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Originally Posted by jebartle
I have occasional balance issues after my hip replacement and wondering if "Good Feet Store" is the answer? And no, I have not been drinking, lol. Anyone with same issues?
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Apart from that store, if you are wearing slip-on shoes or shoes that are loose enough that you slip your feet into them and walk around without needing to tie rhem or tighten Velcro straps or something, there’s a good chance that you will have balance problems. Those comfortable shoes that look like running shoes except that don’t attach tightly to your feet are among the worst. Why? If your leg starts to lean outwards a little when you step, they don’t help prevent that. They even encourage it. (Similarly, it’s harder to maintain balance on a thick carpet with a thick pad than on a hard floor—though it hurts less if you fall.) That is to say, sometimes what is called the Heel Counter is too loose when you are walking, so your heel can roll around. You may not need an insole at all, or even arch support. You may just need shoes that firmly support your heel from the sides. You definitely won’t get that from those comfy old shoes you can slip into without retying them. If you buy $20 shoes at WalMart like I did for years, you may need to move up to a $100 pair of shoes, but it doesn’t always need to be Good Feet with all the fancy stuff inside. Depends on the problem.
I was having so much pain when walking that I could hardly walk. I went to a good podiatrist. He told me to get rid of those sleek, light, barely-supported AllBirds I’d been wearing for several years and showed me what to look for. After a couple false starts, I found what I needed, and within a few days my foot stopped hurting. I thought I was going to need surgery! No pain in the past year. What I got came with several exchangeable insoles, and I also had some from a pharmacy. I ended up just using the flattest and thinnest of them. Almost like walking barefoot. My shoes have Velcro closures, but I make sure they are cinched up enough to provide support. Much better balance, too.