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

Women With A Fetish For Footwear

If there was ever any doubt that British women love their shoes, then it's been blown away by results from a new survey.

A staggering 40 per cent of women own a pair of footwear they have never worn, while on average a woman will own 10 pairs of smarts shoes at any one time.

A third of young women who took part in the study admitted being "in love" with stylish shoes.

A spokeswoman for Kiwi Smiling Feet, who commissioned the study, said: "Ask any dedicated follower of fashion and she’ll tell you that the right shoes complete an outfit.

"But behind every pair of stylish heels hides a painful story."

The research also found that almost half (48 per cent) of women surveyed, admitted having walked home barefoot because their shoes hurt their feet so much.

Even after putting up with the pain and humiliation women suffer from wearing their favourite heels, 60 per cent still agree that stylish, smart shoes are a necessity.

The spokeswoman added: "Do we perhaps quietly suffer the pain of wearing high fashion shoes as rightful punishment for our excessive spending on our obsession?

"Or, do we simply find a way to wear our favourite stylish shoes every day without compromising comfort?"

The spokeswoman added that Kiwi Smiling Feet, which has four transparent gel cushions specially designed to fit the main pressure points on your feet, allows women style and comfort.

Source: National News, 8/27/07

Fall Trends 2007

Even though I'm still wearing flip-flops, the shoe stores tell me it's already time to start thinking about autumn -- and I know all of you are dying to know what footwear is in store for the 2007 fall season. Here's a preview of things to come.

Platform Soles and Extreme Heels

Platform shoes are the hottest footwear trend for fall, but the also making news are the extreme heels that are being paired with platform soles. Chunky, high, angular, wide, and even cone-shaped, this fall, the heels will be more extreme and sexier than ever.

Boots and Booties

Of course, the big footwear news any time the weather cools down is what's happening with boots, and this season. This fall, heeled boots and booties will be out in abundance, though for casual wear, you'll still be able to find plenty of flats.

Skins

This is a smart idea that Treehugger spotted: a shoe system that offers an inner-shoe that lasts forever and replaceable ’skins’ to keep your feet looking fresh. TH says:

Mark Klein… came up with an interesting idea: separate a well fitted, orthopaedic core (the bone) from the stylish “skin” that can be changed in seconds. Result: Instant customization, comfort and style, without the waste of shoe structure that sits in the closet. The bones can last almost forever, while the skins can be replaced as they wear out.

…New York designer Dror Benshetrit… set out to create a simple yet iconic shape that he believed could stand the test of time.

Skins Footwear Site
Shoes that Separate Style and Structure (TreeHugger)

Basically Barefoot?

These shoes kind of scare us......

According to the company web-site:

Vibram FiveFingers is different than any other footwear on the planet. Not only does it bring you closer to nature, it delivers a number of positive health benefits—by leveraging all of the body’s biomechanics so you can move as nature intended.

• When you walk, run, or climb in FiveFingers, you experience a sense of touch and feel that is simply not possible in conventional performance footwear. We call this a haptic response, and it describes your body’s sensibility to the world around you.
  
• A patent-pending design and Vibram outsole mirrors the flex points and silhouette of your foot and toes to propel your body forward and promote a more natural gait.
  
• By stimulating the muscles of your lower legs and feet, you add strength, improve balance, and increase agility.
  
• A lower heel position leads to stronger legs and feet, straightens your spine, improves posture, and reduces back pain.
  
• Individual toe compartments gently spread your toes to strengthen foot muscles, increase range of motion and improve foot health.