How Your Shoes Can Ruin Your Feet - Mark Cucuzzella MD

[@spudbono5747]

This is so timely! I just bought a pair of Altras and toe separators last week.after breaking my ankle twice this year and tearing up soft tissue from my knee to my toe. I wish I could turn back time and not wear pumps and other terrible shoes for the last 40 years. I'm an avid hiker and need to be healthy and back on the trails SOON.

[@skatergirl6764]

Altras are the BEST I'm on my fifth pair! enjoy!

[@spudbono5747]

@@skatergirl6764 - have you by chance owned the hiking boots? I have tried every brand imaginable and am never totally satisfied. I switched to buying men's to get the toe room, but I have a narrow heel. Life with duck feet and gumby ankles. 🙄

[@stephaniedodt2389]

With those shoes you will be. I just had both knees replaced for severe medial knee osteoarthritis. I was able to forestall surgery with these shoes and insoles that raised the outside of my feet by about 1/4". It took the pressure off of the inside of my knee joints. The knee replacements? Life changing in the all the best ways!

[@trexinvert]

Depends if you are an easy or hardcore hiker. When you have 30+ lbs on your back, hiking all day and dragging your feet on a slope you absolutely want at least a mid rise boot. If not, you are good.

[@grisza77]

@@spudbono5747 salewa has a decent width adjustment in some of their shoes.

[@stephaniedodt2389]

I had severe medial knee osteoarthritis and ended up going to a gym and hiring a trainer before surgery. I wore Altra Zero Drop Shoes for about five years befor my TKRs this year (Right Knee Replacement 5/10/2021 Left Knee Replacement 8/9/2021) They honestly helped me through this. Going to a gym for two years paid big dividends when I rehabbed. I got through this very well. I am now 3 months out from LTKR and 6 months from RTKR. I am going to the gym for 1hour and 15 minutes a day trying for 5 days a week and feel great. I am training to walk 5K for Walk To End Alzheimers 2022 and am 71 years old. I watch you guys all the time and have benefitted from your videos throughout this. Thank you!

[@BobandBrad]

You’re welcome ☺️

[@catliciousoz]

I am looking for barefoot style shoes for the office. I despise wearing shoes, with supinated feet, athletic and fashion shoes have failed me for decades. Pretty much since arch support and raised heels came in. Even so called neutral shoes mess with my feet. This video speaks to me! Thank you

[@PurpMcSquirt]

Try cushioned shoes! The HOKA Bondi 7 are very popular.

[@catliciousoz]

@@PurpMcSquirt That is what neutral shoes are.

[@catliciousoz]

Trust me, as a high arch person, I've tried every neutral, cushion running shoe prescribed by every pt and ortho. I'm better off barefoot. The cushion always sags on the outer and my feet roll out causing huge problems. The theory does not work for me.

[@barbaracardoza9786]

I have narrow feet with long high arches. I had knee pain for years before I was diagnosed with plantar fasciitis. My knees collide when I run. I was fitted for molded plastic orthodics. When I wore them it was like walking on rocks and the width of the heel cup left me painfully lifting my foot up out of my shoes when I walked. I stopped running and then I stopped walking as much as possible. I want my life back.

[@juanmacias5922]

(these are just my thoughts, not professional advice) Have you tried using the "runners loop"? It's a way of tying a shoe so that it tightens around the ankle to minimize slipping. Do you have a pair of shoes that allow you to remove the insole completely, and replace it with the orthotics? You should slowly break in the orthotics, as you only wear them for a few hours at home, not during a huge active session, and slowly add time to the time wearing them. But if plantar fasciitis is your issue, you should try to release the tightness of your calf, and massage down the scar tissue build up in the fascia, that's limiting your movement. As you should always look up, or down the chain to find the culprit. You can do some "pressure point" calf release using a lacrosse (or similar density ball, not too hard like a golf ball, or soft like a tennis ball), and place your calf on it, I like to be seated in a chair, with my leg on another, or some platform that allows my foot to drop without being limited by the floor. Start at the middle of the tibia, about where the calf begins to become thick, I like to section off the gastrocnemius (thick calf area) into 3 sections. Start with your ankle doing circles clockwise, then counter clock wise, and tap your foot down (away from knee), and up to your knee. (I like to repeat each step about 4 times) That completes one section, roll the ball up, as your calf goes down, without lifting it off the ball, (helps you find other fascia scar tissue, you'll feel this, as tender areas, which you can target next). Repeat for the middle of the thick calf area, then finally the top. I also like twisting my leg around to reach the sides of the gastrocnemius, while using the same routine to hit different areas affected. Never try trigger point release on bones, or tendons. Also "Trigger Point" has great self-massage tools, and videos to follow, your best bet would also be to get in contact with a physical therapist. I wish you the best. :)

