Regular Shoes can Still Support
Written: Oct 15 '07
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Affordable, adjustable, wear with regular shoes, improves posture
Cons: Requires adjustment period, may require a wider shoe
The Bottom Line: For only little $$, try these Orthotics first, before other insoles, orthotics, or orthopedic shoes.
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| cw340397's Full Review: WalkFit Phase 4 Orthotics Inserts |
This winter and spring I noticed that my feet would throb and throb after a day's work and chores in regular shoes. As soon as it got warmer, I broke out my Birkenstock sandals and got some relief from the foot pain but I wanted to be able to wear regular shoes, especially for chores around the house like mowing the lawn. I thought seriously about buying a pair of Birkenstock shoes but didn't have the funds. Then I remembered the goofy infomercial where they ran over a pair of shoe inserts with a steam roller. When August rolled around, I figured Target would be the store to have them and to my surprise they were on sale. So with an investment of $16.99 I started my journey with Walk Fit Orthotics.
Now that it's been 3 months wearing these inserts I feel I can properly review them here. As the other reviewers may have mentioned, it is very important to follow the instructions and be patient with adjusting to the inserts. I started the adjustable Orthotics on the lowest arch support and placed them under the existing cloth liner of my regular shoes. After I took off the shoes my feet throbbed like always. However, I stuck it out because the first time I stepped into the Orthotics, I could feel my spine straightening and my shoulders falling back as my posture improved. They were pretty bouncy too, unlike other inserts that just feel mushy. As I recall, it took time to get used to my Birkenstocks too, so I started wearing the Walk Fits in my shoes just while I did my chores in the morning, about 1-2 hours.
My feet adjusted to the new supports after about two weeks. It's hard to tell because it was gradual. I found myself wearing the shoes longer and longer with no pain until I was wearing them all day long. When they were removed in the evening, my feet no longer throbbed with pain and I could again sit upright on the couch instead of wanting to put my feet up.
Having these Orthotics has been a real life-saver. I bought them originally because of tired feet, but I found later that I needed them just to be able to walk when I had a horrible bout with Sciatica in September. For me, the Sciatica caused horrible pains shooting down my right leg and into my heel. My entire foot felt like wood and was difficult to walk on and even stand upright. Being able to wear shoes with Walk Fit Orthotics gave me some relief from the shooting pain and gave me proper posture to better regain my balance.
Now that I'm healthy again, I find myself switching my Orthotics from shoe to shoe. In fact, I just finished mowing the lawn with my regular mud shoes with Walk Fit Orthotics inserted (with no padding on top) and have no foot pain or throbbing. My legs don't feel as tired and I feel energized instead of run down and worn out.
For anyone considering Birkenstock shoes or if they are already used to wearing Birkenstock sandals, I encourage them to give Walk Fit Orthotics a try. It's much more fashionable to be able to wear regular shoes instead of orthopedic shoes and no one needs to know I'm getting as much support as those ugly clodhoppers!
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 16.99
Frequency of Use: Regularly (daily)
Extent of Symptom Relief: Relieves most symptoms quickly
Duration of Symptom Relief: 8 to 12 hours
Best for relieving: Foot pain, lower back pain, posture problems
Extent of Side Effects: No noticeable side effects
Worst side effect: Sore feet during adjustment period
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Epinions.com ID:
cw340397
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Location: Northwest, OH USA
Reviews written: 7
Trusted by: 0 members
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