Standing

ladycheshire5

ladycheshire5

Barefooters
Aug 16, 2011
91
1
8
#1
I know this is a "running" forum but I really want to ask about standing. I bought Merrells Pace Glove to have on hand if I go on nearby trails ( I learned today that I'm NOT ready for barefoot off-roading ) and to wear to work. I work in healthcare so I cannot wear flip flops and although I probably could get away with wearing VFF's I don't want to draw too much attention or critique from upper management or patients. I wore the Pace Gloves everyday this week except for today. I found my legs were VERY tried at the end of the day, each day. I'm over here thinking barefoot is the way to be, all the time but, on my feet for 8.5 hours in a diagnostic imaging facility... should this be done? Also, I'm not too sure the shoes are right for me because the elastic band around the back of the heel has dug in and made me raw. :( I'm not sure REI will accept them back after 4 days of wear.



Laura
 
#2
In my opinion, standing for

In my opinion, standing for 8.5 hours in any shoes (or without) would result in some soreness. I'm a teacher and I spend 90% of my day on my feet, on concrete floors. No shoes or inserts I have purchased have been able to make it any less painful at the end of the day.

As for whether or not REI will be willing to take the shoes back, it never hurts to try! The worst thing they can tell you is no.
 
#3
I just got a pair of the

I just got a pair of the Merrell true glove shoes. Not sure if you wore socks or not, but maybe try a pair of light, thin polypro socks. I know mine hurt the back of my heal to for a few days too, but it went away. I wear mine to work everyday too.
 
#4
 I put a band aid on my

I put a band aid on my heel, it's just the left side that got raw. And I wore cycling socks (all I have that is the thinnest possible) one day but that didn't help and the socks seemed to cramp my toes together. I am not sure what to do actually, should I take them back (try) or give them more time?

As far as standing goes... I can get fatigued wearing my old running shoes too but not near the uncomfortable ache fatigue I got from wearing the Merrells this week. Standing much of the day, I think, just isn't a natural thing our bodies were intended to do. I try to think what our activities consisted of back in the day before shoes and it was probably more about running or walking A LOT which is way different. If an activity required you to be in one spot or a limited area I think we would have taken a seat to get it done. As much as I'd love to wear Minshoes to work I'm not sure I can. I am not sure if it's a similar progression, like learning to run again... is it a matter of time you get used to zero drop and no padding standing all day? Not sure. I don't have alignment issues, were any joints are in pain it's different issue altogether and one I'm very familiar with, fatigued legs after long days standing - just sucks. I wore my old running shoes yesterday and I was fine, it was a welcome relief actually. :-(

Laura
 
#5
I'm going to assume that

I'm going to assume that standing in min shoes is very similar to running barefoot or in min shoes. It takes time. You can't just go out and run 5 miles barefoot if you've been running 5 miles shod. It takes time to build up to that as you have new muscles working. You're probably activating new muscles in your feet, the soreness is their way of telling you they're still there and alive. After a while, you'll get used to it.

For now, maybe ease into it. Wear min shoes for the first hour, then switch back to regular shoes and over time build up to where you're just wearing min shoes all day.

Just my 2 cents anyway.
 
#6
Laura,I agree w/Matt. I

Laura,

I agree w/Matt. I think it will just take time for the muscles, etc. in your legs and feet to get used to the change in footwear. A year ago, it was uncomfortable to be in my VFFs for a several hour shift in a concession stand (gotta love those fundraising gigs). But now I wear either my VFFs or Trail Gloves and it doesn't bother me at all. At least, no more than it used to in other shoes. Just my $.02

Cheers!
 
#7
REI will take them back. They

REI will take them back. They took mine back after 4 days including 2 runs in the mud. I felt really bad but they said they want their customers to be 100% happy with their choice. My Merrell were too small, I ended up buying a full size bigger to account for foot swelling after a few miles and I now love them.



I think you should give your body more time to adjust. Maybe alter your posture a little bit, keep your knees slightly bent and see if it helps, or stretch during the day, or switch shoes mid day or every other day.

Moleskine or the gel bandaids used on blisters may help with the elastic rubbing. I didn't have that problem when I wore mine.
 
#8
I wonder if the problem isn't

I wonder if the problem isn't insufficient toesplay. I know standing barefoot for hours on end is much preferable to me. It always sucks, but barefoot over shoes is always better and shoes with more roomand thinner soles are always better. I have a lot of recent experience with this hanging drywall and spackling.
 
#9
I also agree with letting

I also agree with letting your body acclimate. You've essentially gone from standing facing down hill all day(ie thick heel shoes), which your body adjusted to, to standing on flat ground (zero drop heel), which is a new body position. Also you're now relying on your support structure to do it's job instead of weaking it with extra support.

