Boots...

Kate XXXXXX said:

The question is, which makes are good for kids/small adult sizes in this
sort of boot, for a foot that is broad at the toe, narrow at the heel,
and has a high instep? Do any makes of walking boots come in different
width fittings?

There are some made to measure boot fitters. Your foot profile sounds a
bit like mine, and personally I get on very well with Scarpas so you
might try those.
If you go for a lighter off-road trainer option then New Balance do
different width fittings, and with my broad forefoot, narrow heel, high
arch feet I personally find Saucony agree with my feet very well.

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net [email hidden] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

Peter Clinch said:

There are some made to measure boot fitters. Your foot profile sounds a
bit like mine, and personally I get on very well with Scarpas so you
might try those.
If you go for a lighter off-road trainer option then New Balance do
different width fittings, and with my broad forefoot, narrow heel, high
arch feet I personally find Saucony agree with my feet very well.

Pete.

Thanks! Those look like good makes to start with. I'll do a google
later and see who stocks them. I need to try before I buy, so finding
some in Kent might be interesting. It's not noted for its walking
country, but we do have Blacks and one or two other outlets that might
be helpful.

My last pair were bought some 31 years ago... I was so light in those
days that despite 3 years of heavy use, I never broke them in! Son
James got a year or so out of them (similar foot shape to me), but he
couldn't break them in either, despite them having been given The Dose
of Castor Oil treatment! They have a yellow lozenge shaped label on the
sole that says 'Vibram' and 'Montegano', but I cannot make out any
maker's label inside: whatever was printed on them has long gone. They
look a bit like old fashioned diving boots! 😄

--
Kate XXXXXX R.C.T.Q Madame Chef des Trolls
Lady Catherine, Wardrobe Mistress of the Chocolate Buttons
http://www.katedicey.co.uk
Click on Kate's Pages and explore!

Quoted message said:

The question is, which makes are good for kids/small adult sizes in this
sort of boot, for a foot that is broad at the toe, narrow at the heel,
and has a high instep? Do any makes of walking boots come in different
width fittings?

http://www.altberg.co.uk are exceptional among boot suppliers in that
they offer 5 width fittings in their own range of boots, including
narrow and extra narrow. I've not worn Altbergs myself, but they have
a great reputation. Not cheap, but they are said to last a very long
time.

The best thing I know of for a high instep is to add a Sole Ultra
insole. My own arch is very high - the Sole really worked for me.
These are very high tech insoles indeed - 3mm of shock absorber over
an EVA base which moulds itself to contact with your arch (to do this
you heat for a couple of minutes in the oven!)

If you're planning to add an arch support to a boot (and you should)
then make sure that the boot you buy has removeable insoles.

Quoted message said:

I have fairly small but very wide feet: I take kids' school shoes in
Bootleg/Clarks size 4G, or something in a Rhode or ecco ladies shoe size
37/38. I have rather narrow heels, which gives me a problem with
walking out of things and my with my heels rubbing.

Google for "Ian's shoe lacing site" and look at lock lacing/lace
locks.

Quoted message said:

The question is, which makes are good for kids/small adult sizes in this
sort of boot, for a foot that is broad at the toe, narrow at the heel,
and has a high instep?

There are also methods of lacing on the same site that let you fine
control the fit of the shoe, tightening it in some places and not
others.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

The question is, which makes are good for kids/small adult sizes in this
sort of boot, for a foot that is broad at the toe, narrow at the heel,
and has a high instep? Do any makes of walking boots come in different
width fittings?

http://www.altberg.co.uk are exceptional among boot suppliers in that
they offer 5 width fittings in their own range of boots, including
narrow and extra narrow. I've not worn Altbergs myself, but they have
a great reputation. Not cheap, but they are said to last a very long
time.

I need extra wide rather than narrow - but with narrow heels!

I'm looking for decent sole thickness to cushion my feet from the ground

Quoted message said:

The best thing I know of for a high instep is to add a Sole Ultra
insole. My own arch is very high - the Sole really worked for me.
These are very high tech insoles indeed - 3mm of shock absorber over
an EVA base which moulds itself to contact with your arch (to do this
you heat for a couple of minutes in the oven!)

