How To Pick Healthy Shoes with Dr. Courtney Conley

Are your shoes causing your foot pain?

The truth is that most shoes are designed with features that can damage our feet and limit their function.

In this video, Dr. Courtney Conley teaches us about the necessary features shoes must have to be considered functional. Dr. Conley goes in depth on what is the vamp, the upper, the heel counter of a shoe plus what in the world is heel to toe drop? And why should I care? Because you should.

Mentioned in the video:

[ameyc]

I saw you a few weeks ago talking about feet and was just so impressed with your passion. I love my feet and since I moved here to the coast in Australia, New South Wales, I wear shoes in frequently however, I'm a little concerned about my spread of my feet is quite wide. I've started wearing spaces. I have very wide toe shoes and sandals. When I do wear shoes most of the time I am bare feet in the sand walking on the beach or on the way home. I am 70 years old. I'm a little concerned mostly because my little toe is so short and it does a lot of work and my feet have become way broaderthan they have ever before. I've started wearing toes spaces. Don't ask me why I just thought it might be a good thing to help address the little toe which is overloaded. I think I'm not sure there's no pain wondered if you had any suggestions.
It's not letting me post a picture of my fate. They're healthy looking long toes very short little toe bit of a bunion going on on both big toes. Nothing dramatic bit of a high arch.

[Markph]

Dr Courtney, as we can see from her seated position is in incredible health, Not fighting any obesity or joint degeneration. The people behind the “healthy feet alliance” need to take into account that 70% of American people are obese and a high percentage of those are MORBIDLY obese. No/low cushion shoes are going to create injuries that will lead people to inactivity and further obesity.

[FreebornLivingWoman]

All of this makes absolute perfect sense. Thank you. Listening from New Zealand

[JonathanLoganPDX]

Excellent info - thank you, Dr. Conley!

[louisdemarco]

After purchasing Hoka shoes I develop plantar fasciitis. I have had severe pain ever since and have a hard time walking. Working on strengthening my feet and stretching calf’s. I’m so depressed and feel helpless

[beoz]

I just bought Hoka's by far the best shoe I have ever wore. I have bad feet, ankles, knee and hip.

[escapefromny]

Watched your conversation on thedrive and learned so much. Years of neglect of my feet and leg strength has translated to instability to the point of a drunken-like wobble when I walk and chronic lose of balance. It has become a disability that is ruining my life. Now I have a starting point on how to fix this. Thank you!!

[MountainView]

I have a few zero drop and or minimalist shoes and honestly I have not noticed any clear benefits that one usually see reported by people in comments sections under videos like that.

[mrcircle]

Found Dr Conley in an interview with Dr AJ Ludlow. I'm trying to fix my plantar fasciitis (or plantar fasciosis). I tried removing my insoles yesterday, and despite my fears it was somewhat less painful than with the insole. Now I'm looking into transitioning into a pair of shoes of the type that you describe here. Excited about the prospect of maybe being able to heal completely this year after one and a half year of PF! Hopefully it can be done. Thanks for the info!

[LK-bzsk]

Why this channel does not have more subs is perplexing

[OMINOIDmusic]

hi. im a drummer and have a prolonged (5 year) stress fracture in my right foot from the bass drum pedal in the second and third metatarsals. i also made it worse by running. is there anything that you can recommend for my feet? i need to be able to play drums for two hours a day. i usually play high intensity rock n roll. its my life.

i had switched to barefoot running shoes both for running and drumming and they may have caused problems.

[ichriscrabtree]

What about if you have metatarsalgia? Would you recommend a higher stack height?

[bobpct]

People who complained that the camera was to far away & can't see what is being shown, there is a zoom feature on the video, just pinch the screen with your fingers.

[Demention]

Learning a lot from this video. I have a high arch and toes that curl. Would these shoes still be good for my type of foot? I've been desperate for a while now. Thankyou!

[Dubs]

Thank you Dr Conley. I have plantar fasciitis and have seen two podiatrists. The first recommended Hokas, the second said no way and recommended Adidas Adizero among others. I got the Adidas a month ago and still no noticeable improvement. I don't want to keep wasting money trying to find the right shoe. Are there specific sneakers you recommend for this condition?

[Shirleyzhang]

It's a extraordinarily useful video!❤❤❤For beginning runners, should they wear zero drop cushioning shoes or zero drop no cushioning shoes?

[gajendrasavant]

Where I can see a list of shoes you recommended ie casual, walking, jogging etc. thank you

[pammerryweather]

Might you post your PDF naming brands? I saw it referenced on your interview with Peter Attia.

[Mrcarter_]

I love the video at 2:30. Toes/feet are so nice its a crime

[jdm]

Very interesting! I am looking into getting my first pair of barefoot shoes, but there are no physical barefoot stores near where I live, so its ijpossible to try some on before purchasing. Last year I got a new pair of athletic shoes, got to a specialty store for the first time to get the "perfect shoe" for my feet's needs. I have high arches, but did not have any foot issues. I was recommended the "Saucony Hurricane" shoes (I learned later on it was the only shoe they had at my size in the entire store as its the only pair I got to try that was my size.... but they never told me that right then... Also, they highly recommended that I get a pair of Hoka Recovery Sandals to wear at home as its the best for the feet. Well I did get what they recommended because I wanted for once something "specially good for my feet", our entire family got fitted for good footwear. I wore the sandals at home like recommended and after not even 30 mins wearing those Hoka Recovery Sandals I started having severe calf pain, first I started to feel fatigue in my calves, but I kept them on up to 30 mins total as it became severe and I just could no longer keep them on, also caused cramping in my arches in the inside of the feet. It settled a little after I put back on my Knuknuk slippers I had been wearing for several years (replacing them yearly of course). Following day my calves felt like they where bruised, but I tried the Hoka recovery sandals again and within 10 mins the pain waws excrutiating again, so I called the store and requested to return them for full refund. then I started to feel numbness in my toes/feet in the mornings when getting up, then the nubmness turned into pins & needles pain that is now Dx as plantar fasciitis for 14 months non stop. I wore those saucony's only for 30 mins walks now and then, but could no longer wear them as they caused my toes to feel numb because its so narrow in the toes. I still have them, they look brand new, I once in a while put them on as they are the only shoes I have to go for walks, but the PF flares up and the toes go numb. I can't stand them on my feet. I got 2 pairs of Spenco zero drop slip on mules (1 pair for indoors and the other for outside in summer months), they have a tiny arch support in them, but no heel and my feet feel much better in them, also has plenty of space for my toes, but they are not the best to go for walks as they are slip ons + they are not waterproof and too cold for winter months... but I wore them most of last winter when there was no snow... I am looking into getting a pair of barefoot shoes with some cushioning in the sole to start out, but #1 would like a pair that will not cause my feet to be soaked when its raining #2 I'd like to find a pair of zero drop/barefoot winter boots as well for the winter months. What affordable brands/models would you recommend? Will my plantar fasciitis go away? I've done so many treatments but nothing has helped so far. I started strength training 8 months ago and stretch daily, in hopes the PF will get better, but no improvement so far. I hope that perhaps wearing barefoot footwear will cure the PF once and for all. thanks