Walk with the best

Summer is flip flop time. Right? Get your new 99 cent pair at the Family General and off ya go. Not so fast young person. No more shuffling, sliding, pain or tripping. Now that the shoes have come off and you are without any support for your aching feet, you think being barefoot helps your feet get stronger. Wrong! There are some new sandals from Spenco that are wonderful. Last year they debuted in men's only but this year there are 2 colors for women sizes 6 to 10 in Onyx (black) and Amanda (pink with red piping and tan sole) and 2 for men sizes 7 to 13 in Graphite (black with grey trim) and Redner (rich brown with orange accent). They have great arch and metatarsal support with nice heel cupping. Walk with the best quality at a great price, retail $39.99 and if you use coupons go to txinsoles and use coupon code '15off' for a 15% discount!

Don't let plantar fasciitis get the best of you this summer. BTW, these sandals are so comfortable!

Here dear, take your castor oil

You knew she was right even if it was awful. That spoonful of yuck! Well, I have stuff to make "it" feel better too. But nobody thinks you are trying to do the right thing. I approached a friend about selling Spenco insoles in her shop. Innocent enough. B to B. Just another item for her to add to her foot care business and make some money. Win, win, right? Nope, thought I was trying to pull a multi level marketing deal. I have a great product and once someone puts an insole or orthotic in their shoes I can't get them out.
Then I suggest a blister pad for a limping relative. I'm not talking a 2 cent bandage - I'm talking serious help. Who hasn't suffered from that dreaded pain in the heel? Decided to poke a hole in it to release the fliud and the top layer of skin peels off. OUCH! Can you feel the pain? Well, at a buck and a half they are pricey but... the right product for the situation. A Spenco blister pad absorbs the fluid and the blister heals from within and you don't mess with it for 5 days. No scab, no scar. No tears.
Then I read a forum post. Lady needs fencing (as in tu shay) shoes that she can use her orthotic in. I realize many cases are severe enough to require the custom orthotic. But in less severe cases, I'm referring to the athletic fencing enthusiast, she "might" be able to wear a Spenco ThinSole orthotic that is heat moldable. But I can't crash the forum to suggest it - not PC. It isn't a really big jump to that idea. I asked a woman why she wasn't wearing her custom orthotic to support the foot with the amputated toe. Vanity! It didn't fit in her loafer. I had her slip in the ThinSole and when she found out it was less than $40, she said "You want cash or check".
Com'on honey, it's good for you. That's right, you can check them out at TX Insoles.

Morton's Neuroma explained

I found a great article at FootPhysicians.com for the explanation of Morton's Neuroma. Someone asked me about it yesterday and I didn't know about it. Those narrow toe shoes may be pretty but they can really injure your feet. Roomy shoes, padding and an orthotic can help in the earlier stages. Txinsoles has both padding and orthotics that might bring relief of Morton's.

Time to leave those blisters be!

Now that summer is around the corner and more time outdoors many of us will be getting blisters. I put a Spenco blister pad on today and it is remarkable! I got them at www.txinsoles.com. I had pain on the pad of my big toe and, upon inspection, found a flap of skin tearing away. The blister pad would have been more effective before it got to this point but I do feel relief. The pad has some stuff on it to absorb the fluid that fills the blister - if you know the blister is forming. I don't think it's a good idea to poke 'em or drain them. Let my blisters be!

What is Orthotics or is it singular? Orthotic?

It's all about use or you might hear compliance. If you don't use that $400 orthotic it might as well be left in a drawer. Ok, your Dr. says an orthotic will help. Maybe you are interested but think you aren't in need of a prescription just yet. You can get an over the counter heat moldable othotic from www.txinsoles.com for less than $40! I was curious to see if I would wear one so I tried it. Yep - took a little getting used to - you wear it a couple of hours each day and before you know it you are forgetting about it. Some people might need the prescription but on a trial basis, I like the Spenco thinSole. A web site I recommend www.orthopaedicweblinks.com

...anyway, an orthotic can give you a great run for the money!