Quoted message said:

If you're planning to add an arch support to a boot (and you should)
then make sure that the boot you buy has removeable insoles.

I don't have problems with my arches: me feets is in very good nick (on
the whole) as I have always worn bare feet as much as possible, and
prance about on me toes a lot. The arches are good and strong, but
because they are quite high, I need a bit of extra space over the
instep. I usually find any kind of after-sales added insole (even when
the original is removed) takes up too much of the toe space needed for
extra wide feet.

The only problems I have with my feet are the all to frequent outbreaks
of fibromyalgia, which means they swell a bit, suffer from water
retention, and feel like someone is cutting through them with a hot
knife (bit like that poor mermaid felt in the old story). As ALL my
joints feel like that a lot of the time, I don't count it as a foot
problem per say, and walking doesn't affect it too much (NOT walking is
more of a problem! Then I stiffen up and hobble round the house like
the Hunchbum of Notre DAMN! OUCH - that hurts!).

I'm not aiming for seriously rough terrain or anything too strenuous:
not allowed to exercise in the gym or run, but I'm encouraged to walk
and swim as much as possible. I'm aiming to take advantage of the good
days rather than hike to Applecross and back in a weekend! ;D
--
Kate XXXXXX R.C.T.Q Madame Chef des Trolls
Lady Catherine, Wardrobe Mistress of the Chocolate Buttons
http://www.katedicey.co.uk
Click on Kate's Pages and explore!

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I have fairly small but very wide feet: I take kids' school shoes in
Bootleg/Clarks size 4G, or something in a Rhode or ecco ladies shoe size
37/38. I have rather narrow heels, which gives me a problem with
walking out of things and my with my heels rubbing.

Google for "Ian's shoe lacing site" and look at lock lacing/lace
locks.

Quoted message said:

The question is, which makes are good for kids/small adult sizes in this
sort of boot, for a foot that is broad at the toe, narrow at the heel,
and has a high instep?

There are also methods of lacing on the same site that let you fine
control the fit of the shoe, tightening it in some places and not
others.

I shall read and inwardly digest... I may need to use differential
lacing to get the fit I need at the heel.

--
Kate XXXXXX R.C.T.Q Madame Chef des Trolls
Lady Catherine, Wardrobe Mistress of the Chocolate Buttons
http://www.katedicey.co.uk
Click on Kate's Pages and explore!

On 17 Sep, 15:27, Kate XXXXXX <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

The question is, which makes are good for kids/small adult sizes in this
sort of boot, for a foot that is broad at the toe, narrow at the heel,
and has a high instep? Do any makes of walking boots come in different
width fittings?

Quoted message said:

http://www.altberg.co.ukare exceptional among boot suppliers in that
they offer 5 width fittings in their own range of boots, including
narrow and extra narrow. I've not worn Altbergs myself, but they have
a great reputation. Not cheap, but they are said to last a very long
time.

I need extra wide rather than narrow - but with narrow heels!

Altbergs make wide and extra wide. As for the narrow heel, lock lacing
- and a good insole that fits the heel correctly and differential
lacing - might do the trick.

Quoted message said:

I don't have problems with my arches: me feets is in very good nick (on
the whole) as I have always worn bare feet as much as possible, and
prance about on me toes a lot. The arches are good and strong, but
because they are quite high, I need a bit of extra space over the
instep.

Ok: like most high instep owners you have a "high volume" foot. (I
spent ages talking to people in shoe stores about this stuff.)

Quoted message said:

I usually find any kind of after-sales added insole (even when
the original is removed) takes up too much of the toe space needed for
extra wide feet.

If you get boots in a decent width fitting, this won't be a problem.
Perhaps especially not with the Soles because of their mouldability -
mine don't really take up any more room than the insole they replaced,
except under the arch, where I can afford it.