Just like when you start running barefoot, it wouldn't be a bad idea to ease into things. If you're sore, go with the old shoes and alternate days, or, as Sloutre suggests, bring them and switch when you need to. Eventually you'll switch later and later till not at all.

Jonny
 
#10
Thank you all for your

Thank you all for your responses. :) I appreciate the feed back. This past week was really busy and I was just plain WORN OUT come Saturday afternoon. I will try switching shoes back and forth for a while and see if I acclimate. Anyway, I guess then my next question is about fit of the "barefoot" shoe because I went to REI twice, first time I tried the VFF's and wasn't too sure about those because of the individual toe pockets, it rubbed between my toes in the store so I wasn't sure about how that would work running for long distance. (That was back when I was considering a min. shoe for running, I've since decided to just go BF) Second time at REI was for the Merrells. Both times the saleman said the shoes should fit snug, the VFF's I was put in were waaaay too snug and I insisted on going up a size against the saleman's persisting but I still didn't go with them for the toe pockets. Merrells, are snug too but not as much as the VFF's, (those they wanted to fit like socks I guess) but in the Merrells (Pace Gloves) my toes touch the front of the shoe a little, these are a size 7.5 womens, I tried the 8 womens and those had a lot more room in the toe box, like a finger tip between my toes and the front of the shoe. I'm just curious if I should be thinking of the fit in a different way than the manufacturers tell the salesmen to tell us? Should I be going for more room in the toe box? I ask this since I see a few comments about having room for the toes.



Laura
 
#11
My (new) Merrell are a size 8

My (new) Merrell are a size 8 women and I have over 1/4'' of extra room when my feet are cold. The size 7 fit snuggly and was uncomfortable as my feet warmed up and expanded. In my case, the major discomfort came from having my foot squeezed widthwise even with laces untied.

Now I find that the mid section of the shoe hugs my foot well enough so that the shoe doesn't move while I'm running. I'm not sure my toes touch the front even when warm, but it doesn't seem to be a problem.

I doubt the pain in your legs came from the size of the shoe but it would certainly affect the comfort of your feet.
 
#12
REI is phenomenal with their

REI is phenomenal with their return policy. They will return everything. I just returned a BOB Running Stroller for the third time because the handle keeps ripping due to the placement of the latch that keeps it folded up when not in use. I have dealt with them with shoes as well and they have have replaced those too when I have had fit problems or defects.
 
#13
sloutre wrote:My (new)

sloutre said:
My (new) Merrell are a size 8 women and I have over 1/4'' of extra room when my feet are cold. The size 7 fit snuggly and was uncomfortable as my feet warmed up and expanded. In my case, the major discomfort came from having my foot squeezed widthwise even with laces untied.

Now I find that the mid section of the shoe hugs my foot well enough so that the shoe doesn't move while I'm running. I'm not sure my toes touch the front even when warm, but it doesn't seem to be a problem.

I doubt the pain in your legs came from the size of the shoe but it would certainly affect the comfort of your feet.
Click to expand...

I didn't think the leg fatigue was from the shoe size or fit really, more about the zero drop and no padding. Everything people have been saying makes sense though and I'm going to give it some time.
I'm curious though, you have a size 8, and you are running in them, I'm not going to primarily run in them, I want them for work which is a lot of standing. So I wonder if I should consider fit in a different way? If you are in an 8, what is your regular shoe size? I'm a 7.5 regular shoe (non-running) and that was wha the salesman said was a correct fit. I'm curious if this size inhibits my feet from "spreading" from swelling, all normal stuff from standing for long periods? Wearing socks, definitely made my feet feel cramped, the toes. Without, it feels OK... in the toe area... Today I left the laces as loose as possible. If my feet have the room they need maybe my FEET won't hurt. ;-)
 
#14
I have a pair of Merrell

I have a pair of Merrell Trail Gloves. My toes didn't seem to touch the end of the shoes at first my they do now. I really wish I had gone up a half size.



The Merrells don't seem to be made for socks. The inside is pretty grippy and will pull the sock tight down over your toes. This really makes my toes angry (they let me know by aching after a few minutes). I found I can wear socks with them but I had to figure out a way to avoid this problem. What I do is loosen the laces a lot. Then I pull the sock slightly off so there is at least a half inch of sock past the ends of my toes. Then twist some of that extra sock up between the big toe and the 2nd toe and grab it tight with the toes. Then slide the shoe all the way on. Then wiggle the toes to get the sock out from between them. Tie them and go.



I use the Merrells for work. I can be fairly casual at work but the VFFs were a little too weird. With the Merrells nobody even notices that they are different.
 
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