, dancing, running or standing for long periods of time will obviously cause tired and achy feet, as will poor fitting shoes, high heels, tight socks, and reduced blood circulation. People with fallen arches or flat feet will have greater foot fatigue than those with normal feet due to pronation. Also, as one ages the feet naturally expand and flatten and the soles of the feet begin to thin - many suffer because they simply don’t recognize the need for a larger shoe size, or support and extra cushioning.

SIMPLE EFFECTIVE TIPS TO SOOTHE YOUR SOLES

• If you have fallen arches or flat feet, you need arch supports, insoles or orthotics. It is a good idea to consult a Podiatrist if you have flat feet or chronic pain. 

• If you don’t need orthotics but have thin sensitive soles, use gel insoles for comfort and shock absorption. 

• Try to cut down your high heel wearing time. Take a second pair of comfortable shoes along with you, so you can give your feet a break wherever you might be. The ballet style flats that are in style these days are not a good substitute as they provide no support and are generally bad for your feet.

• Avoid sitting with your legs crossed, or sitting on your feet or lower legs as this restricts circulation and causes feet to swell. At the end of the day spend half an hour relaxing with your feet raised up.

• Exercising and stretching will help lengthen tight cramped muscles and improve circulation. For example, rolling your feet across a firm ball such as a tennis ball or golf ball will activate acupressure points on the bottoms of your feet increasing circulation, oxygen flow and flexibility, resulting in decreased foot fatigue. You can also try a foot acupressure roller.

• Foot baths can do wonders to treat your feet as well as help you relax after a long day. Below are a few easy foot soak recipes to try.

Salt Bath for Sore Swollen Feet

Ingredients

• Water, enough to cover your feet and reach your ankles
• 1/2 cup of sea salt or Epsom salt

Preparation

• Boil water and let it cool down to a temperature you feel comfortable with.
• Add salt into it, let it dissolve and soak feet.

Peppermint Foot Soak to Rejuvenate Feet

Ingredients

• Water, enough to cover your feet and reach your ankles
• 3 drops ofpeppermint essential oil
• 1 drop of eucalyptus essential oil and 1 drop of lemon essential oil

Preparation

• Boil water and let it cool down to a temperature you feel comfortable with.
• Add the oils and soak feet.

Lavender Herbal Foot Bath to Relax Feet

 Ingredients

• Water, enough to cover your feet and reach your ankles
• 2 drops of lavender essential oil
• 1/4 cup of sea salt or Epsom salt

Preparation

• Boil water and let it cool down to a temperature you feel comfortable with.
• Add lavender oil and salt and soak your feet.

100% Pure & Natural Therapeutic Grade Essential Oil - Beginners Best of the Best, Set of 14

BUNION BREAKING NEWS!

JUST ANOTHER CASE OF PERFORMANCE COSTUME SPECTACLE TURNED FASHION CRAZE - IN THIS CASE BY MEN!

During an interview in this clip, university student Pascual Escobedo says, "for him the boots were a must to score with the opposite sex, and that girls wouldn't dance with you if you didn't have the pointy boots". This is very odd - I just don't see how one could partner dance with a guy wearing these things as they take up so much floor space; but to begin with, what woman would actually be drawn to a guy sporting these ridiculous boots on the dance floor, or anywhere in public for that matter - surprisingly they are out there and these boots are considered to be chick magnets.

SHOE INTERVENTION

All it takes is for a celebrity to be seen wearing something stupid to turn whatever it is into a fashion trend; and since many women are prone to the “monkey see, monkey do” method in keeping up with fashion trends, they often make choices that have little to do with what actually looks good on them or makes any sense at all. Hence, the shoe intervention posts must begin.

Let’s start with UGG boots – UGG truly being short for ugly. All that seems to matter is that Kate Moss, Oprah Winfrey, Paris Hilton, and Pamela Anderson among other celebrities, have been seen wearing them. One could care less the manufacturer advises that they not be worn in wet or muddy conditions and are impractical for snowy weather. Young and old trudge around in them even when sopping wet, with heels caved into the footbed, in –30 or +30 degree weather. It amazes me when I see anyone wearing them in public. They look like house slippers with shafts, and look ridiculous with any outfit, as would house slippers. If all this isn’t enough to convince you UGG boots are useless, how about the fact that they are flat, have no support inside at all, and will only contribute to foot problems, especially if you have flat feet. 

UGGs are a no-win situation - aesthetically unappealing, impractical, and bad for your feet. 

Next - Flip-flops, not everyday footwear, but once summer arrives many seem to think they are. They belong on the beach, at the pool, in the locker room or gym shower. They are not meant to be walked in for extended periods of time. Pounding on the pavement with thin soled flip-flops quickly hardens the skin on the feet, causing calluses and heel fissures (cracked dried out skin). They offer no protection from rocks, sharp objects, or people stepping on your feet. Without arch support they aggravate the effects of any existing strain on the legs and feet from too much weight or weak muscle tone. The foot can end up pronating (rolling inward) and can cause pain in the heels, arches, ball of the foot, and toes (another bad choice for flat feet). Believe it or not, flip-flops are the biggest cause of sprained ankles during summer months. Most people shuffle when they walk in flip-flops due to the toe scrunching to keep them on. Not only is the shuffle unattractive, it is bad for you; not walking with a normal gait can lead to problems in the hip or lower back. For those with bunions, flip-flops are the absolute worst thing you could wear, and will only make them worse - end of rant.