Another alternative is put a silicone gel heel cup in your shoes. You
should have plenty of room for this at the heel, and it should
stabilize and absorb impact - it might fix your narrow heel problem
altogether, along with lock lacing. See eg

http://www.orthobionics.com/foot/index.htm

Quoted message said:

The only problems I have with my feet are the all to frequent outbreaks
of fibromyalgia, which means they swell a bit, suffer from water
retention, and feel like someone is cutting through them with a hot
knife (bit like that poor mermaid felt in the old story). As ALL my
joints feel like that a lot of the time, I don't count it as a foot
problem per say, and walking doesn't affect it too much (NOT walking is
more of a problem! Then I stiffen up and hobble round the house like
the Hunchbum of Notre DAMN! OUCH - that hurts!).

OUCH indeed!

If you have a high arch and do NOT have a pronation problem - which
from my experience the Sole would cure - then you're quite unusual for
someone with a high arch. Generally

high arch + I want more cushioning = under pronation aka suppination

....I.e. the pronation mechanism of your gait doesn't work the way it
is supposed to, leading to too much shock and cummulative injury. The
Soles do, in my experience, provide a cure for this in a way that no
amout of cushioning can.

Anyway, I would very strongly recommend that you find out if you are
under pronating, even if only by looking at your feet yourself with
something like

http://www.spinalhealth.net/running-shoes.html

as a guide. If you are, fixing the problem with do more to reduce
shock than any amount of cushioning that can be put in a shoe.

Kate XXXXXX said:

I'm not aiming for seriously rough terrain or anything too strenuous:
not allowed to exercise in the gym or run, but I'm encouraged to walk
and swim as much as possible. I'm aiming to take advantage of the good
days rather than hike to Applecross and back in a weekend! ;D

Are you sure you need/want boots?
I am happy to do that sort of walking in sandals or trainers or approach
shows. Softer shoes can be a bit more forgiving in shape than stiff boots.

Roos

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I need extra wide rather than narrow - but with narrow heels!

Altbergs make wide and extra wide. As for the narrow heel, lock lacing
- and a good insole that fits the heel correctly and differential
lacing - might do the trick.

Quoted message said:

I don't have problems with my arches: me feets is in very good nick (on
the whole) as I have always worn bare feet as much as possible, and
prance about on me toes a lot. The arches are good and strong, but
because they are quite high, I need a bit of extra space over the
instep.

Ok: like most high instep owners you have a "high volume" foot. (I
spent ages talking to people in shoe stores about this stuff.)

Me too: son has a similar foot shape, but other added problems...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I usually find any kind of after-sales added insole (even when
the original is removed) takes up too much of the toe space needed for
extra wide feet.

If you get boots in a decent width fitting, this won't be a problem.
Perhaps especially not with the Soles because of their mouldability -
mine don't really take up any more room than the insole they replaced,
except under the arch, where I can afford it.

I shall certainly look at this for the future, if the boots I ordered
yesterday don't do the trick. It's not as if I'm in a hurry, after all...

Quoted message said:

Another alternative is put a silicone gel heel cup in your shoes. You
should have plenty of room for this at the heel, and it should
stabilize and absorb impact - it might fix your narrow heel problem
altogether, along with lock lacing. See eg

http://www.orthobionics.com/foot/index.htm

Interesting. I shall look at those heel cups in particular.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

The only problems I have with my feet are the all to frequent outbreaks
of fibromyalgia, which means they swell a bit, suffer from water
retention, and feel like someone is cutting through them with a hot
knife (bit like that poor mermaid felt in the old story). As ALL my
joints feel like that a lot of the time, I don't count it as a foot
problem per say, and walking doesn't affect it too much (NOT walking is
more of a problem! Then I stiffen up and hobble round the house like
the Hunchbum of Notre DAMN! OUCH - that hurts!).

OUCH indeed!

