Breaking in the birkenstocks

[redhen]

Quote:
Jeez Red. I have two pairs of shoes. TWO. One pair of sandals, and a pair of running shoes.

I know.. i used to have a shoe fetish..or something odd like that..

But ya know the only pair i usually wear.... my crocs... thats it.

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
I got a pair like this (arizonas):

http://www.amazon.com/Birkenstock-A...53Q2/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1303955263&sr=8-2

and a pair like this (madrids):

http://www.amazon.com/Birkenstock-W...=sr_1_8?s=shoes&ie=UTF8&qid=1303955347&sr=1-8

I looked at many places online, but amazon was the only site that offered the styles I wanted in the size I needed; other than going through birkie direct, which was way more expensive. I took the advice of one online review and ordered them a little big. I'm glad I did.
According to the podiatrist I have pretty severe plantar fasciitis, as well as shortening of the achilles tendon (birth defect). These shoes have done wonders for me. Crocs don't help me, not enough arch support.
Hope your mom gets some relief soon.

ETA: I wouldn't recommend the madrid sandal for an elderly person. Perhaps something like this:

http://www.amazon.com/Birkenstock-C...r_1_55?s=shoes&ie=UTF8&qid=1303955797&sr=1-55

Or the Bostons, which is what I plan to get this winter. I can wear them with socks on all but the worst winter days.

 

[gritsar]

Thanks for the welcome backs

 

[TerriLaChicks]

Quote:
I got a pair like this (arizonas):

http://www.amazon.com/Birkenstock-A...53Q2/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1303955263&sr=8-2

and a pair like this (madrids):

http://www.amazon.com/Birkenstock-W...=sr_1_8?s=shoes&ie=UTF8&qid=1303955347&sr=1-8

I looked at many places online, but amazon was the only site that offered the styles I wanted in the size I needed; other than going through birkie direct, which was way more expensive. I took the advice of one online review and ordered them a little big. I'm glad I did.
According to the podiatrist I have pretty severe plantar fasciitis, as well as shortening of the achilles tendon (birth defect). These shoes have done wonders for me. Crocs don't help me, not enough arch support.
Hope your mom gets some relief soon.

ETA: I wouldn't recommend the madrid sandal for an elderly person. Perhaps something like this:

http://www.amazon.com/Birkenstock-C...r_1_55?s=shoes&ie=UTF8&qid=1303955797&sr=1-55

Or the Bostons, which is what I plan to get this winter. I can wear them with socks on all but the worst winter days.

THank you so much for the info! I'll check into them today.

 

[ChooksinChoppers]

Quote:
Ok need to edit as the shoes I had were Merrill not Merrick

http://www.merrell.com/US/en-US/Pro...omens/Encore-Breeze-2-Wide-Width?dimensions=0

 

[redhen]

Quote:
I got a pair like this (arizonas):

http://www.amazon.com/Birkenstock-A...53Q2/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1303955263&sr=8-2

and a pair like this (madrids):

http://www.amazon.com/Birkenstock-W...=sr_1_8?s=shoes&ie=UTF8&qid=1303955347&sr=1-8

I looked at many places online, but amazon was the only site that offered the styles I wanted in the size I needed; other than going through birkie direct, which was way more expensive. I took the advice of one online review and ordered them a little big. I'm glad I did.
According to the podiatrist I have pretty severe plantar fasciitis, as well as shortening of the achilles tendon (birth defect). These shoes have done wonders for me. Crocs don't help me, not enough arch support.
Hope your mom gets some relief soon.

ETA: I wouldn't recommend the madrid sandal for an elderly person. Perhaps something like this:

http://www.amazon.com/Birkenstock-C...r_1_55?s=shoes&ie=UTF8&qid=1303955797&sr=1-55

Or the Bostons, which is what I plan to get this winter. I can wear them with socks on all but the worst winter days.

OOH i see... yeah..i already have a pair like the first link. Didnt even know what they were...

And yep! They are VERY comfy! I wear them a lot in the summer..

 

[aggie9296]

Love my Birks. And, yes, new ones do take a little getting used to. Been wearing them for about 15 years and am no longer flat footed. I'm lazy (and cheap) and get used ones on Ebay. For $20 you can get some gently worn, mostly broken in, and a helluva lot cheaper.

My favorites are the Arizona, 2 strap style. I also have some 3 strap. The ones with the strap along the heel I do not like, but the strap can easily be cut off, converting them to the Arizona.

About all I wear when I'm not barefooted. Pair of crocs for the chicken chores as they do not collect poop as much.

When I dress up, may put on some deck shoes.

 

[HHandbasket]

I used to love birkies cuz I had foot problems. I went to a podiatrist for my foot problems, and this is what he told me:

Birkenstocks figured out a fabulous marketing ploy in the design of their shoes. Once your feet get "used" to Birkenstocks because that's all you ever wear, they cause the small bones that comprise what we call the "ball" of our foot and the tissues that support them to spread out. You think it's making your feet feel better, but what it's doing is spreading your feet and changing their shape so that the ONLY shoes you can EVER wear comfortably again are Birkenstock's. He said he would not even treat patients that refused to stop wearing them, that the very design of them is a marketing ploy and that it's common knowledge amongst the world of podiatrists. Oftentime, the widening of the foot caused by wearing birkies is permanent.

He made me promise to get rid of them and never wear them again (I'd only had them about 2 months) or he was going to stop seeing me as a patient. He showed me on my foot x-rays where the shape of my feet had changed in the 6 months since he'd previously seen me, and I'd only been in the shoes for 2 months! Can you imagine what it's like for someone who wears Birkenstocks for years and years?

Sooooo I know ya'll love your birkies... I loved mine too (good heavens, they were SO comfortable), but they're really bad for your feet. They're designed so you'll always have to buy their shoes or be uncomfortable. Talk to your own podiatrist and see what he or she says about them before you keep wearing the darn things.

 

[Carols Clucks]

What shoes did your podiatrist suggest?

 

[HHandbasket]

He suggested "almost any brand of good, supportive athletic shoe, not the cheap ones from Walmart, but one that feels good and makes your whole foot feel supported when you walk."

He also suggested that I go to a quality shoe store for an appropriate shoe fitting because one of the reasons most people experience chronic foot problems is that we have a habit of consistently wearing the wrong size shoes. There's a place in Sacramento called The Good Feet store, and he did suggest I try that place. The shoes are a couple hundred bucks.

I never, ever had to buy "wide" size shoes until after the Birkenstocks Summer of 1996.

In fact, he also told me to never, ever wear high heels again, especially with the damage/widening to my midfoot caused by the Birkenstock's. He told me to absolutely never wear pumps or dress shoes, not even to church, nothing without an arch support, ever. I still wear nice shoes to church, though, but once a week for an hour probably isn't going to do that much damage. He also told me that once you start having foot widening, the absolute worst thing you can do for your feet is go barefooted. I never knew it, but apparently going barefooted causes your arches to collapse, which can be really detrimental to someone who already has flat feet.