Flip Flops May Cause Painful Problems Later On

You've probably started weeding some of the sandals out of your wardrobe for the fall. But a doctor in Texas is sending out a warning about some of them. And it even includes shoes you might wear through the fall.

There's trouble afoot with a fashion trend, and it's not going away. Dana Walker says, "You can buy them in every color and they're easy on, easy off!" The flip flop fad is far from over. Though orthopedic surgeons wish they'd go the way of the leg warmer. Dr. Christian Royer says, "We're seeing many more young patients with problems -- pain in their fore foot, pain in their heel, tendinitis because of flip flops."

People like Dana Walker, who says she developed Plantar Fasciitis, a chronic condition affecting the tissue between her heel bone and toes. Dana says, "Experienced a lot of foot pain to the point that I could not wear shoes to work in, was walking around in tennis shoes, even in my place of business." No cushioning, no arch support.. doctors say feet are forced into a toe gripping, foot slapping stride, often resulting in hammer toes and inflamed Achilles Tendons. Dr. Royer says, "If you're constantly having heel pain and you're not treating it appropriately, it can become a chronic issue." Today Dana says she chooses function over fashion. Dana says, "Not worth it."

Now, it's not just those summer flip flops either. Doctors say ballet flats are just as bad. And, going barefoot is even worse. So pick shoes that have good arches and good support.. and you'll keep your tootsies happy.

Source: KTIV, 9/12/07

Most women own 19 pairs of shoes, some secretly

American women have come out of the closet with a secret -- most own about 19 pairs of shoes and some have hidden purchases from their partners.

A poll of 1,057 women by the Consumer Reports National Research Center for shopping magazine ShopSmart found U.S. women on average own 19 pairs of shoes although they only wear four pairs regularly while 15 percent have over 30 pairs.

The survey also found women would risk injury to squeeze into new slingbacks or stilettos, with 43 percent of women saying they had been at least moderately injured by shoes and 8 percent reporting serious injuries like sprains or breaks.

"Women love their shoes and are willing to go to great lengths for them - including risking injury and hiding their purchases from a significant other," said Lisa Lee Freeman, editor-in-chief of ShopSmart which is published by non-profit consumer research group Consumer Union.

"Women are passionate shoe shoppers and this survey shows that shoe shopping is almost a sport for women. I know I hide shoes from my husband. My secret trick is to bring them home without the box."

The telephone survey found women on average bought four pairs of shoes a year -- with 13 percent admitting to hiding a purchase from their partner.

Six out of 10 women regret at least one shoe purchase and on average women have worn a quarter of their shoes only once.

Shoe guru Meghan Cleary, who hosts a show "Shoe Therapy" on TV shopping channel HSN, said women's love of shoes was nothing new but women had now come out of the closet with their obsession, encouraged by TV shows like "Sex and the City" where the women speak openly about their love for their shoes.

"I often speak to women who have about 400 pairs of shoes. One woman I spoke to had 400 pairs of which 300 were knee-high black boots," said Cleary, who has about 150 pairs herself.

"A new pair of shoes makes a woman feel great - and they last longer than a box of chocolates. Forget indulging in a chocolate sundae and go buy shoes for a quick little uplift."

Sales of shoes has increased in recent years with figures from retail tracker NPD Group showing U.S. shoe sales rose 9 percent in 2005 to nearly $42 billion or 1.4 billion pairs. Figures for 2006 were not available.

But unlike clothing, which is the most often purchased item online by women, Internet shoe shopping has not yet caught on with only 14 percent of women buying shoes online.

Seven out of 10 women, or 74 percent, said they liked to try shoes on before buying them.

"Trying on shoes in a store is fun as you don't have to strip off in front of a brightly lit mirror," said Cleary.

Source: Reuters Life, 9/10/07

These car seats (and old tires) are made for walkin'

What's Happening

* New shoes made from recycled tires are giving "tired dogs" a whole new meaning. Simple Shoes' hip ecoSNEAKS are turning shoe geeks gaga for a variety of sustainable styles.
* Eco-friendly shoes are nothing new. We've written about a number of styles, from Jade Planet's eco-boots to Nike's Considered line, that have captured vegan hearts over the years. But new, or shall we say old, materials are giving green shoes new life.
* Life doesn't end at the landfill. Hip British brand Terra Plana uses car seats and discarded clothing to make its boots, sandals and pumps. The Nova shoe gets super-specific, constructed of remnants from the Paul and Joe fashion house.

WHAT THIS MEANS TO BUSINESS

* Eco doesn't have to mean ugly. Now shoe lovers can make choices that are stylish and enviro-conscious, too.
* Going green? Consumers are thinking about the entire life of every product, from its origin to its processing to its packaging.

Source: Iconoculture, 9/4/07