Orthaheel Sandals - a good choice!

With all this said, I am still well aware that flip-flops are a summer staple and most likely never to be forsaken. So I suggest replacing the classic flimsy flip-flops with ones that have heavy-duty soles and arch support, and they will serve you much better. 

For the good of your feet, more shoe interventions to come!

UPDATE - THE YogaToes® EXPERIMENT, DAY 7

During the past 7 days I have worn the YogaToes® every night for at least and hour or more. Unfortunately as of yet I have nothing much to report, except that they make excellent toe separators for applying nail polish, and that they do provide a good stretch if you have been on your feet all day in constrictive shoes, or have been engaged in sport activities, including dancing. 

As for the claims about correcting and realigning foot structure and improving foot conditions like hammertoes and bunions, or anything else on the long list, it is too soon to tell. I will continue using them and keep you posted. To be honest with you, so far I can only see YogaToes® as being a useful tool in prevention, best serving those that don't already have significant foot problems or deformity. However, this doesn't mean that you won't get relief with YogaToes®, it just means that  you will not see any dramatic changes in the appearance of your feet. This is just my opinion. If any readers out there would like to share their experience with YogaToes®, we'd love to hear from you.

Keep in mind that any potential benefits that might be achieved through the use of corrective devices of any type are negated by continuing to wear damaging footwear - if you do, you are facing a never-ending battle.

THE YogaToes® EXPERIMENT - DAY 1

YogaToes®

My YogaToes® arrived in the mail today. As seen in the accompanying image, they are soft flexible gel forms into which you insert your toes, meant to provide many benefits for your toes and feet - such as improving and preventing "common foot problems like: hammertoes, bunions, plantar fasciitis, crossed toes, poor circulation, corns...", and the list goes on! According to the YogaPro website, this is achieved with YogaToes® "by spreading, stretching and exercising toes". There are numerous reviews for this product on-line, and for the most part they are excellent, however, I am still sceptical - this all sounds too good to be true. I will try them out and provide a final review after investigating some of the following product claims gathered directly from the YogaPro website:

• YogaToes® guarantee a simple one step natural program for common foot problems like hammertoes and to relieve foot pain caused by tight shoes and high heels, being on your feet all day as well as participating in sport activities.
• YogaToes® help improve and prevent common foot problems like: hammertoes, bunions, plantar fasciitis, crossed toes, poor circulation, corns...
• YogaToes®s help to correct and realign foot structure, strengthen and stretch muscles, help improve circulation and appearance, balance the entire body and stimulate, improve posture.
• YogaToes® help train toes for increased athletic performance.
• YogaToes® help improve overall agility and balance.
• YogaToes® help realign and optimize foot posture.
• YogaToes® help minimize and treat foot pain.
• YogaToes® help relieve stress and tension.
• YogaToes® help re-energize feet.
• YogaToes® help train and strengthen feet. 

Click here, then click the
YogaToes Official Site link

If you are anxious to give them a try and should decide to go ahead and order YogaToes® before my review is posted, follow the sizing chart carefully and keep in mind that YogaToes® are not to be worn while walking. There are other colours available, and also a line called YogaToes Sport - exactly the same product, but in bold solid colours suited for men. Also good to know - they are made in the USA, are hypo-allergenic, BPA and latex free, and there is a 30 Day Money Back Guarantee and a Lifetime Replacement Warranty. Beware of knock-offs!

If you have a serious foot condition or other health problems, please consult with your doctor before trying YogaToes®.

I'm wearing them for the first time while writing this post and I must say, my feet like them so far. So let's see how it goes. Check in for updates!

PAIN RELIEF WITH BUNION SPLINTS

FootSmart
Bunion Regulator Night Splint

A bunion splint is not a cure for bunions. It is an aid in the treatment of bunions, used to stretch the tendons typically shortened by their onset, and also as a great source of pain relief. It works by pulling the big toe out while putting pressure on the bunion inward, with the goal of getting the big toe into proper alignment and relieving pain. The pressure is adjusted little by little over time by tightening the blue & white straps as seen in the accompanying image. This should be a gradual and gentle process without any pain. 

These types of splints are meant to be worn at night and sleeping in them is recommended, but don't make the mistake of strapping them on too tight and full force right from the start - as this is the reason why many find them intolerable to sleep in and quickly give up on them. They do take a little getting used to, and in my opinion the pain relief is worth the effort, and any potential correction that might be achieved is a bonus. (Caution - never attempt standing or walking in bunion splints - you can easily stumble and fall, as well as damage the splints.)

If you are unsure whether bunion splints are for you, it is best to consult with a Podiatrist.

WHAT'S ON THE RUNWAY SHOULD STAY ON THE RUNWAY

It's amazing, even though so obviously much of the clothing, accessories and footwear we see in fashion shows is created for theatrical purposes, many women still want to wear what they see on the runway - no matter how ridiculous looking, impractical, or hazardous. Sad but true, n'est-ce pas?

The title of this clip should be, SHOES NOT MADE FOR WALKING!