If you have a high arch and do NOT have a pronation problem - which
from my experience the Sole would cure - then you're quite unusual for
someone with a high arch. Generally

high arch + I want more cushioning = under pronation aka suppination

...I.e. the pronation mechanism of your gait doesn't work the way it
is supposed to, leading to too much shock and cummulative injury. The
Soles do, in my experience, provide a cure for this in a way that no
amout of cushioning can.

This I understand, but I don't actually have a problem caused by this
sort of thing.

Quoted message said:

Anyway, I would very strongly recommend that you find out if you are
under pronating, even if only by looking at your feet yourself with
something like

http://www.spinalhealth.net/running-shoes.html

as a guide. If you are, fixing the problem with do more to reduce
shock than any amount of cushioning that can be put in a shoe.

My footprint is a straight up 'normal' looking at that! The extra
padding or thicker sole is purely for getting a gentler cushioning
effect than a standard hard sole: like standing on carpet rather than
concrete! The fibro means that my soles are very sensitive, especially
when I have a flare up. Walking and other gentle exercise helps - even
a stroll up the footpath to the village shop can help! But I sometimes
feel like the whole of the sole of my foot is bruised after a quick half
dozen steps across a carpeted room!

It's daft, really... On a good feet day I can prance about cobbled
streets shopping for hours in high heeled shoes: on a BAD day, a few
steps across a carpeted room is too much! But on a bad day in well
fitted shoes of the right type and the proper level of shock absorption,
a five mile stroll across Kent's downlands would do me more good than a
day at a health farm!

--
Kate XXXXXX R.C.T.Q Madame Chef des Trolls
Lady Catherine, Wardrobe Mistress of the Chocolate Buttons
http://www.katedicey.co.uk
Click on Kate's Pages and explore!

Roos Eisma said:

Kate XXXXXX said:

I'm not aiming for seriously rough terrain or anything too strenuous:
not allowed to exercise in the gym or run, but I'm encouraged to walk
and swim as much as possible. I'm aiming to take advantage of the good
days rather than hike to Applecross and back in a weekend! ;D

Are you sure you need/want boots?
I am happy to do that sort of walking in sandals or trainers or approach
shows. Softer shoes can be a bit more forgiving in shape than stiff boots.

Roos

I don't want anything too stiff and heavy, but I DO want a boot rather
than a shoe. As much to protect my ankles from brambles as anything...
And sandals won't keep my feet warm in the winter. I'm aiming for
something more this style:
http://www.trekwear.co.uk/regatta_wetland_girls_walking_boots_in_valentine/p-659.html
than this: http://www.needlesports.com/acatalog/Walking_Boots.html
Nice those these are, they are well beyond what I need. And it isn't
the price difference that bothers me: if I could do enough walking in
the kind of terrain that required that sort of boot, I'd buy them out of
the next big wedding project profits! I just don't have the stamina to
cope with the kind of walking those represent. The gurlie pink things
will probably do for now. If they don't fit, they can go back. If I
hate them, at least I have only wasted £25 rather than five times that!

--
Kate XXXXXX R.C.T.Q Madame Chef des Trolls
Lady Catherine, Wardrobe Mistress of the Chocolate Buttons
http://www.katedicey.co.uk
Click on Kate's Pages and explore!

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Another alternative is put a silicone gel heel cup in your shoes. You
should have plenty of room for this at the heel, and it should
stabilize and absorb impact - it might fix your narrow heel problem
altogether, along with lock lacing. See eg

Quoted message said:

http://www.orthobionics.com/foot/index.htm

Interesting. I shall look at those heel cups in particular.

They absorb shock and they should stablize you. Before buying anyone
brand you should look at all the options. You can also get 1/2 and 3/4
length insoles, often combined with a heel cup. Depending on when your
foot starts to narrow, one of these might be an even better option.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Anyway, I would very strongly recommend that you find out if you are
under pronating, even if only by looking at your feet yourself with
something like

Quoted message said:

http://www.spinalhealth.net/running-shoes.html

Quoted message said:

as a guide. If you are, fixing the problem with do more to reduce
shock than any amount of cushioning that can be put in a shoe.

My footprint is a straight up 'normal' looking at that!

