Diabetic shoes: Fashion and function

"Every day, people willingly trade good foot health for stylish shoes—think stilettos, platforms, and pointy toeboxes. For some time, however, patients who wore diabetic footwear didn’t have the option of worrying about style versus substance."

Click to read the full article

2012 LER Resource Guide

"Your favorite footwear—even the flats—may be harming your body in surprising ways. Read on for the new dangers and simple steps to stay healthy..."

Click to read the full article

Are Your Shoes Killing You?

"Your favorite footwear—even the flats—may be harming your body in surprising ways. Read on for the new dangers and simple steps to stay healthy..."

Click to read the full article

Shoes Can Be A Magnet For Women But Can Be Accident For Women With Diabetes

"Women and shoes, many say it is difficult to be separated. Various types of shoes, ranging from stilettos, wedges, heels up to the extreme as it used to be Lady Gaga became a magnet for women. Collecting all of them can certainly bring its own satisfaction."

Click to read the full article

Slideshow: Summer Shoes Threat-o-Meter

"When walking farther than a quarter of a mile, I now stick to running sneakers. But they feel clunky in warm weather, so I asked Hillary Brenner, DPM, a podiatric surgeon and a spokesperson for the American Podiatric Medical Association, to help me find some breezy alternatives."

Click to see the slideshow

Slideshow: The Worst Shoes for Your Feet

"Heels are getting higher and higher," says Hillary Brenner, DPM. "We podiatrists like to call it shoe-icide." Brenner, a spokeswoman for the American Podiatric Medical Association, says ultra-high heels can lead to everything from ankle sprains to chronic pain.  Let's take a closer look at the heights, styles, and woes of today's footwear."

Click to see the slideshow

Dr Oz: Stinky Feet: Sterishoe & Epsom Salts

Dr Oz said the number three biggest body complaint is smelly feet. When your feet sweat, your shoes and socks get moist, which creates bacteria that excrete waste with a horrible odor. Dr. Hillary Brenner suggest rotating your shoes so that you give them a chance to dry, wear cotton socks and try Antibacterial Gel (she specifically said to avoid the lotion). You can also have a Stinky Feet Chemical Peel done for around $40. Other options? Dr Oz said that you can dry out your feet by soaking your feet in warm water with Epsom Salts for 15 minutes a day for several days, and then for preventive care, do Epsom Salt foot baths 2-3 times a week. The last product is perhaps the one that was most intriguing to me. There is a product called the Sterishoe which kills bacterias and viruses in your shoe (it is like a germicidal for shoes!) and you just put the device in your shoe for 45 minutes.

Click to read the full article

Dr. Brenner on Dr. Oz:

NYC women commit 'shoeacide'

Hershelle Burton, pictured above, took a spill in her four-inch-tall gold “Dorothy” heels in October, spraining her ankle.

“I’m in high heel rehab,” sighed Burton, 42, a creative services professional who lives in Clinton Hill. As a result of her sprain, and a case of high heel-caused plantar fasciitis, she commutes to her job at BET in glittery Converse sneakers. “No more being cute on the bus or the train,” she lamented.

Click to read the full article

The Anti-Shoe

That’s the tagline for these MBT Lami Shoes ($150 at
Zappos.com). Aesthetics aside, the footwear promises a positive effect—it supposedly stimulates your muscles and strengthens your body with its Mesai Sensor technology. You can even walk with these glorified mary janes on the beach, they say. Just one question: If they’re the anti-shoe, what are they then?

Dr. Hillary Brenner, a podiatric surgeon practicing in New York City, can say good things and bad things about these shoes. “I like these shoes because they allow for good shock absorpotion, improves gait (walking), helps people with mild foot deformities, relieves back problems and joint pain,” she points out.

As for what Dr. Brenner doesn’t like about these shoes: “These shoes are not good for people with underlying orthopedic conditions and geriatric patients,” she says. “Before buying these shoes, I recommend a visit to your podiatrist.”

—Ysolt Usigan

Click to read the full article

While it seems like a no-brainer, buy sandals that fit. Wearing even a half size too big or small will cause blistering. "Feet constantly change size, due to weight shifts and aging, so get measured every spring," says Hillary Brenner, a podiatric surgeon in New York City. When choosing your shoes, look for flexible materials such as soft leather and microfiber. Avoid stiff straps that fall across blister-prone ankles or toes. Once you've got your sandals home, moisturize your feet (well-conditioned skin is less likely to blister) and wear the shoes around the house for an hour one day and two the next. "It helps to soften the shoe and mold it to your foot more comfortably," says Dr. Brenner. For extra protection, stick small moleskin patches (available at drugstores) on your heels and across your No toes. The only thing left to do? Apply the perfect polish!

More Than a Pain in the Foot?

Foot pain can mean a lot more than the usual aches from a long walk or standing on the feet all day.

Some foot pains, particularly those that persist for more than a couple of days or even weeks, can be early signs of vascular disease, diabetes or even cancer and should not be overlooked, according to podiatrists.

Click to read the full article

Agony of the Feet
Like Avril Lavigne before she got married, your toenails are better with a little edge. Cutting corners sets you up for ingrowns and infections, says Hillary Brenner, D.P.M., an NYC podiatrist. Instead, trim straight across, using a larger version of your standard nail cutter with a straight blade, like the Tweezerman Limited Clipper ($10, available at drugstores). Smooth rough bits with a nail file.