Knee saga might have started with worn out shoes

[HeronNS]

As some of you know I've had a year of knee issues, first twisting one knee and then slamming the other on the floor. Today I *finally* got new sneakers. I'd needed them since late autumn 2019, but then winter and winter boots came along, then in the spring the pandemic. What I learned today is they no longer make sneakers with the particular type of supportive (anti-pronation) soles that I'd been using for years because they found they were leading to too many injuries when people wore them for too long. This could explain why my knee twisted the way it did and caused an injury last April which is still not completely healed. I'd thought it must have been rapid loss of conditioning because of less activity during first lockdown. But the injury may still have been sort of pandemic-related as it had prevented me from buying new shoes I well knew I needed.

Anyway the salesman who explained this to me, and showed me what they are doing instead and sent me away with two pairs of new shoes this morning, was the first person I'd encountered who took the time to explain things, in fact interviewed me so closely that he only brought out one style for me to try, and they were perfect. I will certainly be going back to that store again! He completely won me over when I test walked so he could check how I would do in the new shoes, and he told me I had a confident gait. After all these months of suffering and hard work and limping it was music to my ears. *And* he gave me a discount because I bought two pairs! Retail therapy at its finest!

The lesson learned - make sure your walking and running shoes are in good shape!

[PMRpro Ambassador]

Excellent - that's the only sort of retail therapy I want!

[SheffieldJane]

I love stories like this!

[HeronNS in reply to SheffieldJane]

Yes, it's nice to have a positive outcome. It's been a hard year, nearly year and a half, for everyone.

[GOOD_GRIEF]

Once I find shoes that suit my feet, I buy several pairs "for future reference". I often find them on the internet at greatly reduced prices, especially at the end of the season.

[HeronNS in reply to GOOD_GRIEF]

I've never bought more than two pairs at a time, and that's mostly so I have more than one pair to wear. My footwear tends to be rather expensive as I have very difficult feet. I'm very happy to have black ones this time, with only discreet turquoise detail. Some of the shoes I've had to wear because there's nothing else which fits properly have been exceedingly garish! Always wondered why men could find conservative colours, but women might have to wear pink and purple or luminous yellow and blue! All very well if you wear the shoes for their intended purpose, running, but when it's all your feet can stand it would be nice if they were a little less obvious!

[GOOD_GRIEF in reply to HeronNS]

That's why I buy several pairs when I find them at a better price. And when I find black, or near solid black, I do a happy dance.

🤸

[HeronNS in reply to GOOD_GRIEF]

I never found single colour ones before today!

[Longtimer]

Very good, as the saying goes, always buy the best shoes and bed you can afford...so true....comfort!

[123-go]

What a brilliant outcome and a brilliant, knowledgeable salesman!

[PMRCanada]

When I purchased my pair of New Balance shoes the difference it made was immediately noticeable. They make wide width, supportive athletic shoes, and although I’ve never paid so much, I’ve also never been so happy with a pair of shoes.

Glad you got two pair and the discount!!

[pmr_nikola in reply to PMRCanada]

I like New Balance shes as well. They do make one that support ankle better, but not too rigid like some other brands. I had first pair of NB about 20+ years ago and never changed brand since.

[HeronNS in reply to PMRCanada]

I have no brand loyalty, having run (or walked) the gamut over the years. I buy whatever works, as the companies are forever slightly modifying their lasts and what is great one year turns out to be wrong the next. Lately it seems to be Brooks, but I have worn Saucony and Mizuna as well as New Balance in recent years. I think generally speaking the companies are making the toe box larger, but keeping the heel the same size or even lightly narrower, and this is more comfortable for almost everyone, no more pinched toes. With a "renaissance foot", bunions caused by wrong size shoes when I was still growing and a tendency to overpronate, shoe shopping (and wearing) is difficult. My doctor once said if I hadn't had to wear shoes when I was growing I wouldn't have the foot problems I do!

[PMRCanada in reply to HeronNS]

I chose New Balance because they make wide width shoes which mean my Fred Flintstone feet are comfy.

[HeronNS in reply to PMRCanada]

My issue with really wide shoes is I walk out of them, having triangular feet, with a very narrow heel. Back in the good old days when I actually wore fashionable footwear I always bought double-fitting shoes, Italian, with a narrow heel and wider forefoot. Seems like more recent versions of the running shoes I now have to wear all the time are following suit. I believe there is a wider version available of the shoes I bought yesterday (Brooks Ariel 20). 👟🚶‍♀️

[pmr_nikola]

Now that you are fit with new shoes you may need suitable program to rehabilitate your knees :). Have you seen message from PMRPro about knee exercises? In it has link to web site in AU that I thought is pretty good. I can't find original post, but luckily I have bookmarked the link :

mykneeexercise.org.au/

I think it is pretty good. I have made few tweaks to fit better PMR ..

1- I do it every 3rd day ( since we are prone to DOMS)

2. I have added stretching of the same muscle groups that are used in exercise, which is missing in the original.

Give it a try, I think it could help.

[HeronNS in reply to pmr_nikola]

Thank you, good advice. In fact I have been rehabilitating for some time, and after needing walking poles (not Nordic even, but the kind I could use to offload weight from the knees) I've progressed to a half hour walk without mishap. Still far from where I was in April 2020 but light years ahead of last November! I don't think I saw PMRpro 's link, unless it was a while ago and my old brain has forgotten. I did buy a book (Treat Your Own Knees) recommended by someone in HU, plus I'm using Flexiseq recommended by jinasc . My physiotherapist helped a lot, too, although we have since moved from knee to difficult shoulder - there's always something 🙄 Still have trouble navigating stairs and anything more than a slight downhill slope.