A recent post on Madsnapper's blog sparked thoughts of my past and current footwear woes.
For years, flat, skinny feet had me avoiding painful ingrown toenails by wearing sandals, even in cold weather. I just added socks.
That footwear pattern also applied to vacations that included hikes on challenging trails, climbing around on huge rocks. Still no problem.
Things changed when I accepted a position with the Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium, a research, advisory, and marine education program housed at the Gulf Coast Research Laboratory in our coastal town.
One winter day a fellow female staff member called me out on my sandals and socks.
"Linda, you are in a position dealing with the public and high-level officials," she said. "Those sandals with socks are just not appropriate."
I took her advice to heart. Decades later I was retired and still hadn't found shoes that consistently resulted in happy toes.
Then Hubby and I stopped at the Nantahala Outdoor Center's shop on our way to a camping vacation in the Smoky Mountains.
I found a pair of shoes on sale that were perfect. I had never heard of the Altra brand. Even on sale they were pricey. But a plus beyond the comfort was that I could tie them one-handed thanks to a strategy my physical therapist had taught me.
The Internet was my shopping friend when those comfy shoes fell apart from daily wear over a number of years. A wonderful online consultant with Altra helped me find the same style even though the name had changed. I bought three pair.
I still wear them everywhere--walking, church or even weddings and funerals. I can fit my brace into the left shoe, snug the brace to my calf with the help of a velcro strap and I'm ready to go. The Altra shoes don't let my toes slide down to cause sore toes and in-grown toenails.
The only drawback is that I can no longer tie the shoes myself. Hubby is now my official shoe helper. These days every brand I have checked out features reenforcement of the top eyelets. They last longer but sabotage the one-handed strategy I had learned.
I am thankful that Hubby is willing to tie my shoes.
I also wear Avia shoes, the best I have found of brands that feature velcro straps. They are super convenient and easy to put on, but they still let my feet slide down with my toes crunching uncomfortably against the front of the shoe.
I only wear them for short periods, though, and they are great to have by my bed, when I have to get up during the night.
Those footwear options that contribute to my mobility are among the many blessings that keep this granny going and glowing!
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