From Guest Blogger: Kirsten Borrink of barkingdogshoes.com


And you thought Earth shoes looked oddball! Take a gander at these bad boys! Perhaps you've seen these on the feet of over-zealous power walkers and thought, "What is UP with those shoes??" Well, I'm about to tell ya. Say hello to the mother of all rocker-soled shoes, the MBT.

     MBT stands for Masai Barefoot Technology. The shoe is engineered to create natural instability, similar to walking in sand or other soft surfaces, which in turn activates the muscular system to stabilize the body in a natural way.  The first time I wore my MBT Kaya's, it felt like I was standing on mini wobble boards. I had to stand up straight and tighten up my abs and glutes in order to find my balance. But once I took a few short walks, I started to get the hang of my new shoes. In fact, over the last week, I've preferred taking power-walks in the MBT over going to the gym. Not only are these shoes comfortable, I can totally feel my whole backside toning up--from calves, to thighs to bum. And my joints? No pain. My knees, hips, ankles are all feeling FINE.  You know what's so wonderful?  I see the hard sidewalk, but I don't FEEL it. At all. It's almost as if I'm really walking barefoot on the beach...except it's 32 degrees and I'm wrapped in polar fleece.

Hear what Sharon Seagrave, two time Olympian and MBT spokesperson, has to say about her "anti-shoe" experience:


For most of us a stylish pair of comfortable shoes is a dream come true. They look good, fit well, and make me look fantastic. What more could I ask for?

How about a shoe line that fits the above bill AND walks lightly upon the environment! It's not enough to think about ourselves these days. With each purchase we now need to ponder, "How will this affect my children's future on this fragile planet. Is this product 'green'?"

Naot is a line of footwear we've carried for quite some time and now two of their styles, the Naot Matai and Esteem, were featured in the 2008 Going Greener issue of Footwear Plus.

Give these Naot styles a try and comfort of feet can be accompanied by comfort of conscience.


Walking around town on my vacation I noticed my tennis shoes didn't feel quite right.  Sitting to rest at a local cafe, I checked inside of my shoes and found the insoles had holes in them.   I had heard that Spenco made great insoles, so using my trusty web enabled cell phone I found the nearest seller of Spenco products and purchased a pair of the Polysorb Cross Trainers.  I felt like a new woman; my feet felt like new too!

I trimmed them slightly to fit and they slipped easily into my shoes. Once I was walking again I could feel the difference.  Even though they were a soft insole they had the arch support I needed as well as the shock absorption in the heel.  With all the walking we had to do on this trip, Spenco surely saved the day.

They also make more of an orthotic insole with a cast on the base to give a much firmer feel to the foot.

Try Spenco, you wont regret it.

If you've never heard of Plantar Fasciitis consider yourself blessed.  If you are familiar with the foot burning symptoms caused by this painful strain, you are not in need of an explanation here. You may, however, be looking for solutions to this often debilitating syndrome. The video below appears to offer some assistance:



As the video shares, shoes can make a difference. Our customers have shared success in alleviating pain related to PF utilizing the following products from our stores:

Dansko Professional clogs:

Doctors and nurses who spend entire days on their feet swear by their Dansko shoes. To help people feel better for longer Dansko adds shock absorption, a rocker bottom, and solid arch support to reduce strain your legs, back, and feet. Type "plantar fasciitis" and "Dansko" in a search engine and you can read quite a few testimonials of happy Dansko owners.



Merrell Encore:

From their air cushion midsoles, Q-Form®  footbed, supportive Trailspring® technology, and innovative sole designs, Merrell shoes offer comfort and performance in a variety of environments. Dr. Davis S. Wander, while sharing his recommendations for shoes for those with plantar fasciitis, writes: "I often recommend Merrell shoes to my patients and the overall consensus is that patients are very happy."



Superfeet Premium Insoles:

Many customers share with us that orthotics or insoles help tremendously with the pain associated with plantar fasciitis. We offer Superfeet Insoles. With Superfeet insoles in your shoes, your feet are being consistently balanced and supported. Instead of your feet collapsing inward and stressing surrounding muscels, joints, and ligaments, Superfeet helps you move the way nature intended.


For more information on Plantar Fasciitis, try turning to plantar-fasciitis.org.

Share with us what shoes or orthotics have helped you with plantar fasciitis. Click on the "Comments" button below and leave us your recommendations.

We are not the only store recommending Beautifeel Shoes for formal occasions. Another blog, BarkingDogShoes, shares their interest in the Beautifeel Prague. (Click on the link to see what their writer has to say about being a middle school teacher in need of standing for long periods while looking stylish during an open house evening.)

They list another store as a good source with a price of $291.00. Footwear etc. sells the elegant and comfortable Beautifeel Prague for $285.00 (with free shipping).

The May 2008 issue of Footwear News highlights Beautifeel's style by sharing how the comfort company "adds a floral touch to a peep-toe pump" in an effort to get "romantic." As far as I recall, romance began on my wedding day after I kicked off my shoes.
 

Samantha Brown, from Travel Channel's Passport to Great Weekends, is now sharing her passion for Ecco shoes. Can you identify any of the Ecco styles she's wearing in the commercial. Send in your ideas and we'll provide a 20% off coupon for the first three correct answers in the comments below.




Wikipedia informs us that "In September 2007, [Samantha] was in Beijing filming Passport to China, to be aired in June and July 2008, just ahead of the 2008 Olympics." Keep an eye out for it.

Health Magazine recently shared "America's Healthiest Fitness Buys 2008: Shoes" and chose Merrell Shoes Siren Ventilator in the category of walking.

The magazine's reviewer writes: "Perfect for a quick jaunt or a calorie-blasting power walk, these shoes have a rubber sole that comfortably supports your arch, and the beveled heel allows you to pick up the pace without shortening your stride."

What they don't mention is the nicely ventilated design that lets the air flow through while the mesh lining wicks away moisture.

Can't tell from the cover if the Sex in the City girls wear Merrell shoes, but it's safe to bet the Walk in the City girls do.

We frequently hear our customers sing the praises of MBT shoes -- "I am truly amazed at the difference the MBT's have made in just a month. I am walking better, my posture has improved, I can work a double shift without my legs or knees hurting, I am more relaxed when walking and I am sleeping better than I have in years!" -- but recently we received feedback regarding a medical condition that stood out:

"I have an ankle fusion and hate shopping for shoes. However, Footwear etc. carries the MBT shoes - the only shoes I can wear -- in many styles, and I receive them quickly with no extra fees. I love the free socks they sent with my last order!" - Lauren B.

Curious to learn more about "ankle fusion," I turned to Google and found MBT shoes mentioned often in connection with this surgical technique. It is a challenge to fathom that doctors utilize surgery to get the bones around the ankle to grow together, but it seems to reduce the pain caused by ankle arthritis.

I imagine mobility is severely limited by having one's ankle bones fused, yet I find that walking and even running is an active part of post surgical recovery. So how do MBT shoes help? With the range of motion limited by the fusion, shoes with proper support and rolling motion appear to assist in comfortable movement.

If you have experience with ankle fusion surgery and MBTs, we'd love to hear from you. Attach a comment below.