This Solution To Arch Pain post is sponsored by ABEO® footwear, all opinions are my own.
My feet are bad. My right arch constantly hurts. I deal with plantar fasciitis flares regularly and it is painful. A few years ago, I broke my right heal then had a cycle of stress fractures from 2014-2015 that made my feet and my right foot, in particular much worse.
The stress fractures were later linked to my undiagnosed Hashimoto’s disease. Once I removed gluten from my diet they stopped, and my bone health improved greatly. Unfortunately, my feet did not. Not to mention, I had AVN for 18 years which led to my right hip replacementin 2016. These medical complications coupled with years of injuries and working out, my feet are just done.
No matter if I’m on or off my feet they hurt. My right foot regularly cramps, and I can’t flex it well due to the inflammation. I often roll my foot over a golf ball under my desk while I work to alleviate the pain in addition to stretching and icing.
While I do wear custom orthotics, I’m always looking for new ways to make my feet more comfortable. My orthotics are great for my gym shoes, but they don’t work with my flip flops, boots, flats, etc. You can only wear gym shoes with them which doesn’t always work for my life or my feet.
Last weekend I had the opportunity to check out ABEO® footwear at The Walking Company.
I was immediately intrigued when I heard about them because unlike traditional orthotics that don’t fit into regular everyday shoes, ABEO offers many styles beyond gym shoes that can make orthotics fit into your lifestyle. Depending on the style, ABEO features interchangeable 3D3 orthotics, or built-in orthotics matched to your foot.
When you arrive at the store the friendly staff (they were super knowledgeable and friendly), have you walk and stand on their state-of-the-art 3D scanning technology to determine your arch type and match your foot type to your ABEO footwear.
The scan on the left was my feet without any support. The red marks are where I strike most and where I have most pressure on my feet. The one on the right is what my feet would look like with arch support. According to the scan, my arches were neutral – meaning they were neither flat or a high arch, and my left foot pronates. I’m not surprised with the pronate at all because I’m positive that foot is compensating for my right leg that is still a bit shorter than the left from my hip replacement.
Then they did a balance test on me which so interesting! They had me stand with me hands behind my back and told me not to move while they placed pressure on my hands.
I lost my balance without the orthotics, but with them I was stable. It was incredible and definitely demonstrated the power of having the right support!
I tried out MANY shoes including sandals, a cute pair of boots and gym shoes. I loved the cushion-y feel they had.
I ended up getting the gym shoes because I REALLY need them right now, but I will definitely be back next spring for a pair of sandals with the built-in orthotics. Living in Phoenix and in flip flops most of my life, I NEED these. Even the guys tried on shoes and loved how they feel!
I’ve worn mine a few times to the gym and already feel as if I have better balance when doing certain movements like walking lunges and squats. I’ve also wore them running errands and as soon as I take them off, my feet want to go back in them. They just make my feet feel so good! Let’s be real… anything that changes how your feet feel is life-changing. I will definitely be back soon for more!
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