Good shoes at Compleet Feet? Why buy them at a podiatry clinic? The simple answer could be; “we are podiatrists who know what feet need“, but it is more than that. Podiatrists know the difference between a good and bad fitting shoe and a bad fitting foot. Shoes don’t have to look orthopaedic or be flat. Podiatrists are not the shoe police or kill joys. Podiatrists too, like to wear fashionable and stylish footwear. Our female staff love a heel!
What Is a Good Shoe?
A good shoe doesn’t have to be expensive or boring. Our criteria for good shoes at Compleet Feet:
• Good fit
• Offer some form of good functionality
• Made well, durable
• Fit an orthotic if required
• Adjustable
• Ease of putting on and taking off
The perfect shoe!
How Can Shoes be Adjusted at Compleet Feet?
We select footwear which can be adjusted. This is not a service you will get at standard shoe shops. All our footwear can be adapted in some way. Small to large tweaks can be made at no additional charge to customer.
Need More Room
Extra room for a bunion or hammer toe can be achieved by stretching. Our ball and ring stretcher does the trick! A shoe’s actual footbed can be adjusted by reducing thickness or angling to bring foot up to sit better.
Stretching shoes is easy at Compleet Feet
Ball and Ring Stretcher to stretch shoe for toe deformities
Wide Splaying Foot Type
Width fitting could be because the foot is rolling-in, pronating. Elevating and supporting the foot can make foot shape narrower, hence a better fit. This can be achieved by simply placing a small wedge under the footbed at the heel to angle the rearfoot outwards. Works a treat with no compromise on space.
Feet need to be properly supported for correct anatomical function.
High Insteps
If the top of the foot is rubbing, catching uncomfortably on the instep due to a high arched foot type, a cut out in the footbed will make all the difference. Removing a small section under the ball of the big toe drops the arch making more room. High arched foot types can fit better with a heel type shoe. Simply adding a 4-5mm heel lift inside a shoe will improve fit and functionality.
Too Tight, Too Loose…..
Problem foot types need an adjustable fit shoe e.g. lace-up, buckles or velcro. Lace-up footwear can be adjusted by simple lace-up techniques. By adjusting the way the shoe is laced will improve fit.
Sensitive Feet
For the sensitive foot type whereby ‘rubbing’ is always an issue, adhesive gel padding can be placed directly in the shoe to eliminate hot spots.
Heel Slippage
Padding can work well for heels that slip up and out of the shoe when walking. In a closed in shoe type extra padding can be stuck discreetly on the tongue to push the heel down.
Foot Sliding Forward
Foot types which slide forward in a shoe are usually because they are too flexible or narrow. Inserting an arch support into shoe will control movement and support the foot. Shoe fit is crucial. The shoe should not be too flexible or loose. A loose shoe will make toes claw and tighter ones will scrunch them. Simple metatarsal pads can be added into shoe to stop foot sliding.
Can adjust shoe inserts for better fit and functionality
Get Feet and Biomechanics Professionally Checked Out
We do advise if an individual has a painful or long-standing foot related lower limb issue to get it checked out. Have a biomechanical assessment with one of our podiatrists to find out exactly what is required. Second guessing what the problem is can lead to expensive shoe mistakes and exacerbating problems. Other medical health professionals e.g. physiotherapists are not specialists in foot problems. Wasting time is one of the biggest issues; conditions can become chronic and harder to treat.
