Okay gang, I’m interrupting our regularly scheduled Flat Foot Week post –that’ll go up later this afternoon– with a quickie about fat and flat feet, arch support and what we can realistically expect from a contemporary fashion shoe.
In a perfect and reasonable universe, all shoes would come with decent arch support regardless of design or price. Alas, we live in a broken and sinful world and our arches suffer, particularly big girls.
My arches were never nosebleedingly high to begin with and a combination of fatliness and accidentally falling down a flight of stairs are breaking both my feet endowed me with what I gently refer to as a “firm understanding with the ground.” They’re not flat, but they’re not far off. That being said, they don’t bother me.
Any foot pain I have can generally be categorized under: Damn Fault, My Own.
Because frankly, any girl who nearly harelips hell to find these shoes in a size 41:
Gets all the foot pain she has coming to her.
It’s been my experience that most fashion shoes do not come with any sort of useful arch support. Regardless of price point, it’s style over substance (or support) nine times out of ten. So you could Complain On The Internet –always a valid choice– or you could, you know, quit whining and just buy some damn inserts.
As far as I’m concerned most of those foam-type inserts suckdiddlyuck.
The only inserts I’ve ever used and loved are the WalkFit plastic jobbers and I swear by them. Those things rock my face off, although –word to the wise– they can hurt the first few days you use them. They come with three arch inserts so you can adjust it for your footly needs. I’ve got low arches so I generally use the lowest insert.
At about twelve bucks a pair, it’s well worthwhile to have a few sets around. Think of it like getting your pants tailored. Yeah it sucks because you just had to pay God-knows-how-much for the pants and now you need to throw MORE money to make them Just Right, but those are the breaks and it’ll save you the trouble of having to worry about whether this shoe or that has support, because you’ll come with your own.
This may be a stupid question, but do the WalkFits work with heels or just for flats?
Comment by Melissa — January 19, 2011 @ 1:08 pm
Revealing my ignorance here, but how do I know if I need inserts? My feet are fairly flat (I think) but they don’t hurt or anything, even when I’m wearing flipflops. Is this a pain issue, or should I be concerned about preventing something by using inserts?
Comment by Becs — January 19, 2011 @ 1:20 pm
@Melissa: I’ve worn them in heels before, and they work fine, although usually I’ll put in a higher arch insert than I would for flats. I imagine the lower the heel the more effective they’ll be, but I could just be making that up.
@Becs: Well if your feet and back and knees don’t bother you, you can probably skip it. Generally I’m in your same boat. I do feel I’ve got a bit more energy in the day if I’m wearing them, and I try to make sure I put them in if I know I’m going to be doing a lot of trotting around.
Comment by Miss Plumcake — January 19, 2011 @ 1:41 pm
Having danced my way into plantar fasciitis, arch support is a bugaboo of mine. I’ve actually been quite pleased with Profoot’s foam arch supports. They’re comfy, get the job done for me, plus end at the ball of the foot so your toes don’t get cramped. I have three pairs, one of which lives with my dance shoes, one of which lives in my everyday flats, and one which floats around as needed. Love ’em.
Comment by SarahDances — January 19, 2011 @ 2:51 pm
great info about the inserts, but my question is where did you finally find those shoes? and where can i find them?
Comment by ChaCha — January 19, 2011 @ 8:29 pm
@ChaCha: I didn’t! I am convinced they weren’t made past a 40. More’s the pity.
Comment by Miss Plumcake — January 20, 2011 @ 10:45 am
Holy Mother of GOD I love those shoes.
Comment by Lindsay — January 20, 2011 @ 11:08 am
mmm, those shoes make me think of Steampunk meets Lady Gaga. And, I’d fall off them, break both ankles and hate myself if I ever wore them. Holy Ned.
Comment by Toby Wollin — January 20, 2011 @ 1:04 pm