Since the opening of the clinic this year, we have introduced high grade orthotics into our list of services. Orthotic shoes used to be something our grandparents would need to wear as prescribed by their podiatrist, and because of this the designs were highly dated and very unappealing to the eye. Thankfully those days are over as we are enlightened with the knowledge of the long term benefits of orthotics and are able to get our hands on designs that look a lot like shoes you’d purchase from a major fashion department store.
If you have a spare moment, come into the clinic to experience our range of orthotic shoes or, stay on this page and get an in depth look at what makes this breed of shoe the better choice over non-orthotics. Below are just some of the many shoes we keep displayed, our range is diverse and includes shoes appropriate for formal occasions to going for a nature walk.
a. Revere Casablanca Sandle; b. Vionic Hattie Sneaker; c. Revere Montana II Sandle; d. Vionic Baldwin
Revere Shoes
Revere is an Australian brand that started in 2012 in the sunny Gold Coast. One of the many features of this brand are the attention they pay to the look and design of a shoe. Revere understands that orthotics don’t have to look boring and dated, rather they aim to create a versatile shoe that can go with almost any outfit. Now, let’s explore the important components that make a Revere shoe feel and fit well every time – below we illustrate in more detail the many features of this masterpiece!
Vionic Shoes
Vionic were established in 1979 by Australian lower-limb biomechanic and podiatrist Phillip Vasyli. Vasyli became a well-known name among the podiatric community after inventing one of the first commercial grade heat-mouldable orthotics. The reason the Vionic shoe is one of the best in the market, is due to the nature of their footbed. These footbeds or soles are designed using the brand’s specialised, Vio-Motion Support technology ensuring heel stability, orthotic arch support and cushioning. Below is an illustration from the Vionic website outlining the advantages of all their products:
Vionic shoes are created using breathable materials meaning they’re an excellent choice for those treating their fungal nail, athlete’s foot or strong foot odours. Soft suede and durable leather are the primary materials used to achieve such a product – you can find many boots, flats, sandals and smart casual shoes from Vionic that utilize these materials.
Before You Buy, Try!
Wonderful! You’ve decided to buy an orthotic shoe, good on you! Here are a few tips to make sure the shoes you want is right for your feet:
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Is the inner lining of the shoe flexible and breathable? This ensures your foot climate will be just right so your feet are not sweaty and not too dry. A good orthotic shoe will be made with flexible and breathable materials such as pure leather and/or a breathable microfibre material. As leather is a natural material, we highly recommend you look out for this material in your shoe, our range of orthotic shoes largely contain the inside leather lining.
Fact: leather doesn’t irritate the skin so if you have sensitive skin then opt for a leather line
- Is the shoe secured to your foot? How to ensure stability. When trying on a shoe, employ the “rule of thumb” – the distance between the end of the longest toe and the end point of the shoe should be the length of the tip of your thumb to the first bend of your thumb as illustrated below:
As well as this, the shoe needs to be comfortably secured to your heel with extremely minimal slipping. There is a likely chance one foot is larger than the other, this is our dominant foot, always buy the pair of shoes in the larger/dominant foot’s size.
- Does the sole of the shoe have enough flexibility? The flexibility of the shoe sole means your foot will be able to curve into its natural form every time a step is taken. A way to test this out is by employing the ‘bending’ test – if you bend the heel and toe area towards each other, the sole should take the form of a ‘V’, this is how you know the shoe has ample flexibility.
For those of us who spend most of our time on our feet and enjoy living an active lifestyle, it’s worth independently doing a bit of research and asking dependable professionals/people their opinion on what the orthotic shoe can do for you. Many of us are aware of how great it feels when we step onto soft grass, get a foot massage or put our feet up after a long day of work – orthotic shoes are the closest thing we have to experiencing this feeling while busy at work or doing our daily chores. If you are interested in checking out more foot friendly styles or want more information on how you can get your hands on a pair, then feel free to visit us in the clinic or give us a call on 07 3741 2825 to speak to one of our helpful staff! Your feet will thank you for it!
By Nadia Anand at Foot & Ankle Experts Podiatry