Has your balance improved with arch supports
 

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?

A couple of things I've learned about the Good Feet Store over the years (it's a chain, they have them all over the place in this country).

They'll play a little applied kinesiology trick on you to demonstrate how much better your balance and core strength response works with their orthotics than without. That part of the sales process is a sham. They do the same trick on people at the Church of Scientology to demonstrate that you have inner trauma that they can help you resolve, and the same trick at some chiropractor offices to demonstrate how badly your spine is misaligned.

That said -

Orthotics CAN improve your balance. Better quality fully supportive shoes that fit properly and with appropriate insoles can also improve your balance for a lot less money. Good Feet actually sells some of those shoes. I have a pair of Brooks from there. All leather, thickly padded, with a firm flexible foam medium arch insole. Very lightweight even though they look stupidly clunky (old lady shoes, yup they sure are). Super super comfortable. I got the D width because three of my toes are the same length and I have a neuroma on one foot. A normal width shoe or any shoe without a box-toe construction always pinches my toes together and makes walking painful.

If your podiatrist recommends actual prescription orthotics but you want to try out the idea first, you could spend a few bucks on some firm Dr. Scholls inserts. Look for ones with "post" support and metatarsal support, and a firm or even rigid arch. Whatever shoes you use them in have to have a removable insole.

Real prescription orthotics can cost between $400-900. Crappy inserts off the shelf run around $10. Better quality shelf-stuff might be up to $30. Shoe-store specialty insoles made for specific brands might run around $50. Good Feet's cost between $200-500.

Good Feet orthotics are not prescription but they are custom. Personally, if I was going to spend that much on orthotics, I'd pay the extra couple hundred and get prescription ones. Plus insurance might cover the RX but not the custom (your insurance coverage may vary).

Edited to add: When I went to Good Feet I told them I wasn't interested in checking my balance (they always offer). I just wanted a good solid super-sturdy pair of real-leather black shoes that were suitable for standing for many hours a day. They pointed out the Brooks, they were some insane amount like $150, and they fit so well I wore them on my way out of the store with my old shoes in a bag.

I work with a personal trainer (Physical Therapy works also) for balance issues. You would be amazed at how much they can help.

Wow! Thanks for all the great info, I feel more enlightened now and I'm pretty sure I didn't stay at a Holiday Inn. Really, thank you very much.

Thank you, going to Genesis today.

If you have United Healthcare or Florida Blue they will accept your Silver Sneakers. They would not accept mine so I go to Anytime Fitness on 466 where they do take it. Just tell them you are interested in working on balance.

Balance of your person always improves after a trip to this store as your wallet is much lighter in weight than when you came in. Howere, balance of your bank account lessens, so it all even out.

Thanks Big O............I've wondered about them with that much advertising.

:clap2:

One of the best balance exercises is Tai Chi. My gosh when I was doing that for a month I noticed my mobility jumped to amazing. The repetitions from every movement and posture brought my mind/body connections up several notches. I was playing sports without thinking, just reacting, with positive results. Instead of thinking what I wanted to do, my body just did it.

I have flat feet aka balance issues. I have gotten orthotics from a podiatrist and I have the good feet as well. My least favorite are the podiatrist ones. I never wear them. I actually don’t like them at all. I like the good feet version and I like some I’ve gotten off amazon. If you ever go on a cruise, most ships sell good feet on the ship for less $ and no tax. Just fyi. They have someone that will do the tests for the correct size.

CDC recommends Tai Chi for balance
 

The CDC recommends Tai Chi for the best exercise for balance. I have taken it here at the Rec centers for a few years. My balance and health have both improved significantly.

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.

Orthotics have been so helpful to me, especially for knee issues, and I can imagine they would help your balance too. If you want to naturally help yourself build intrinsic muscles to help you with balance, it's as simple as standing on one foot for as long as you can. Make sure you have something to grab if you feel yourself lose balance, but you can do this when brushing teeth, waiting for your turn to play pickleball, etc... It makes a huge difference to get muscles to assist you, as well as orthotics I reckon.

Thankfully I have not had any joint replacements. Who knows what the future holds for me. That being said my problem is different than yours. I have lived with flat feet all my life. I went from metal arch supports as a kid that I just could not ware to custom made Orthotics made by a Podiatrist (did the castings and all). Had as many problems from the lack of support as I had prior to the new Orthotics. When I questioned the lack of support I was told "we no longer recommend that much support". Go figure. I did go to a Good Feet store. My personal impression was high pressure sales to buy custom, high priced Orthotics. My best help came from a pair of Dr. Scholl's custom fit Orthotic inserts. You know the ones recommended by the foot scan in the stores. I can't say they improved balance issues but by changing how I stand my Back issues were dramatically reduced. I still ware shoes with the Dr. Scholl's inserts today. Good luck with your journey. You will need to do what works best for you.

Never tried good feet store, but I found the "arch fit" sneakers to be very helpful, I even found suitable inserts for bowling shoes. I went through the custom made HARD orthotics and found my knees were hurting during the week (I was working, office attire was leather shoes) and knees were fine on the weekend as I was wearing sneakers with SOFT inserts.
IMHO (I have NO medical experience) I would try the arch fit sneakers or at a minimum RUNNING sneakers as both of these have additional support, then a suitable exercise or rehab. When I was in rehab for a shoulder injury, I saw other patients going through exercises for balance.
Last thing, I have balance issues due to an inner ear problem and i know there are certain things I must avoid, you may want to have a suitable doctor check this out also.

