Best Shoes for Walkers (flat feet)

maddiemay

Today Aldi have running clothes and shoes on offer. FWIW I think that you should buy a comfortable supportive pair of trainers within your budget and possibly the insoles previously discussed. Get out there and walk, start with shorter distances and build up gently. Don't go mad if you are not used to taking exercise, even if you are young.

If you take to it you can be saving for a better replacement pair of shoes if you need it and also, more importantly in my opinion, if you do have problems with pronation etc, either try and get a GP referral to a Podiarist, or save up to see one privately, they will prescribe and supply if needed, the correct insoles to correct any problems and possibly save you a great degree of knee, ankle or hip pain in the future.

I think that your are over thinking it a little, you need to find out if this is the excercise for you before you get into specialist kit

Elan

@cherryblossomzel & sjprmc01 hahaha this is very very true and where my major conflict is, I want to ignore all the hype get any affordable and comfortable enough shoe and just walk, on the otherhand insecure in my own judgement I feel compelled to safeguard against any future financial and physical loses (walkings supposed to be beneficial after all. Yea, and I'm broke). I'm sure I'm not alone in this XD --a little gullible...

sjprmc01 wrote: »

I was looking at debenhams online this morning and they have some nike and adidas trainers heavily reduced to as little as 12.99-17.99

I can't find any on the site in that price range. That would've been perfect. Maybe they sold out already, I'll look in store today, thanks.

@maddiemay
Thanks for the tip about how to approach it, am on the younger side and a little stiff so will take it slow. Was thinking an hour to 2 hours cos I get lost easily

Since I am seeing the GP soon I will mention about the Podiatrist when I next see them too.

And very true about compatibility, hadn't even occurred to me that I might not even like walking or stick/take to it (I have like no stamina). I'll look in Aldi as well since it's not far.

adouglasmhor

The Karimor and also the Nevisport from Sports Direct are not as heavy as traditional walking shoes and are between a trainer and a walking shoe in design - much like a trail shoe or off road trainer they will give better support and be a bit better if the weather is nasty even in town. Al very well having a pair of running trainers but if you won't go out if it's showery because your feet get soaked and cold you are not going to get a lot of walking done, different if you are running when you will not be out for as long to get soaked and cold.

cherryblossomzel

Elan wrote: »

I want to ignore all the hype get any affordable and comfortable enough shoe and just walk, on the otherhand insecure in my own judgement I feel compelled to safeguard against any future financial and physical loses

I am neither a medical nor a sports professional, but this is what I would do:

I wouldn't spend a fortune on special shoes right now, just use trainers I already have. Start out easy and feel how things go. The body will always protest at new exercise, so expect some aching and stiffness. It should get better over time. If there is pain that gets worse during or after walking (this could be in the feet, but also in the legs, hips or back), then there might be an injury or underlying problem, and then I'd go to the GP and see about a referal to a podiatrist.

sjprmc01

Elan wrote: »

I can't find any on the site in that price range. That would've been perfect. Maybe they sold out already, I'll look in store

I did only look at my shoe size (8) but it's usually one of the harder-to-get-hold-of sizes in sales

MallyGirl

I signed up for the (half) Moonwalk last year - 13 mile 'power walk' round London at night. Having just recovered from Plantar Fasciitis I wanted something decent on my feet to stop it recurring. I went to a shop called Sweatshop and had a free gait analysis done - videos on treadmills and all that. At the end of it they managed to find me a fantastic pair of multi terrain trainers. I also invested in a pair of heated moulded custom insoles. Neither of these was cheap but since then I have done a lot of miles and managed to find a new pair of the next generation of my trainers on sportshoes dot com for £19.99. I am still using the original moulded soles. I guess I could have just noted the model/brand in the store and gone home to get them cheaper elsewhere but they gave a really good service and I would have felt pretty mean doing that.
I have long skinny feet so it has been a revelation to find women's trainers that fit really well - I take a 9.5 but buy 10.5 in trainers as I like the extra toe space and trainers seem to come up small. I overpronate.

moneylover

I agree with what is said, its no good self diagnosing. If your feet don't hurt then just buy comfortable shoes don't try self correcting you will set up other problems. If you do get foot pain then you can get a GP referral to a podiatrist. Then you buy trainers and take out the insoles and put your prescribed ones in. Flat feet in themselves are quite a normal variant.

Elan

So I went a few many places blacks, debenhams, sketchers, aldi, in the end I kept the Aldi pair, £14.99 and nabbed some insoles from Aldi as well for under £2.

I decided to walk early because that's what people do, or something, it was /freezing/, got some lovely pangs in my hip back and leg hobbled like a sleepy icle back home and decided to do the same thing all over again. This time I went out in the evening, I put the bought insoles ontop of the ones in the shoes (rather than replacing it), I warmed up first and put a few more layers on and had a goal destination in mind, I cooled down when I got home. Second time went much better shoes were just fine, wish they could of been a *bit* more cushier but no complaints (felt much better than the shoes I tried on at Blacks anyway--those were just weird). Everyones been really helpful with this, let's hope I keep it up.

adouglasmhor wrote: »

Al very well having a pair of running trainers but if you won't go out if it's showery because your feet get soaked and cold you are not going to get a lot of walking done, different if you are running when you will not be out for as long to get soaked and cold.

As a resident of this country it's strange I didn't think of this, maybe I should get a poncho, or wear plastic bags on my feet :laugh:

@cherryblossomzel It's funny you say that as I actually didn't bring anything up in the end to the GP, pretty much felt like I had nothing to report yet since I hadn't started walking. Cheers for the advice, I'll try not to get neurotic everytime I feel a twinge somewhere I don't like.

sjprmc01 wrote: »

I did only look at my shoe size (8) but it's usually one of the harder-to-get-hold-of sizes in sales

I didn't specify a size so don't know if that made a difference, actually went into Debenhams to look at their shoes, unfortunately saw no walking shoes on sale, did see a very nice pair of boots I sadly had to leave

@Mallygirl, thanks sounds good, I'll stop into the Sweatshop when I'm next in Clapham.

cherryblossomzel

Well done. Walking is really good exercise, I wish I did more of it. Spring is a good time to start, enjoy all the flowers etc.