Meredith McDonough - Have you ever gone out and bought a really good pair of shoes only to find out that when you wear them you have pain? I'm here with Dr. Steve who is going to give us some information about shoes and what we can do to improve our shoe shopping.
Dr. Steve - The shoes you wear have a profound affect on your body. Wearing the wrong shoe can result in back pain, hip pain, knee pain or foot pain. Wearing the wrong shoe is like driving on a flat tire. You'll get to where you are going, but your car will pay the price.
Meredith McDonough - So how do you know a good shoe from a bad shoe?
Dr. Steve - There is no one shoe that is good for every foot since every foot is different. In order to choose a shoe that is good for your foot you need to understand the different parts of the shoe. Let's look at a shoe. The outsole or the bottom of the shoe is for friction and traction, which keeps you safe. The midsole is the layer between the outsole and the inside of the shoe. It provides cushioning for the foot and helps with control of the mechanics of the foot. The last is the 'board' inside the shoe that the bottom and top of the shoe attach to. The upper is whatever is on the top of the shoe that secures your foot to the sole of the shoe. In addition to the upper there is a heel counter, which acts as a support around the heel. It provides stability. A stiffer heel counter adds stability.
Meredith McDonough - Can you give us an example of a part of the shoe that can cause pain?
Dr. Steve - The midsole is a good example. If the midsole of a shoe doesn't have symmetrical density it throws off how your foot lands which can result stress in your ankle, knee, hip or back. The midsole on this shoe is different colors on the sides. This very often means that the midsole is not symmetrical. You need to feel both sides of the shoe to see if one side is stiffer than the other. If it is this will throw off how your foot lands.
Meredith McDonough - Should everyone avoid shoes that don't have symmetrical midsoles?
Dr. Steve - If you don't know how to match your foot to the right shoe, it is a good idea to avoid shoes that don't have symmetrical midsoles. In a future segment we will demonstrate how to match your foot to a shoe. In the meantime, some general rules of thumb are 1) if you have arthritis in your back, hip or knee - you need cushioned shoes; 2) if you have flat feet look for a good stiff heel counter; 3) If you are a runner or spend time on uneven terrain your want a good stiff heel counter; 4) if you are unsure of your foot type avoid shoes without symmetrical midsoles and finally 5) shop for shoes at the end of the day. Your feet swell during the day so shop when your feet are bigger.
Meredith McDonough - Thanks Dr. Steve. I'm looking forward to learning more about foot types and shoes. Hope you can join us. If you want more information on shoes and their benefit to your health contact Dr. Steve at 1-800-NEW SELF or www.AlleghenyChesapeake.com
Dr. Steve Show/The Body Shop 