[@barbaracardoza9786]

@@juanmacias5922 🌟 Thank you Juan. I will follow up with your suggestions. 👍

[@BobandBrad]

Very sorry to hear this

[@barefootscience5582]

We can help!!! We work with Dr. Cucuzzella and are an in-shoe rehabilitation program (often referred to as a non-orthotic)with a 97.6% success rate with Plantar Fasciitis! We would love to help you get back to being able to do what you love.

[@davidroseman3287]

read « Older Yet Faster »

[@christybuster9230]

I learned this the hard way. Had to have two major reconstructive foot surgeries this year...most pain I've ever experienced! Don't buy cheap shoes y'all!!!!

[@stephaniedodt2389]

I had both knees replaced earlier this year and just blew hundreds going to a running store to get fitted and learned things I never knew about my feet. Well worth it and the shoes are great!

[@colleenepage]

@@stephaniedodt2389 being fitted for a proper shoe fit it the best advice.

[@BobandBrad]

Right!

[@anette1720]

Worked on concrete floors for 29 years. Wore cheap shoes for years but developed a lot of pain. Tried Dr. Scholls gel inserts and they killed my feet...extreme pain until I picked up something heavy, then the pain was gone instantly. When I released the weight the pain was back instantly. Went to Dansko clogs and that helped alot but I fell off them twice. Went to Merrells and it's like walking on clouds. Always wear them. Dr. diagnosed me with plantar fasciitis but chiropractor told me it was knotted up muscles in the bottom of my feet and he was right.

[@virtualtreadmillwalknature1488]

Such a great information for hikers and even for threading workout! Thanks for sharing!!

[@BobandBrad]

You’re very welcome!

[@buster.keaton]

I hope the minimalist shoe movement gains traction so that more manufacturers will make "foot-shaped shoes" and start driving the prices down. The biggest hurdle to minimalist shoes at this time is that most minimalist shoes are ~$100+.

[@BarbaraJ1111]

I LOVE my Dansko shoes... been wearing them for over 15 years.... changed my life!

[@claudiamiller7730]

This is tremendous and flies in the face of all the years I heard “Put some shoes on!!!” from my family! Lived years of my young life running about shoeless in my family’s bar & restaurant in Chicago and ventured out into the streets to play - shoeless if I could…but there was A LOT of glass laying around in the street and alley…yeah - ouch!!

[@anitas5817]

I’m 65, overweight and have absolutely no trouble with my feet, knees or hips. I have always gone barefoot as much as I can, wear flat crocs sandals most of the year, and avoid structured shoes like the plague. I do have some Merrill minimalist type shoes with vibram soles for walking. I’m not a runner so can’t speak to that. The only time I’ve ever had trouble with plantar fasciitis or other tendinitis was when I tried to wear supportive shoes. Feet need to articulate and function naturally.

[@daan8695]

I hope your condition was nothing permanent, your surgery went well and your healing will go swiftly and without any complications, Bob!

[@Baldavier]

Great video! Thank you! Takes a lot of effort to eat well so that you heal well. Your next guest should be a sports psychologist as it all starts and ends with the mind :D

[@BobandBrad]

Noted! Thanks!

[@iliketurtles4463]

Great PODcast! I'll show myself the door...

[@cpuleo]

Been wearing zero drop, foot-shaped trail runners for hiking now for about 4-5 years, replaced my street runners with a zero drop foot-shaped shoe 2 years ago, and just a few months ago, I finally started using a casual shoe of the same variety. I think I've finally decided to just throw out all my "conventional" shoes and never go back!

[@JaMiE-hg2nc]

This is great info. Thanks so much.

[@slbarbieri1725]

Working retail, food service and customer service jobs my whole life I've finally realized at age 53 that shoes are the enemy. The socks and shoes come off the minute I get home . That and 10 minutes with an ice pack on the bottom of my feet for inflammation has helped tremendously

[@cathybeebe4764]

On my feet All day. Started getting low back, ankle, leg, knee pain. I wore cheaper shoes. Went and checked out NB for pronation. I've never looked back. Gone are the tired, painful legs, ankle, low back. May have to check out these shoes also.