I'm really glad you checked otherwise I would have worried. So the
*inside* part of the arch is high, but the outer part makes full
contact? That's much better than a true high arch. You might want to
google for some suppliers on the net that supply extra deep shoes as
well as extra wide. Let me know if you need help.

Quoted message said:

The extra
padding or thicker sole is purely for getting a gentler cushioning
effect than a standard hard sole: like standing on carpet rather than
concrete!

A company called Original Swat has a range of boots and shoes that use
Nike air technology. This isn't better than what other sports shoe
companies use, but its way ahead of normal shoes and hiking boots.
(But has poor stability for off raod.) You can find them in the UK
online, and they have a wider than normal profile - although I wear
the men's wide variant because my feet are real plates of meat.

The other option you definitely should consider is swapping the
standard insole for a gel or memory insole or the Sole or the sort of
Superfeet that get moulded in a machine in the store, or, if you can
afford LOTS of money, a Kiper silicone gel orthotic. All spread your
weight over a much wider contact area as well as adding shock
absorption. If your pronation is good and your shoes fit, then
avoiding pressure "hotspots" is the next step.

But really, in your position, I'd ask my GP to refer me to an NHS
podiatry clinic - he should do this for a condition like yours.
Otherwise, at I would suggest that you at least try gel insoles with a
heel cup.

Quoted message said:

The fibro means that my soles are very sensitive, especially
when I have a flare up. Walking and other gentle exercise helps - even
a stroll up the footpath to the village shop can help! But I sometimes
feel like the whole of the sole of my foot is bruised after a quick half
dozen steps across a carpeted room!

It's daft, really... On a good feet day I can prance about cobbled
streets shopping for hours in high heeled shoes: on a BAD day, a few
steps across a carpeted room is too much! But on a bad day in well
fitted shoes of the right type and the proper level of shock absorption,
a five mile stroll across Kent's downlands would do me more good than a
day at a health farm!

Again: OUCH!

Quoted message said:

They absorb shock and they should stablize you. Before buying anyone
brand you should look at all the options. You can also get 1/2 and 3/4
length insoles, often combined with a heel cup. Depending on when your
foot starts to narrow, one of these might be an even better option.

I fall over... But not due to foot problems! That's caused at the
other end of me by a minor (and well investigated) inner ear problem...
I don't think any kind of shoe is going to help me stay upright, but
if it helps me not to turn an ankle when I *DO* fall, it has to be good!

My feet START to narrow at the toe! They are triangular!

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

My footprint is a straight up 'normal' looking at that!

I'm really glad you checked otherwise I would have worried. So the
*inside* part of the arch is high, but the outer part makes full
contact? That's much better than a true high arch. You might want to
google for some suppliers on the net that supply extra deep shoes as
well as extra wide. Let me know if you need help.

Thank you. This all seems a lot more complicated than when I last
bought walking boots 30+ years ago, when I went into a shop with my
friend Ian from college and tried on all the boots in the shop until we
found some that *I* found comfortable and *HE* thought were man enough
for galloping round Glencoe and such places.

Quoted message said:

A company called Original Swat has a range of boots and shoes that use
Nike air technology. This isn't better than what other sports shoe
companies use, but its way ahead of normal shoes and hiking boots.
(But has poor stability for off raod.) You can find them in the UK
online, and they have a wider than normal profile - although I wear
the men's wide variant because my feet are real plates of meat.

In boots mine tend to look like Florence's, from The Magic Roundabout!

Quoted message said:

The other option you definitely should consider is swapping the
standard insole for a gel or memory insole or the Sole or the sort of
Superfeet that get moulded in a machine in the store, or, if you can
afford LOTS of money, a Kiper silicone gel orthotic. All spread your
weight over a much wider contact area as well as adding shock
absorption. If your pronation is good and your shoes fit, then
avoiding pressure "hotspots" is the next step.

If I'm going to THAT length, I'm going to start investigating getting
boots made for me!

