13 Things your podiatrist won't tell you

5.  Some podiatrists will

5. Some podiatrists will shorten toes? What!?

6. Perpetuating the bullchit! Buy shoes at a specialty running store, even if you just walk for exercise. Well-trained staff will help you get the right athletic shoe — they can really analyze your foot and gait.

11. We are so defective! Over-the-counter "custom-fit" orthotics are a bit of a gimmick. They'll help if you just need some arch support and padding, but they're nothing like the orthotics I make after creating a mold of your feet in my office. Orthotics are like eyeglasses for the feet. They're made to correct the specific biomechanics of the way you walk.
 
I believe that, by and large,

I believe that, by and large, podiatrists don't intend to do more harm than good. They're still artifacts of their cultural biases and not as scientific as they'd have us think just because they have a "Dr." in their educational attainments.

Besides, that format for presenting info that requires 10x more time and effort to read than a simple list drives me NUTS!
 
There was a link on the

There was a link on the Reader's Digest Website for 14 More Secrets Your Podiatrist Won’t Tell You... We made #2!

"Barefoot running? Great idea if you can stay on sand or earth. Do it on concrete, and you’ll end up with stress fractures and some very bad inflammation.”

It is incredibly frustrating to read this crap over and over. If I had listened to two separate podiatrists I would have never run again, and I'd still be having knee pain. I agree with JosephTree, but I have to remind myself they might not full of BS on everthing. They make their profit on orthotics and are going to be very reluctant to give up on the idea that everyone needs them.
 
They should have titled it:

They should have titled it: "Things ANY podiatrist will tell you right up front"

Over-the-counter "custom-fit" orthotics are a bit of a gimmick. They'll help if you just need some arch support and padding, but they're nothing like the orthotics I make after creating a mold of your feet in my office. Orthotics are like eyeglasses for the feet. They're made to correct the specific biomechanics of the way you walk.

Thirteen things your podiatrist won't tell you?

Find me a podiatrist that won't tell you to get custom fitted orthotics rather than OTC inserts!

As far as the toe shortenings, MOST podiatrists do not perform the procedure, and why they allow those that do to continue to be represented in their professional associations (at the national and state level) is a question they should be asked and held accountable for.
 
I thought the title was BS

I thought the title was BS too, Board.
 
And of course the usual BS on

And of course the usual BS on flip flops, this is just never ending. They trot this chestnut out at every opportunity. I would bet a billion Chinese and Indians would disagree with them.

They confuse symptoms with cause. They say there is a flood of people coming in with foot injuries in the spring time. What they don't say is that the problem is caused by the high heeled shoes that are worn in the colder months rather than the zero drop of a flip flop.

I guess if they repeat the BS enough times it takes on reality.



Neil
 
Just like the comment about

Just like the comment about not mowing the grass in flip flops. Unless you are wearing steel toed boots, those blades will cut you toes off just as quickly in "normal" shoes as they would in flip flops. If you put your foot under a running lawn mower, you are going to lose toes.

t
 
Flips ARE dangerous to mow in

Flips ARE dangerous to mow in because you can easily lose your footing and slip toes under the deck.

Cutting lawns barefoot is MUCH safer!

You are correct that only a full steel boot will help when that direct drive steel blade driven by at least a 3 horsepower piston engine makers contact. You can still lose half a foot if only wearing steel toed boots.

Manual push mower with reel type blades does a better job than the rotary blade and is much safer and better exercise.

If the lawn is too big for that a tractor is safer (for the operator, not the spectators).

Since the walk-behind gasoline powered mower is by far the most common method used by homeowners, and mowing barefoot can be so enjoyable, just follow the rest of the safety recommendations (especialy cutting on sloped areas) and your feet should remain safe.

NEVER bypass the safety device on the grip that disengages the blade though!

And, be very careful when using a helper for hard starting engines, I saw a very close call when the helper was spraying starting fluid in the air intake while the other was pulling the rope up at the handle! The helpers foot slid under the deck as the engine came to life and came really close to the blade.