[@stephaniedodt2389]

Altra Zero Drops are great and so are New Balance

[@coasternut3091]

My family with type 2 absolutely REFUSE to listen to the fact that it's reversible. They could at least work on it with diet and exercise and they absolutely ignore it. They just make excuses so that they don't have to change. There are so many studies that show that fasting and proper nutrition can basically get you off of your medication

[@domepiece11]

Go buy some Hokas or Altras with zero drop and an open toe box. You get the same benefits of so-called minimalist shoes but they have proper cushioning. I once had a podiatrist tell me that in a contest between the human foot and concrete, concrete will run. We were not made to run barefoot or in minimalist shoes on concrete. You can run barefoot on a grassy field, half forward, half backward. It's a great way to stretch out your feet after a run. But DO NOT use un-cushioned shoes on concrete. Big mistake.

[@jouuueee]

You should do one on how orthotics inserts can ruin your feet or foot

[@deerhunter7482]

I think man wasn't meant to run on concrete, brick or asphalt but trails or off road is normal !

[@tessieoshea6904]

Well, for one thing, wear shoes that fit. Do not wear a shoe that is too short, nor too long. Also, the width is very important. The only time I had shoe problems was when I bought cheap shoes that did not fit properly. I ended up with a bunion that had to be operated on.

[@b_uppy]

If tendonopathy is metabolic, is Ehlers-Danlos metabolic too? What do you need to do?

[@chrisbera7952]

REally cool that Bob is hanging out with Canelo.

[@hellfire5108]

I used to LOVE shoes that were very tight fit, almost copying my foot. Now I wear barefoot boots for I think 6 years and I could never come back to wearing regular shoes.

[@gusmontano]

Fantastic video! How does this information combine with what elite runners run in? That is - Nike Vaporflys etc.

[@lisaann6267]

on this day, i had a bone spur break off underside of heel and cut my tendon a little. still recuperating. but i have beta thalassemia, ( i dont know if it minor or intermedia). but i'm 60 and just found out in 2005 that i have this genetic disorder. x ray showed bone deformity in whole foot. so i cant even imagine what the rest looks like. and have been wearing orthopedic shoes since 2000 because i started working at department stores for 12 1/2 yrs. im now on disability.

[@staceyallen4913]

Get yourself a pair of Minimalist shoes they will save your feet in the long run

[@stephaniedodt2389]

Altra Zero Drop!

[@_crow8887]

If you have Hallux Limitus would it be best to avoid minimal shoes?

[@colleenepage]

Not sure I agree that a good supportive shoe weakens your foot. Take your shoes off when you're home. Do all your household chores barefooted. When you do wear supportive shoes wear them loose enough where you can flex your feet and toes in the shoe. Get up on your balls, squat down and back up. Work your feet as well as your other muscles. I feel I have good foot health and I wear supportive athletic shoes (Mizuno). I do some running (approx 5 miles a week). I also wear the occasional high heels comfortably and with no other problems.

[@ashleysmith792]

Any thoughts on foot support in pregnancy? I’ve found the only shoes I can wear while pregnant are the very soft, supportive type. Anything else, including barefoot, just leads to extreme hip and ankle pain.

[@BobandBrad]

We will add this to our to do list!

[@firebird7479]

I'm fed up with memory foam. Awful. Awful. Awful

[@dingosmith9932]

It's like walking on sponges and being unbalanced from underneath, with each stride!

[@colleenepage]

Teaching that stride length is relative to the runner could help a great deal. 🤷

[@VJ-td6oc]

Do you recommend barefoot-sox running on treadmill? I currently don't run outside because of the high poluted air during the winter.

[@brittanygulker2051]

Would love the opinion of a podiatrist on this!

[@angielucido8045]

My 'flat' feet, went barefoot alot as a kid, teen, young adult...but as a nurse, my feet are miserable

[@b_uppy]

I buy expensive footwear. It wears out quickly. Can never find anything truly my size. Typically run around barefoot. Even outside, weather permitting. Footwear has been painful for 98% of my adult life. My physical therapist says I should wear shoes but shoes end up giving me much more pain and debility at the end of the day. It hurts much more than my feet.

[@piob9801]

If only minimalist shoes are cheaper. $100+ is just crazy.