Quoted message said:

But really, in your position, I'd ask my GP to refer me to an NHS
podiatry clinic - he should do this for a condition like yours.
Otherwise, at I would suggest that you at least try gel insoles with a
heel cup.

BTDT: and also a pain management course. No boots or shoes are going
to cure the problems I have with the pain: all they can do is cushion
the worst on a bad day and stop me screaming (or whimpering feebly at
any rate!) until it dies down. Podiatrist & etc all say I have
excellent feet with no problems except that the fibro has made them
super sensitive, about which they can do nowt. The wideness is
hereditary, so bugger all to do about that either! They are exactly the
same shape as my father's feet were, but he took a side 8 and I take a 4.

Quoted message said:

Again: OUCH!

Yup. 24/365 pain is a hell of a way to live, but it beats the
alternative! If I DIDN'T do this sort of thing (and lug sewing machines
about and teach kids [yes, they go together!], and crawl on the floor
putting up wedding frockery hems, and climb ladders into the loft and
heft 40lb crates of fabric about... ) life would get terribly boring and
I'd stop moving and be in a wheelchair as a rusting hulk!

--
Kate XXXXXX R.C.T.Q Madame Chef des Trolls
Lady Catherine, Wardrobe Mistress of the Chocolate Buttons
http://www.katedicey.co.uk
Click on Kate's Pages and explore!

On 18 Sep, 17:34, Kate XXXXXX <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

They absorb shock and they should stablize you. Before buying anyone
brand you should look at all the options. You can also get 1/2 and 3/4
length insoles, often combined with a heel cup. Depending on when your
foot starts to narrow, one of these might be an even better option.

I fall over... But not due to foot problems! That's caused at the
other end of me by a minor (and well investigated) inner ear problem...
I don't think any kind of shoe is going to help me stay upright, but
if it helps me not to turn an ankle when I *DO* fall, it has to be good!

Alas, I don't think heel cups stablize you in the "gyroscope" sense!
But they can stop your foot from twisting in your shoe, which might be
a problem if shoes are loose around the ankle.

(Btw - I have repeated ear infections too - I wonder if we are
related???)

Quoted message said:

In boots mine tend to look like Florence's, from The Magic Roundabout!

Many people would say this is a good thing. Perhaps you could buy a
suitable dog?

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

The other option you definitely should consider is swapping the
standard insole for a gel or memory insole or the Sole or the sort of
Superfeet that get moulded in a machine in the store, or, if you can
afford LOTS of money, a Kiper silicone gel orthotic. All spread your
weight over a much wider contact area as well as adding shock
absorption. If your pronation is good and your shoes fit, then
avoiding pressure "hotspots" is the next step.

If I'm going to THAT length, I'm going to start investigating getting
boots made for me!

Altberg do that sort of thing. I think the cost is £300. Gel insoles
are £10; Soles are £30. Kipers are £200. I'd start with trying the
Soles personally (they have a money back guarantee and a very good
reputation - I wish I tried one years ago) or the gel if you're very
conservative. Btw - a custom made boot won't adapt the sole to fit
your feet and eliminate pressure hotspots the way a Sole or Kiper
insole can. If pain is triggered by impact, what usually matters is
the maximum impact felt by any spot. Take a look at:

http://www.drkiper.com/high_arch1.html

...if you're interested. The Soles should work a similar alteration to
the Kipers, being another full contact insole, the gel's would have a
lesser effect. (I spent years talking to people in shoe shops and
reading podiatry and biomechanics sites to fix my own problems - it
was necessity, NOT a hobby - really!)

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

But really, in your position, I'd ask my GP to refer me to an NHS
podiatry clinic - he should do this for a condition like yours.
Otherwise, at I would suggest that you at least try gel insoles with a
heel cup.

BTDT: and also a pain management course.

Yes: I should have thought of that - they can help a lot. Some people
find TENS units helpful too - Loyd's Pharmacists have one for £15
right now. Oh, and a friend whose girlfriend has pain problems
recently told me they were going to try importing some capsicum based
cream from the States, whatever that is.