I have been wearing orthotics from various podiatrists most of my life. A good pair of orthotics can take away foot and ankle pain, improve balance and increase endurance. My first pair were made for running. I still have them. You need to buy a half size or full size larger sneaker or shoe to accommodate both your feet and the orthotic. You can have a full orthotic which covers the whole foot bed. I prefer the half orthotic that is firm plastic with high arch support and heel stabilization. They are less bulky, easy to clean and last many years. They are worth the money. A podiatrist takes molds or casts of your feet and sends them away as a sort of Rx for the orthotics to be made from. About two weeks later the podiatrist will have the new orthotics for you. He/she will have you try them on to be sure they are correct. Mine have always been. Unless the orthotics are made for a specific use, like just for running, the podiatrist will probably tell you to wear them several hours the first day and add to that each day until you are comfortable all day.

In recent years there have been an increased amount of orthopedic shoes that you can buy in shoe stores or from Amazon. There are now many brands and styles. Although they are orthapedic in nature, they are not for your specific feet or foot issue.

Dansco makes clogs for both men and women (men & women have different foot structure) Dansco clogs have high arch support and a thick sole which used to be wood but is now a different material but same configuration.
Birkenstock makes excellent sandals. They are leather with two adjustable straps. They have a thick cork footbed and rubberlike sole. There is a plastic version that can be used in the shower, locker room or as pool shoes. I use them for slippers.
Both Dansco and Birkenstock use European sizing. I wear a size 7-7.5 so I am a size 38. There is a conversion chart.

I also have balance issues. Could you let me know the Brooks name of the shoe. I will be so grateful.

Sharon Brown

Abeo.com shoes
 

A physical therapist recommended ABEO.com . They were sold at the Walking Store but it’s all on line now. They have insoles for various foot conditions and sell orthotics as well. Sandals, sneakers, boots and slippers.

I buy Obeo inserts.. from the Walking Co… they’re fabulous.. $80 and they last a long time

Wow! So much good info from everyone, thank you, thank you!

Wow! Thank you, thank you! A pool peep might even teach a class.

Thank you Tinker, you ALWAYS HELP!

Thank you TOTV friends
 

It's really embarrassing when trying to walk and passerbys with raised eyebrows, all making gestures that imply a drinking problem. Will look for the perfect shoes, orthodics and guide Doug ( bless his heart, I'm pretty sure we could both use a guide dog.) I can check off, inner ear problem, pretty sure my merrell mules shoes will be given their proper burial (sure love those shoes) and looking into balance classes. Thank you guys BUNCHES.

The model name is "Addiction" and it's a walking shoe.

inserts
 

Not balance but I keep getting plantar fasitus I got online a hard foam insert from my emey that perfectly molds to your feet and I haven't had it lately

fyi there are two classes given at rec centers by physical therapist on improving you balance Monday at hacienda at 10:00 and Tues at Rohan at 10:30 no registration required

The latest hype in footwear for seniors are shoes with a coil or spring in the heel that claim to soften your walk and help propel you forward. They sell under various brands such as Spiro, Ortho, and Z-Coil, just to name a few. AVOID THESE SHOES LIKE THE PLAGUE. Shoes with heel springs contribute to balance problems and also cause your foot to pronate. Don’t let anyone give you a fake upsell to this spring-in-the-heel junk.

Having balance issues is not unusual for people who have had hip and/or knee replacement. It doesn’t automatically correct with surgery. Much of the issues have to do with weak muscles and in the case with athletic people, over use.

Balance and stability work hand in hand. You can’t have one without the other. One other key factor is strength.

As a trainer, I have found that many don’t move the joints and muscles needed to get stronger, gain mobility, balance, and strength before or after surgery. The center of your body is your core. There’s a kinetic reaction that takes place above and below your core. Core also encompasses your lower back. It’s important to have a strong core to hold your body up. By the way crunches are not the answer and can cause more harm than good.

I recently visited Dillards in Ocala for the first time and found the largest variety of good supportive shoes. I wear Mephisto brand sandals instead of Birkenstock because the fit is better. I have bunions and slightly flat feet. Also Dillards has Ecco, Birkenstock, Dansko, etc. for men and women.

It’s tough to find sneakers that work. One style does not fit all.

Balance Issues
 

I am a trainer who has several balance/fitness programs. If interested let me know

Planters Fascitis
 

My planters cured after 1 year of GoodFeet arch support in my day shoes. I bought $5 CopperFit inserts at Ollie's for my sports shoes (golf, softball).

Try the ones with the roller skate in the heel. What a blast!

You're trying to kill me right, lol.

I’ve heard great things about them. It’s a national chain.

OP I have WalkaSins shoe inserts. As I walk they send pulses to different parts of the sole to let me know I need to correct my balance. There is a shoe insert, and a device that attaches at my ankle.

Not the best fashion statement, but my neuropathy is so bad in my feet from Chemo, that I can’t feel the floor. I don’t have to use a walker, unless it’s long distance, for the most part a cane works well now.

I got them from the VA, but my guess is a good podiatrist, could help you with this product.