For many of us there was a time when we went to the only shoe store in town, chose a shoe and wore it home.   Those who lived in bigger cities had a few more shoes stores and if there were no shoes that pleased or fit in one store, it was on to the next one or two.  If Mom would let you, that is!  She usually had a lot of things to do and fussing around with being too particular wasn’t one of them.

Now we have what seems like a trillion ways to buy shoes:  Chain stores, local retail, warehouse stores, outlet malls, discount shoe stores, dollar stores, consignment shops, Goodwill, the Internet, E-Bay, doctor offices, trucks that come to the workplace, etc.  And there is an emphasis on two things:  !) Being very particular about the style and color since so many are available and 2) buying it at the lowest price possible.  Smart phones are pointed like shot guns at  shoes for comparison pricing.

The problem with going for the lowest price is that it probably also signals lesser quality.  It isn’t restricted to unknown brands.  It includes the most famous brands.  How do we know this?  Those who work or have worked for the big name brands tell us.  In detail.  They don’t like that their once respected brands are being made with hidden shortcuts to lower production costs while they look the same on the outside.  Or a new style is introduced that looks good from the outside but is sponge inside.

The others who tell us?  Shoe repairmen.  (Not to get off on another subject, but send us a picture of a female shoe repairer and we will feature her in a story.)   Anyway, with the drop in the economy, there has been a big uptick in their business and they are pretty shocked at the quality of the shoes  being brought in for repair.  Mostly, they can’t fix the shoes because the shoes lack even basic structure or quality materials they can work with.

How can you identify which shoes look the same but are of greatly reduced quality?   Here are some clues:  Name brand shoes that have been popular in prior years and appear in full page ads at much lower prices, most shoes in outlet malls or discount shoes stores, big box stores, and in some Internet shoe stores.  They may or may not be sale priced, but when they are priced low, it is a red flag on the probable quality.

The bottom line on these kinds of shoes is that you are not receiving the benefits of what made the brand or the shoe special in the first place.  They probably won’t feel the same.  We hear time and again, “These shoes (or brand) used to fit perfectly.  Now they don’t last as long and don’t feel as good.”  And those who come in because their feet hurt inevitably tell us that the shoes they are wearing are “just some cheap shoes I picked up at………” They thought they looked really good and at the price, they couldn’t resist getting a pair.

We get what we pay for.  Those of us who are Pedorthists, have European shoe stores or comfort shoe stores, learn what is in a shoe and why.  Shoe manufacturing representatives are uncommonly honest about their products – not to throw their employers under the bus – but because they know that we need to know what is best.  We work with those whose loved ones don’t want to see Grandpa fall again, those who are trying to put off a knee replacement, and those who just want to finish a day of work thinking about the evening ahead instead of how badly their feet hurt.

We know more will buy shoes based on quality, at a reasonable price, if they know where those shoes are.  It’s up to us and others who own stores like ours to get the word out  - for those who have ears to hear and feet that need relief.

• Do you have back, hip, knee or foot issues primarily on one side of your body?
• Did you have a broken leg or surgery on your back, legs, knee or ankles as a child or teenager and are having problems with that side of the body or the other side?
• Does one of your shoulders droop to an extent that it is easily observed?  Do you also have foot, ankle, knee, hip or back issues?
• If you have ever had a pressure scan of the bottom of your feet, do your feet show two distinctly different pressure areas?
• Have you had a knee or hip replacement?
• Do you limp on a regular basis without known injury or other cause?

A “yes” answer to any of these questions is a clue that you may be dealing with different leg lengths and it is involved with these problems.  Leg length differences throw balance off and disrupt normal gait.  Studies show that for those with leg leg differences of .4 of an inch or more, long term there is an increased incidence of back problems, knee osteoarthritis and possibly hip and ankle arthritis.  If you have any of the above problems, you can see this is not an insignificant matter!

There are as many ways to measure leg length as there are people to do it!  Podiatrists, pedorthists, physical therapists, orthopedists and sports injury specialists will all tell you why their way of measuring is more accurate and valid than another’s.  What is key is whether a correction reduces symptoms and discomfort.

Fortunately, this is an easy fix.  If a lift of more than 3/8 of an inch is needed, the lift should be on the outside of the shoe.  Less than that and a rubber heel lift inside the shoe usually does the trick.  Generally speaking, the lift height should be about 1/2 of the difference in the leg lengths.  You can, of course, do a combination of internal and external.  For more on this subject, HERE is a link to our discussion of in the Smart Reference Library.

Instead of just saying the obvious “You’ve got to pay a little more and get yourself good shoes,” we want to introduce this idea – Treat your work shoes like they are gold. Why?  Because they are one of the most important investments you can make in your work, and your body.  It isn’t just how you feel at work –  How you feel after work is just as important as how you feel while working. Ask those who live with you!  That does not mean that you must cash in a gold bar to pay for them. There are many good shoes on the market at about $100.  If your shoes are the right shape and size for your foot, and if they are well cared for to keep the leather clean and supple, they will feel better, and last many times longer than the bargain shoes you’ve been wearing.