Foot care article from AARP -good ideas from 2007

"Normally a foot shouldn’t hurt,” says Steven Ross, M.D., president-elect of the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society. And yet foot pain is a fact of life for many. Indeed, nearly half of Americans will experience foot problems at some point in their lives, says a recent study by the American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA).

Some types of foot pain demand a trip to the doctor ASAP (see "Red Flags" at bottom of page). But if you have wear-and-tear aches, you may be able to heal them yourself. Here are a few remedies.

Fix the fit of your shoes. As you get older, your feet may get longer and wider. “Have your foot sized each time you purchase shoes,” urges Harold Glickman, D.P.M., former president of the APMA.

Control pain the right way. Much foot pain is caused by inflammation, so use anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil) or naproxen (Aleve).

Relieve pressure with in-the-shoe devices called orthotics, including arch supporters, insoles, and adhesive pads. Over-the-counter orthotics can cost from $8 to $20. If they don’t work, a doctor can prescribe custom orthotics. These can cost from $200 to $600.

Find more foot exercises to keep your feet flexible at the website of the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society.

Build flexibility and strength with exercises such as toe raises and toe curls. Sit with feet flat on the floor; raise your heels and hold for 5 seconds. Clench your toes and touch your toenails to the floor; hold for 5 seconds. Repeat ten times.

Watch your weight because extra pounds mean extra strain—and pain. Slimming a bit can help.

If all else fails, surgery might be necessary, but it should be a last resort, says Glickman: “Do everything possible to stay out of the operating room.”

Problem	Description	Solution
Corn or callus	Areas of hard, thick skin. Between the toes, corns may be soft and very painful.	Try toe spacers and toe sleeves from the drugstore. If the corn or callus does not go away, it may need to be thinned by a foot doctor.
Bunion	A painful bump at the outer edge of the big toe, where the toe joins the foot.	Wear soft shoes with extra room in the toe box. You can also try over-the-counter pads. In severe cases surgery can correct the deformity.
Hammertoe	A bone deformity in which a toe bends to the side.	A simple cotton roll called a crest pad, or a gel-filled pad, can help. If finding a comfortable shoe becomes a problem, surgery may be necessary.
Morton's neuroma	A growth in the ball of the foot that causes a sharp, burning pain between the third and fourth toes.	Roomy shoes, an anti-inflammatory such as ibuprofen, and arch supports may relieve the pain. If not, your doctor can inject steroids into the area.
Plantar fasciitis	An inflammation of the connective tissue that causes severe stabbing pain in the heel.	Cut back on running, use heel pads and an anti-inflammatory, and stretch the soles of the feet. Try night splints to flex the feet while you sleep.
Tarsal tunnel syndrome	Compression of a nerve that causes pain or numbness that starts in the heel and radiates to the toes.	Rest, frequent icing, and anti-inflammatory drugs may help. But this condition can cause nerve damage, so call a doctor if the pain doesn't abate.
Metatarsalgia	A sharp or shooting pain and inflammation in the ball of your foot.	Avoid sports, ice several times a day, and do toe lifts and stretches. Arch support and shock-absorbing foam insoles may prevent future problems.

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Red Flags
When your feet are trying to tell you something

Some kinds of pain can mean serious health problems. If you have any of these symptoms, see a doctor soon:

• A wound or sore doesn’t heal
• One foot is whiter, redder, or bluer
• Any part of the foot is swollen
• Feet are numb to pain or temperature
• You feel ongoing tingling or burning
• Pain increases with exercise
• Severe pain lasts more than 72 hours
• Feet hurt when legs are elevated
• A deformity progresses suddenly
• The arch on only one of your feet flattens
• 
  

You can find orthotics and insoles at www.txinsoles.com

Spenco of Texas mentioned in National Geographic Magazine

In May 2006 National Geographic Adventure reminds the consumer that even the most expensive shoe can have a poor insole. Luckily the insoles are usually easily removed. You can use one with more layers or even an orthotic with more support. If you suffer from foot pain a new insert is a simple step in the right direction.