Quoted message said:

No boots or shoes are going
to cure the problems I have with the pain: all they can do is cushion
the worst on a bad day and stop me screaming (or whimpering feebly at
any rate!) until it dies down. Podiatrist & etc all say I have
excellent feet with no problems except that the fibro has made them
super sensitive, about which they can do nowt.

Damn. Well, I'm glad you've checked.

Quoted message said:

Yup. 24/365 pain is a hell of a way to live, but it beats the
alternative!

***Good*** point!

Quoted message said:

Alas, I don't think heel cups stablize you in the "gyroscope" sense!
But they can stop your foot from twisting in your shoe, which might be
a problem if shoes are loose around the ankle.

(Btw - I have repeated ear infections too - I wonder if we are
related???)

When the problems got noticable, I was concerned about Mennier's
Disease, which afflicted my granny, but, thank god, it turned out to be
lazy eustacian tubes that were a consequence of repeated childhood
infections of ear, nose, and throat...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

In boots mine tend to look like Florence's, from The Magic Roundabout!

Many people would say this is a good thing. Perhaps you could buy a
suitable dog?

We have borrowed a dog for a couple of weeks, while her folks are in
Austria playing with mountains! She and out two mogs have settled down
well.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

If I'm going to THAT length, I'm going to start investigating getting
boots made for me!

Altberg do that sort of thing. I think the cost is £300. Gel insoles
are £10; Soles are £30. Kipers are £200. I'd start with trying the
Soles personally (they have a money back guarantee and a very good
reputation - I wish I tried one years ago) or the gel if you're very
conservative. Btw - a custom made boot won't adapt the sole to fit
your feet and eliminate pressure hotspots the way a Sole or Kiper
insole can. If pain is triggered by impact, what usually matters is
the maximum impact felt by any spot. Take a look at:

http://www.drkiper.com/high_arch1.html

..if you're interested. The Soles should work a similar alteration to
the Kipers, being another full contact insole, the gel's would have a
lesser effect. (I spent years talking to people in shoe shops and
reading podiatry and biomechanics sites to fix my own problems - it
was necessity, NOT a hobby - really!)

I shall certainly look into this, but ,more for the lad than for me: he
DOES have a problem, and I need to get him back to the podiatrist.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

BTDT: and also a pain management course.

Yes: I should have thought of that - they can help a lot. Some people
find TENS units helpful too - Loyd's Pharmacists have one for £15
right now. Oh, and a friend whose girlfriend has pain problems
recently told me they were going to try importing some capsicum based
cream from the States, whatever that is.

I'm thinking of trying emu oil: http://www.emu-oil-well.com/

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Yup. 24/365 pain is a hell of a way to live, but it beats the
alternative!

***Good*** point!

The cheap pink Florence boots arrived today. At a glance, they look
well enough made for their price (no loose bits, no wonky stitching,
nothing misshapen or peculiar looking!), and I have put the socks on
(Regatta Kids Coolmax: wool gives me the mad itches) and laced up the
boots: they fit well, with no slippage at the heel as I bounce up and
down the living room on my toes. The arch fits closely under my foot:
not obtrusive and no large gap. I can lace them so there is plenty of
toe room but no sliding forward as I skip about. The width comes from a
nice wide footbed rather than lots of fabric over the top, but there is
also plenty of room over the instep. They feel a little close round my
ankles (which are used to fashion boots!), but don't feel like they'll
give me the ankle-bracelet bruising I got from the old leather ones.

For £25, I think they will be fine. Their only disadvantage so far is
the colour... Ice-cream and strawberry sauce pink! My almost 13 YO lad
is going to make serious vomiting noises as per teen male standard
response to pink!

And Damn! I have nothing to wear with them... maybe I need to make a
pink waterproof jacket... 😉
--
Kate XXXXXX R.C.T.Q Madame Chef des Trolls
Lady Catherine, Wardrobe Mistress of the Chocolate Buttons
http://www.katedicey.co.uk
Click on Kate's Pages and explore!