What should you know about choosing a pair of work shoes?  Of course, price is important.  But first, choose several shoes that meet the criteria of what a good shoe is.   Then match the shoes to the shape of your foot, pull the footbed out of the right shoe and stand on it.  You should have about 3/8 of an inch in front of your longest toe.  Try them on.  Both shoes.  Tie them, and walk around in them.  Some stores, including Smart Feet, have foot scanners that will show which shape (last)  shoe is best for your foot – straight last, semi-curved or curved last.    After determining which shoes fit and feel best, choose the pair that is at the price you want to pay.

Choosing the right shoe is only the beginning of treating your shoes like gold.  Maintaining them matters.  Here is a good after work routine:

1.  Put cedar shoe trees in the shoes after each use so all moisture and bacteria in the shoe is released before the next work day.

2. Wipe or brush the shoes down so that all debris and chemicals are removed.

3.  Wear seamless anti-microbial socks for comfort and to ensure no fungal agents get on your feet and take up residence.

Add in an arch support and the longevity of the shoe, your comfort while working and the ability to enjoy time off of work because your feet don’t hurt will be………….. golden and priceless.

We were inspired to start a new local walking club, The Moon River Walkers, because our friend, Dana Skiljan, had signed up to walk a half marathon.  Already training through a program sponsored by The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society in Savannah, she was looking for others to walk with so she would get all her training miles in.  We saw it as the perfect time to launch the walking club – and we did, with Dana as the first President!

What we found while walking with Dana and by talking to runners at the Expo was that they do more than run or walk for fitness and competition.  They walk and run as a result of their own gumption and dedication.  Nobody wakes them at 4:00 a.m. to get their run in before they go to work!  The energy produced through their routines gives them the energy to do more than those that don’t challenge themselves physically.  In the heat of the summer, Dana got up at that hour to train before she met the rest of the club at 8:30 for a 3 mile walk.  We came with our frozen water bottles and protections against Savannah’s unmerciful humidity and heat feeling pretty proud of ourselves but Dana already put in her training miles by the time we met at 8:30.  She came to walk with us anyway, wanting to be sure she would be ready in November.  She inspired us and others while seemingly just trying to get her training miles in.

That was the energy the marathon brought to Savannah.  Although runners and walkers came from all over the US and from other countries, Savannah was very well represented.  Many here took up the challenge.   The lesson from this is not that everyone of us needs to train to walk or run a marathon.  We all do need to devote a portion of each day to seeing to it our physical bodies are maintained.  15 minutes of activity, work up to 45 minutes; or 3 miles of walking 3 times a week, or maybe even training to run a marathon!  If you want to do a marathon, there will be 4 more chances.  The Rock & Roll franchise signed a contract to be here for a total of 5 years.

Start simple, feel the benefits of regular physical exercise – no matter how humble it may be at the beginning – and see where it leads.  You will benefit, and in doing so, you may just inspire others to get moving and personally experience the benefits.

There are 6 bones in the ankle area that can take offense in this area of the foot – both ankle bones (malleolus), talus, navicular, fibula, tibia, cuneform or cuboid.  Any of them can be sensitive to pressure on them.  Even with that many bones, there are really only 2 things are in play when this happens: 1) The rubbing and discomfort are real, and 2) it is one of the easiest fixes there is!

Sometimes wearing a little thicker sock will take care of it.  If that doesn’t work or a thicker sock isn’t possible (like, if it’s hot enough as it is!),  then putting a leg length lift in both shoes will usually do it.  If the rubbing only occurs on one foot, you still need to have the lift in both shoes so you don’t create another problem – a leg length difference.

The reason this works is that lifting the heel a bit will move the foot and ankle up out of the way of the painful intersection of bone and shoe.  It doesn’t even take much lift – 1/4 inch or less –  and it is as simple as that!

You can make your own lifts out of a firm material or buy the rubber leg lengths.  To test which height will work, start with the lowest height and move up until the bone isn’t rubbing anymore.

This is a very common ailment that begins to show up as we hit our 30′s and into the 40s and beyond.  Although some cases involve a nasty bacteria that requires medication, most  do not.   Along with a little mouthwash or apple cider vinegar (more on that later) and some changes in shoes and socks, this problem can be knocked out fairly easily – if you start early and are consistent.

The most common cause is shoes that are too short (and possibly too narrow) and with too little depth at the toe.  Heat and moisture collect at the front of the shoe; when the shoe is too short and not deep enough air doesn’t circulate and you have the ideal environment in which fungus and bacteria thrive.  It is estimated that up to 80% of the general public wear shoes that are too short, and that is one reason the condition is so common.

