Recommended Shoes Print E-mail
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Foot Care Services can recommend numerous shoe brands that have removeable foot beds.

We’ve scoured the world for the best made, most comfortable shoes available and are sure to have what you’re looking for, whatever the style. Some of the brands are completely new to Britain but are already market leaders in Europe and / or the US – which means you can now achieve absolute comfort without compromising on looks 

Brands like Finn Comfort www.finncomfort.de, Allen Edmonds www.allenedmonds.com, Theresia M, Rockport www.rockport.com and Ara www.ara-shoes.de, all of which are now recognised as world-leaders in comfort and style. We also have selected certain styles from brands which are better known in the UK, including Ecco www.ecco.com and Mephisto www.mephisto.com. So if you want to see what the rest of the world is wearing, then come and see our store. For full range of Women’s shoes, click here. For Men’s shoes. click here.

 

Mephisto - Ecco -  Finn Comfort -  Klaveness -  Rockport -  Ara -  Betula -  Portside -  Theresia M -  Allen Edmonds -  Luigi - Caprini -  Filo Grana  - Pronto's Ostrich - Livingstone - PIEDRO -  CAPRICE - THINK!

A selection of footwear has been suggested for this site to demonstrate brands that will accommodate a prescriptive orthotic and cater for the prescription with added depth/width or offer a removeable insole.

Footwear brands such as Finn Comfort http://www.finncomfort.de/, Allen Edmonds http://www.allenedmonds.com/, Bettula, Think!, Piedro, Caprice, Theresia M, Rockport http://www.rockport.com/ and Ara http://www.ara-shoes.de/, are all recognised as world-leaders in comfort and style.

Women's Shoes

All brands listed below should be visited via their website to select the correct footwear to compliment the Soletec insole, before visiting one of their stores.  

Ara :

A collection of stylish court shoes for the professional 50+ woman, all shoes available from Ara are made to the highest standards of quality however only a small selection accommodate a Soletec Prescriptive Insole adding to that extra comfort factor within a classic stylish collection.

Mephisto women :

This classic French ‘Comfort’ brand is the ‘Rolls Royce’ for classic styles and comfort. With a heritage of comfort that goes back many years, Mephisto’s quality is second to none and incorp0rates removable foot beds , to enable the fitting of the Soletec custom-made foot bed.

Ecco :

Ecco women’s shoes have been synonymous with comfort for many years in the UK. The brand has a large following in the UK The range of shoes selected offer the classic styles that are most desired by the UK customer and are targeted at their 50+ customer profile. Most Ecco shoes selected, accommodate the Soletec foot beds and give the wearer the added advantage of inner sole bespoke tailoring.

Finn Comfort :

The European comfort brand of the moment, supplying over 1.3 million shoes globally and all of them focused on the comfort factor. Finn Comfort has cornered the market in footwear with re-moveable insoles. Their focus on quality while maintaining function is second to none. Although not the same heritage as Mephisto, Finn Comfort leads the way in quality styling for the 50+ at a relatively affordable price point and accommodates the Soltec System insoles..

Theresia M :

Theresia M has a solid foundation in the northern european countries especially Germany. The brand is offering a very unique product not available in the market by any other brand. The technical specification of their shoes is of the highest pedigree and the heel of the shoes are designed to lock on to the foot in a much more functional way than other shoe brands. All styles have removable foot beds and accommodate Soletecs prescriptive insoles. The collection is stylishly fashionable and will appeal to the young 40 + marketplace, as well as the older comfort footwear seeker.

Klaveness :

A Norwegian brand of the highest quality; originating from a medical ‘comfort’ and ‘supportive’ background. Klaveness is a brand that is aimed at the 55+, but still is a ‘must see’ for those customers who want style with a little bit more support and structure to their shoes. All styles will accommodate a Soletec insole.

Men's Shoes  

Rock Port :

Rock Port has been one of the leading men’s wear footwear brands for the past 12 years, offering sound structure and support within a cosmopolitan style, that has put it into the category of a classic shoe within it’s relative short life span. Originated from the Reebok fold, the brand was started as one of the first shoe ranges to bring ‘sports’ technology into stylish fashion. Today the brand maintains it’s following of committed buyers by continuously striving to excite and develop new aspects and features for the brand. The classic brand is aimed at the 40+, with deep toe boxes and supportive structure the range is ideally suited to the Soletec Prescriptive insoles and once combined will give the Rock Port enthusiast a comfort factor never before experienced.

Allen Edmonds :

This range of footwear is probably one of the most desirable footwear brands on the market, for the ‘distinguished’ businessman. Allen Edmonds is for the man (probably 40+), who understands quality and wants to purchase a brand that is simply unique. The brand offers the highest quality leathers and sole units, to inspire the perfectionist out there who wants to wear ‘quality with a difference’. Allen Edmonds is on par with the best quality British manufacturers such as ‘Churchs’ and ‘Crocket and Jones’. Indeed most Presidents over the last 100 years have always worn the Allen Edmonds brand. With options on ‘fully welted’ soles, the brand will give you a ‘class of shoe’ never before experienced, while at the same time having enough depth to accommodate one of Soletec’s prescriptive insoles.

Livingstone life style :

The Livingstone men’s brand is a classic European brand that has made its mark in Northern Europe over the past 16 years. Made from the highest quality Italian Leathers with the highest quality Poly-Urethane (PU- 80%) sole unit; this outdoor all-terrain shoe range is both lightweight and durable. The ‘hiking’ style boot is ideal for ‘rambling’ or walking on the quick weekend getaways, whereas the fashionable ‘city slicker’ shoe is good for out door activities, as well as popping into town on the weekend to meet friends. The all-terrain outdoor shoe is perfect for casual dress but also looks distinguished with more work attire. The Livingstone footwear range has to be ‘tried on’ to be believed and is targeted at the 35+. However with a full ‘Sympatex TM’ inner sock lining the whole range is waterproof and as it is available in all leathers including nubuck. All Livingstone footwear accommodates a Soletec Prescriptive and accommodating insoles.

