The Lemon Fool

I have a weird form of psoriatic arthritis that started a few years ago and comes in waves, not too bad, but affects certain areas, including the inner side of my right foot. It rarely troubles me unless I walk more than 30 minutes which is annoying since I enjoy walking the dog at the weekends and we walk a lot on holidays.

My old tennis shoes and jogging shoes are not really much good but I'm aware that there are trainers that are supposed to feel like walking on air. Is this a simple case of the deeper/thicker the heel and sole the better, or is there more to it? I'm prepared to spend a decent sum on trainers that will let me walk hours. The choice of trainers is a bit overwhelming and I feel that the price often reflects a certain fashion rather than the comfort.

Steve

stevensfo wrote:My old tennis shoes and jogging shoes are not really much good but I'm aware that there are trainers that are supposed to feel like walking on air. Is this a simple case of the deeper/thicker the heel and sole the better, or is there more to it? I'm prepared to spend a decent sum on trainers that will let me walk hours. The choice of trainers is a bit overwhelming and I feel that the price often reflects a certain fashion rather than the comfort.

Yes, there is a lot of fashion in the market for trainers. This has driven a somewhat bewildering number of varieties.

I used to use the Nike Air range of trainers. Underneath your foot there would be several spaces of "air" which were sealed regions in which a pressurised gel had been inserted. These were very comfortable and it did feel a bit like walking on air, although it was more like a soft yielding surface. The problem was that these regions could puncture; things which would make a dent or cut into a normal trainer had a good chance of puncturing the seal and allowing the gel to escape.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nike_Air_Max

Nowadays I use Skechers "Air" range". These have a similar "air space" which contains a lot of rubber shock absorbers. They also have a "memory foam" insole which forms to the shape of your feet. I find these shoes to be very comfortable. The memory foam insoles can take a bit of getting used to - when I get a new pair it usually takes an hour or two of walking for them to become extremely comfortable. When these shoes puncture it isn't as noticeable as with the Nikes.

I have one pair of Skechers which has a big puncture in one of the trainers. It doesn't affect my walking (because the air gap is still filled with shock absorbers) but it does make a squeak every time I put that foot down (I don't notice the squeak as I'm wearing headphones and an MP3 player when I walk in them!).

I have gout/arthritis in my left big toe and I don't notice it when I'm walking in my Skechers, whereas conventional shoes are somewhat painful to walk in nowadays.

SalvorHardin wrote:

stevensfo wrote:My old tennis shoes and jogging shoes are not really much good but I'm aware that there are trainers that are supposed to feel like walking on air. Is this a simple case of the deeper/thicker the heel and sole the better, or is there more to it? I'm prepared to spend a decent sum on trainers that will let me walk hours. The choice of trainers is a bit overwhelming and I feel that the price often reflects a certain fashion rather than the comfort.

Yes, there is a lot of fashion in the market for trainers. This has driven a somewhat bewildering number of varieties.

I used to use the Nike Air range of trainers. Underneath your foot there would be several spaces of "air" which were sealed regions in which a pressurised gel had been inserted. These were very comfortable and it did feel a bit like walking on air, although it was more like a soft yielding surface. The problem was that these regions could puncture; things which would make a dent or cut into a normal trainer had a good chance of puncturing the seal and allowing the gel to escape.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nike_Air_Max

Nowadays I use Skechers "Air" range". These have a similar "air space" which contains a lot of rubber shock absorbers. They also have a "memory foam" insole which forms to the shape of your feet. I find these shoes to be very comfortable. The memory foam insoles can take a bit of getting used to - when I get a new pair it usually takes an hour or two of walking for them to become extremely comfortable. When these shoes puncture it isn't as noticeable as with the Nikes.

I have one pair of Skechers which has a big puncture in one of the trainers. It doesn't affect my walking (because the air gap is still filled with shock absorbers) but it does make a squeak every time I put that foot down (I don't notice the squeak as I'm wearing headphones and an MP3 player when I walk in them!).

I have gout/arthritis in my left big toe and I don't notice it when I'm walking in my Skechers, whereas conventional shoes are somewhat painful to walk in nowadays.

Thanks for the advice. I'll go and try a few pairs. The most important for me is the cushioning.

Steve