The other major contributor to this fungus problem is sock wear, or lack of it!  Cotton and nylon socks don’t wick moisture away.  Yes, we know that we’ve been told that cotton socks are the solution to virtually every problem.  They’re not, and they actually contribute to athletes foot, another common fungus.  Wearing shoes without socks is even worse….the moisture stays in the shoes…..and your shoes smell swell, too.

Here are the solutions:  …..Click HERE to read more

Image:  toenailfungustreatments.com

Here is the same foot on 3 different shoe beds out of 3 different shoes.  Which one do you think is the correct length for the foot?

1.                            2 .                       3.

The answer is #2.  There should be 3/8 of an inch between your longest toe and the end of the foot bed.

Just for fun, check a few of your shoes.  Take the bedding out and look at your foot imprint on the bedding.

What surprises many people is that their footbeds show a wear pattern like #1 or #3 more often than #2.  Yet, they claim that the shoes feel just fine.  If we say to them, “you’re wearing shoes that are too long or too short” we can expect a response of “It feels good to me and that is the size I always wear.”

Well, here is what we know about wearing shoes that are too short:  The first metatarsal joint gets jammed with every step you take in a shoe that sizes like #3.  That joint has a very long memory and is very unforgiving.  A Bunion can develop or get worse. A rigid first toe joint (meaning it stops moving as it should and every step is painful), ingrown toenails and calluses can develop, even the dreaded toenail fungus because there is limited airspace.  In a short shoe, the toes and joints can’t complete their task of motion and follow-through. Our knees and hips depend upon correct motion at the feet and ankles.  If the feet aren’t correctly aligned, they don’t rotate correctly.  Knee and hip replacements can be traced to a lifetime of incorrect motion beginning at the feet.   If that isn’t enough, the toes start to scrunch up and what were perfectly straight toes at birth, become claw toes or hammer toes by the late twenties. Callusing and corns develop on the feet and toes………..READ MORE

Is this unfair or what?  Women have more knee pathology than men do. They have twice the knee osteoarthritis (the long term wear-and-tear type) and they injure their knees playing sports up to 4 times as often as males. These are not just sprains that one gets over quickly; they are the serious kind of problems that lead to knee replacement and knee reconstruction surgery.

The unfairness overwhelmingly comes from things women can’t control – structural weaknesses and hormones. There are things women can moderate to control these factors, but first, here are the reasons women end up with more knee problems than men….. READ MORE

We don’t consider Smart Feet a running store,  since we happily share the same city as Fleet Feet, but we do have a few things to brag about.  One is that we carry only 2 running shoe brands (that you may never have heard of) : Aetrex and Spira.

That’s it, only two.  But between them we have shoes for the neutral gait, pronaters and supinators.  Do you know which one you are?  We can tell you, come on in!  Both Aetrex and Spira shoes have various combinations of features, including motion control, rearfoot  stability, rearfoot adjustability (what’s that?), midfoot support,  forefoot freedom and great style and colors!  There are straight, semi-straight, semi-curved and curved lasts, and we know which one is right for your foot.  We have shoes with titanium springs that absorb 86 – 94% of the impact to your bones and joints. These 2 brands even include racing flats and trail running shoes.   Most of the shoes are available in several widths. To top it off, we have arch supports for each foot type to further customize the fit, and socks that keep your feet dry and odor free no matter how far you run.

Are you training to run the Savannah Rock ‘n Roll Marathon in November? The Spira StingerXLT is light ( men’s size 9 weighs only 9.2 oz.) and has three titanium springs to absorb impact so you can run longer and faster.  Comfort and less impact is important for those who aren’t trying to set speed records, but for those of you who are these shoes produce results!  No lie.  Click HERE to read about the efficiency of Spira racing shoes.

We know you love the shoes you’ve been running in.  Just come in and try on the Stinger or another of our fine running shoes.

No obligation.  Just fun!

The idea of stretching the toes and surrounding muscles and ligaments is probably not what you’ve thought about doing, but it is a concept familiar to anyone who practices yoga. The new popular 5 Toe Shoes utilizes it too.  All of our joints, including the feet and toes, need to stretch to maintain flexibility and assist in proper balance.

Using the Snoosy after a long day at work is a good way to get your feet feeling like new again.  It is made of cotton with a satin covering rather than plastic, gel, synthetics or other intrusive materials which can irritate the skin.  It is easy to sleep in and can be used to separate the toes for a pedicure.  Snoosy is hand-made by the Lisu women of the Lisu Hill Tribe in the mountains of Northern Thailand.

This is an excellent inexpensive and thoughtful gift item and comes in its own little bag, so it doesn’t even need gift wrap.  It is lightweight and easily mailed.  It comes in pink and blue.  And guys – that’s blue for you.  Gals don’t have the corner on the need for flexibility and stretching.  You have to see Snoosy to really appreciate it.  Come in and try it for yourself!

This isn’t in our on-line store but if you want to order one, call us and we will be happy to send it to you.  The are $15 a pair.