Shoes both Carolyn and I not only can wear but want to wear because they’re so comfortable.
Carolyn’s feet and mine are about as different as frogs and ballerinas. Mine are flat as pancakes; Carolyn’s got these great high arches…which make finding tie shoes that don’t cut off the circulation durn near impossible.
I’ve been having terrible problems getting rid of the tendonitis in my right ankle. Probably if I spent two weeks sitting with it elevated and iced 24/7, I’d make some headway, but that’s just not going to happen. The other day, I just happened to see an internet reference to the Reebok Easytoners. (We have black on black ones.) Rather than flat soles, rounding up at the toe, they have three rounded lumps on the sole, one at the heel, one on the metatarsel arch and one at the toe. They’re touted as adding 28% (why 28 and not 30? Who knows? We live in the day of digital clocks.) to any workout, but what I liked about them was that it looked like they might quietly activate the small muscles all around the foot and ankle that control balance. I was especially interested in those side muscles, considering my chronic problem.
I decided to try them out, but I needed to try them on: no internet surprises where it comes to my feet. Trying to find someplace that had them was another matter. Finally went to Reebok and found Lady Foot Locker was the only Spokane source.
In my attempts to find the easytones, I’d tried on their marketing competitor, Sketchers Shapeups. These were amazingly comfortable, and my ankle didn’t hurt a bit in them, but they didn’t have the side to side stability challenge. I also found a good anecdotal site at About.com: Reebok Comments
So…Wednesday, I headed for Lady Foot Locker. I tried the Reebok on and they were more than I’d hoped for. Though not was immediately comfortable on the ankle as the Sketchers, they did ease the pain, and there was this wonderful added benny…that lump at the toe encourages you to really use your toes…all of them, because it’s right in the middle, so from the outside in, they all work. This is unique in my experience of shoes, and what your toes absolutely must do inside the shell of the figure skate.
Sold!
Two days later, the ankle is feeling great with just the occasional twinge, my knees and back, too. And although they’re designed to accommodate orthotics, I haven’t needed mine at all. The pesky fascia is doing great, even with lots of walking both days.
To top it off, they’re cute.
Thursday, I kidnapped Carolyn (I was driving) took her to LFL, and made her try some on. Her feet are sooooo different from mine, I was dubious about suggesting it, but guess what? She walked out of that store with a pair just like mine, and such a spring in her step, I had a hard time keeping up with her.
I’m very excited. I’ve never paid that much for a pair of shoes, but I think they’re going to be worth every penny.
P.S. the more I’ve looked into it, I think both Reebok and Sketchers are doing their own take on MBTs, but at about a third the price. Likely MBTs are the cadillac this type of shoe, and someday, if I ever get the chance, I’m going to try them out, but somehow, I don’t think I’ll like them as well: like the Sketchers, they don’t have that toe action.
I love my Reebok!
Hmm, I think I have to look into these! My feet are like yours, Jane—utterly flat, and notoriously picky about footwear. The last time I bought sneakers, I had to try on something like fifteen pairs to find one that didn’t **actively** bother my feet, and even my current Nike tennies will make my feet hurt if I’m standing or walking for long. I’d looked at the MBT technology, but it’s prohibitively expensive (and they didn’t have all the cute shoes they do now). Thanks for sharing your find!
my sister in law recommended the mbts a few years ago and I got a pair, but my feet hated them. they felt like iron corsets for the feet after about a mile or so, although I could feel that they stretched out my calves. I am wide at the toes with very high arches, and it is hard to find anything that is really comfortable. I will certainly check out the reeboks.
Thanks Jane for the tip! I will have to try these as well. After 20 minutes on the elliptical walker my toes are tingling. Not so much on the treadmill, so it must be something about the angle of the foot when climbing. Kokipy, like you I have wide toes and a good arch. I have tried loosening the laces with only minimal improvement, but then have less stability.
Carolyn has the high arch problem, too. Complete with annoying tingling from the laces. These laces are barely long enough, but she actually has them so she can just slip into the shoes without untying, and still gets the support.
It’s an unusual kind of support in that what it actually does is make the feet work more rather than strap them into a pre-determined shape. Like my barefoot science inserts, only without the lump under the arch.
You won’t get the obvious calf stretch like the MBTs or sketchers, because you don’t have that big rocking sole, but there’s a lot more foot freedom, IMO. I LOVE the toe action. That works the whole foot.
Carolyn and I also have bunions to contend with…hers from pointy shoes, mine from too many years rolling off the side of my big toe thanks to flat feet and abnormal turnout. I have an 81/2 arch with long toes so have a hard time finding a shoe with toe room that fits my foot. The 81/2 in this gave me plenty of toe room, both forward and to the sides.
Which is probably TMI…
Good luck!
The way you describe the shoes, they sound almost like Dr. Scholl’s Exercise Sandals. I wore them a lot when they were popular. Shaped wooden sole with a leather piece over the foot. You gripped the front part with each step. Due to having a wooden sole, they were excellent on hot summer sidewalks.
I’ll have to check for this style and brand. I buy one pair of good tennies a year. To know they have black on black is important to me. The more they look like old lady shoes, the better. Plain and ugly as sin, but great with slacks and a jacket or sweater at work.
For me, they’re way better than the Dr. S Exercise Sandals, tho Dr. S has been very kind to my poor feet over the years. These are like nothing I’ve ever tried, because they aren’t hard and don’t force your foot to any certain position. They just give a slight but constant challenge to ankle and foot muscles. They say you can take the insole out and replace with an orthodic, but so far, I haven’t bothered. Haven’t needed it.
They don’t look like old lady shoes, but they’re quiet. What peeks out from under slacks or jeans is just a nice black toe.