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Cheap but unhealthy footwear.

Because of certain budget footwear I ended up at the doctors and discovered the answer lie in the hidden planned obsolescence in the heel of my shoe.

My heel got progressively more painful and I now know what to look out for in a shoe/slipper. If you press down hard on the heel (from the inside) you may well feel some square pattern beneath.
After wearing the shoe/slipper for a short while your weight will gradually bear down on those squares and the shoe will become progressively, more and more uncomfortable until, (to the shoe manufacturer's delight) you bin the shoe and buy another pair and on and on it goes until you discover this secret.

The attached image shows what looks like a potato waffle in the heel. This is what you are treading on and this is what gives you the pain.

It was thought I was getting gout and so I had an extremely painful injection from my doctor to investigate this before finally seeing that it is a design built-in to get us to buy more shoes.

I went to one local well-known shoe shop (can I name them?) and I checked a great many shoes there by pressing down on each heel and with one pair I could, if I pressed a little harder, have pushed my thumb all the way through. The manager told me "most shoes are like this nowadays!"

Comments

  • COLLINN
    COLLINN Posts: 5 Forumite
    First Post
    Image show the problem...
  • Nellymoser
    Nellymoser Posts: 1,428 Forumite
    1,000 Posts Second Anniversary Name Dropper
    Try purchasing comfort/gel insoles either place on top of insole if room or remove rubbish insole and replace with comfort ones. 

    I've been doing this for years. No more sore feet. 

    Got my last comfort ones in Aldi only £2.99 so bought few pairs. 
  • COLLINN
    COLLINN Posts: 5 Forumite
    First Post
    But this should not be allowed anyway. How many folks are receiving treatment for a foot problem when in fact it's a shoe problem?
  • Nellymoser
    Nellymoser Posts: 1,428 Forumite
    1,000 Posts Second Anniversary Name Dropper
    It's easy to see by your photo how this defective footwear design would cause painful heel injury. To try and stop the shoe manufacturers using this design refer it to Trading Standards.

    Referrals need to go through Citizens Advice Consumer Service, forms are easily completed online and try send your photo too. 
  • COLLINN
    COLLINN Posts: 5 Forumite
    First Post
    I can't remember why but i gave up on that idea.
  • Mr.Generous
    Mr.Generous Posts: 3,952 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    The ultra cheap Hobos I wear have the same sole. Might be a connection between the very low price and the relatively short time they last I suspect.
    Mr Generous - Landlord for more than 10 years. Generous? - Possibly but sarcastic more likely.
  • Nelliegrace
    Nelliegrace Posts: 1,015 Forumite
    Seventh Anniversary 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    I hate crêpe soles which crumble away. Clarkes, not cheap shoes. Embarrassing walk across the wet car park to feel the top of the shoes flapping and nothing but wet socks under foot. 

  • COLLINN
    COLLINN Posts: 5 Forumite
    First Post
    Would you believe it, after all I said!  I bought a pair of moccasin slippers and didn't check the heel because in moccasins I thought the heel was too thin to take that painful 'potato waffle' pattern.
    Caught out again. The slippers are made by 'THE SLIPPER COMPANY' but I can't remember which shop I bought them.
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