Mephisto :

This classic French ‘Comfort’ brand is the ‘Rolls Royce’ for classic styles and comfort. With a heritage of comfort that goes back many years, Mephisto’s quality is second to none and incorporates removable insoles, to ease the fitting of the Soletec custom-made foot bed. These shoes are simply one of the most ‘sort after’ brands in the UK, a must for every discerning comfort footwear wearer and cater easily with the Soletec insole range..

 

    SHOE FITTING    

When measuring the foot for shoes always ensure that the foot does not bulge at the widest point of the fore foot ( approximately 2/3’s up the foot from the heel) – These are the most important two points to focus on when measuring feet – the outside of the 1st and 5th Met Head.

At the same time ensure that the foot is not too ‘baggy’ at this point either. As long as the foot fits ‘snuggly’ with a little ‘give,’ you can be sure that you have enough room for growth and comfort in the toe-box.

Do not press down on the toe box to try and feel the toe - as this is totally unnecessary and will indent the toe box, which can not then be repaired.

(The need for a pressing of the toe box - is a complete myth developed by the leading children’s brands in the UK over the past 50 years and is pointless. The only way of knowing you have enough length for growth is to go 2/3rds up the foot as described above and ‘feel for the fit’)

In children’s shoes the above guidelines apply. However make sure that the ‘heel counter’ is not too tight and that the child - when walking around - does not look like tripping. Be aware that in children there is always a tendancy to claw toes when in shoes – so make sure the foot is fully stretched out and extended when measuring is taking place.

TIPS FOR HEELS :
Try limit the time in high heels – during the day wear flatter shoes and then enjoy your heels in the evening when going out. However when out take the heels off as often as you can. For example when at a restaurant slip the feet out of the shoes while sat at the table. This type of regular activity relieves the foot of the pressure put on them by heels.
When wearing heels make sure you heel strike correctly and slide the sole, shorten your strides and take smaller steps, this in turn will alleviate the strain on the feet.

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Guide to shoes :

Poorly fitted shoes are damaging for the future wellbeing of your feet. 98% of babies feet are perfect at birth and yet by the time we reach adulthood over 65% of feet are dysfunctional and most of the damage is done during our teens - where foot problems are the furthest thing from our minds.

Girls wearing high heels in their teens take the huge risk of damaging their feet due to the fact that the bones of the foot are not fully ossified until their 17th/ 18th year.

The human foot is an advanced mechanism, containing 26 bones, 126 muscles and ligaments and 33 joints. How each of these components behaves and works together creates an almost endless variety of foot movements. By understanding the characteristics of your feet and analysing the way they move, Foot Care Services can help you chose the shoe that suits you best.

At Foot Care Services, staff will quickly assess your gait and the way that you move. For example, you might be invited to stand on a flat surface with your knees bent and your feet flat to assess whether your achilles tendons, curve or tilt noticeably inward from vertical or do they remain fairly straight up and down.

If they curve or tilt down, then you are probably part of the 65% of the general population who over-pronate (roll to the inside edge of the foot). Over-pronators need motion stabilising shoes, which are designed to guide the foot to a more neutral position from heel-strike through toe-off. Shoes in this category offer various levels of stabilization to meet the needs of mild to severe over-pronators.

If your achilles remains relatively vertical, you are among the 30% who have neutral feet but who might benefit from cushioning.

Therefore to try and prevent some of the future damage that regularly happens to feet - the follow advice is suitable:

  • Consider trying on shoes at the end of the day when your feet are at their largest
  • Bring wear the socks or stockings which you intend to wear with the shoe
  • Heels: If you wear high heels, try to limit the time you spend in them. During the day, wear flatter shoes and then enjoy your heels in the evening when going out. However when out, take your high-heeled shoes off as often as you can (e.g. slip tour feet out while at a restaurant). Also, try to restrict your daily shoes to a height to no more than 1½ - 2 inches inches. The heel takes a great proportion of the weight when heel striking, so allow the heel to have as broad a base as is possible
  • Heel Counter: this is the part of the shoe that locks the shoe to your foot and prevents the heel form sliding out of the shoe. Not all shoes have a heel counter and this is one of the most important aspects of a good fitting shoe. Try, whereever possible, to buy shoes that have a heel counter that follows the contours of the heel
  • Sole: The whole of the sole should be flat and only raising slightly up under the toes. This simply helps encourage ‘toe-off’ and prevents the wearer from tripping. Again, the broader the sole, the better the pressure distribution
  • Upper: The upper part of the shoe should ideally be leather. This is for two reasons; breathability; and leather’s moulding ability, which ensures a more comfortable fit
  • Inner Lining: ideally this should be leather, ‘Goretex’TM or ‘Sympatex’ TM to ensure the proper airing of the foot . The inside of the shoe should be smooth and seam free.
  • Fastenings : These are essential for good fitting shoes and ideally should be laces, velcro or straps. Many designs of slip-on shoes are either kept on by being to small or by encouraging the wearer to curl or spread their toes, leading to an abnormal gait
  • Fit: There should be a 1cm gap between the longest toe and the end of the shoe. The shape of the shoe at the front should match the shape of the foot, and the width of the shoe should correspond with the widest part of the foot while standing.. Your shoe width size should match your foot width. Have your feet measured,since our feet are often not the size they were when we were last measured as a child! This will also determine the correct width/size ratio of your foot-you may be wearing the wrong size to accommodate extra width.