[@hydrogendemon]

Ever since I started walking barefoot I don’t like shoes. The way they’re designed doesn’t make sense. The toe end is always too narrow and they felt heavy. If I go on hikes I wear toe shoes.

[@waitaminute2015]

I don't agree with support equals weakness. I've been working on my feet for 40 yrs and wear good supportive shoes and at 57 yrs old I can stay on my feet with no pain while coworkers are trying everything under the sun and are still in pain after a few hrs. Right now I'm wearing lace up work boots and I have no problems. By the way, Birkenstock sells an insert that has a metal support, it fits in any shoes because it's half the size of your sole, they're blue. I use those with fashion shoes or dress shoes. Work like a charm. I do agree with the guest about toes being too high. My heel has to be slightly elevated.

[@JN-0peny0ureye5]

To get from thick to thin skin(healthy) I'll have to start with skates. Just have to keep my head up and feet down😂

[@cindyharrington5958]

I started wearing Vionic some time ago and they seem to work well for me.

[@tinachristy3212]

Would someone who has had a fractured sesamoid bone even be able to apply this principle? Would their foot always need to be cushioned with a rocker bottom sole?

[@zeez9053]

I’ve never liked converse Allstars as I thought they where cheap. They are flat and seam to makedonische work harder while walking do you think these type of no heal shoes are beneficial ?

[@waldeezee870]

Can someone summarize the brands that were mentioned? I have flat feet and hope this can help. I’m 21 but trying to take contemporary precautions !

[@iss8504]

The fat pads in your feet get thin as we age and walking barefoot can be harder.

[@michelenichele294]

I’m 78 years old, and the bottom of my feet is pretty plump. But I‘ve always been barefoot at home, so maybe my feet have been getting an extra workout all these years.🤔🤸🏼

[@lynnecobb9399]

LEM Primal 2 changed my life. I tried Zero Shoes but didn't like them.

[@sabrinac4092]

Different styles in xero shoes seem to fit differently. I have several different styles and some I like more than others. 🙂

[@skatergirl6764]

also: altras + correcttoes have saved my feet from high heels and figure skates.

[@thebluedragon1532]

I'm 62 and come in at 310lbs. Diabetic. I walk 3 miles 4x a week. Would Zero minimal shoes work for me?? I mean really!! What is good for a person who weighs 310lbs but loves to walk!!??? (And isn't rich!) I will nit wear pointy toed shoes!!!

[@shawnrisley2404]

Loose ligaments complicate things.

[@crmannino3781]

LOL Cohort?!

[@skatergirl6764]

Altras FTW

[@اممحمد-ن9ق8ف]

🤲🇵🇸ساعدوني يا اهل الخير اتمنى من الله فاعل خير يرحم اطفالي انا من فلسطين غزة حياتي وحياة اطفالي الله اعلم فيها يارب غيث يارب 🇵🇸🤲🤲🇵🇸

[@maryannscott5567]

I've ruined my feet wearing nothing but plastic rubber flip-flops every day since March 2020.

[@BobandBrad]

Very sorry to hear that

[@dingosmith9932]

That doesn't mean you can't help fix them. It may just take a little hard work. Start with Kit Laughlin's "foot awakening excersise." His channel has brilliant info on how to start turning your body around :)

[@maryannscott5567]

@@dingosmith9932 maybe they're not ruined. After watching this video, maybe the freedom is just what they needed. It's just no longer comfortable to wear uncomfortable footwear, lol. I've basically been barefoot for nearly 2 years.

[@LoyceFitness]

First comment

[@BobandBrad]

😊

[@monpederson]

I ran several marathons in my thirties with orthotics. A knee injury stopped my running. I continued instead with HIIT workouts and ended up losing a chunk out of my talus bone. It took years to recover. I gradually got back into HIIT with no shoes. Months later, I ended up with peroneal tendinitis and the tendon that controls the big toe had tendinitis. It took 2.5 years to heal and now I only use those orthotics in a court shoe when working now. I went to a Pilates gait instructor and he doesn’t believe in orthotics. Regardless of my choices, I’m almost 50 now and have been unable to run for over 10 years. For someone who loves running, this has been devastating. At my age and my joint condition, I highly doubt I could do any exercise without cushioning. These are my thoughts and experience but I believe what you say about inflammation and that might be my issue. I still am proud of what I can do for being 50 in one month so it’s not a complete loss. But running was my biggest joy EVER 🥲