Birkenstock

Tulip • Sep 18, 2010 12:13 am
Anyone worn Birkenstock sandals or clogs? Anyone with foot pain wearing Birkenstock sandals or clogs? If so, how does it feel? Checking before getting one. I'm getting constant foot pain so I need something to alleviate the pain before the problem gets serious and I'd have to go to a doctor. Ugh!
monster • Sep 18, 2010 12:36 am
Go to the doctor first. Get a PT/podiatrist to look at your feet and tell you what you need.

That said, Dr Scholl's gel insole range seem to solve most problems. Birks are for hippies.

Exactly how are your feet hurting?
Aliantha • Sep 18, 2010 1:25 am
Bikenstocks are very fashionable over here these days, so pretty much everyone wears them (except me because I am not fashionable), but my cousins swear they're very comfortable.

That being said, monster is right. Go see a podiatrist. I had a problem with a tendon in my ankle, and basically what I needed to do was stop wearing slip on shoes and wear well fitted cross trainers for a few months. That more or less solved my problem. I didn't even need to get orthotics (sp?) in the end.
zippyt • Sep 18, 2010 1:55 am
Arch Support is KEY !!!

And are your Big toe and Second toe separated ??
and if so By How Much ???

Strange Questions from me BUT ,,,
I was in The Marines , we used to do 20-30 miles in our Black Cadillac's(our Boots ), with Many Lbs in Packs
And I work on My feet Every Day , Not Just standing around , eather !!

You have Metatarsal( yer Toe bones) Arches as well as the Arch you see from yer Big toe to yer heel ,
These NEED to be supported as well .

as we age ( and grow in weight ) there is More Pressure on these joints ,
thus less Spring in our steps

This I Have learned the HARD way !!
Shin Splint splints SUCK !!!

So DO Sore feetz after a HARD day !!!
Griff • Sep 18, 2010 8:16 am
My Berkies are holy crap... like two decades old...

Speaking of dirty hippies, I had a rare sighting of a mating pair outside PetsMart last night.
Cloud • Sep 18, 2010 11:28 am
Birks are for hippies? yes they are. They are also great for my 6EEE feet. I own about 10 pair, and have worn my birkies daily for over 30 years.

But don't consider them a "fix" for all foot problems, so if you need to see a doctor, you should go.
wolf • Sep 18, 2010 12:18 pm
I love my Birkenstocks, have a couple pairs of sandals and a couple of the clogs. They are the best darn shoes I own. I wish I could wear the sandals at work, but I won't wear open-toed shoes there. I get stepped on and peed at too much.
jimhelm • Sep 18, 2010 12:42 pm
I wear Birkenstocks all summer. is very good, yes, isn't it?
Flint • Sep 18, 2010 1:36 pm
I think Birks are more comfortable than bare feet. But I wouldn't recommend them to replace care by a physician.
monster • Sep 18, 2010 6:17 pm
Cloud;683210 wrote:
Birks are for hippies? yes they are.


I never said that was a bad thing......
Cloud • Sep 18, 2010 6:35 pm
I know--it's just the truth. I'm proud of my hippie roots. and my duck feet. and my birks!
Flint • Sep 18, 2010 8:41 pm
You are rockin' those EEE Birks, dear. Fly your freak flag high!
Cloud • Sep 18, 2010 9:46 pm
thanks. I always do!
monster • Sep 18, 2010 10:17 pm
I have my ears pierced three times and never wear matching sets of earrings (I rarely wear earrings, but when I do, it's unusual if two are the same and if they are, they're probably in the same ear....) But somehow it bothers me that your tats aren't matched/balanced :lol: I like 'em, but it bothers me. Come to think of it, my earings are always "balanced" in terms of weight, length, just not matched. How did I get to be so OCD about body art and yet such a slob in the housework field?
Clodfobble • Sep 18, 2010 10:36 pm
I would just like to state for the record that I have never, ever understood how people find those God-forsaken shoes comfortable. They say you have to "break them in" first, but I tried wearing them for a month and it never happened. Like walking on two pieces of plywood.
Cloud • Sep 18, 2010 11:05 pm
many modded people favor either symmetry, or asymmetry (one or the other). I'm not too bothered by not "matching" -- and besides, they both match in theme. I have eyes on both my feet to see my way clearly.

Ms. Clod: I have a very low tolerance for uncomfortable shoes, which is pretty unfortunate since I have hard to fit feet. It's true that you do have to break Birkenstocks in for a couple of months. The edges need to curl up a bit, and the footbed eventually conforms to your feet. But given that properly cared for Birks will last ten years or something, it's certainly worth it to have comfortable, breathable footwear.
Clodfobble • Sep 18, 2010 11:12 pm
Pah! My properly cared-for Doc Martens are comfortable, breathable, and have already lasted 12 years. Me and my angsty punkrock friends will just be over here in the corner, glowering at you dirty hippies and your open-toed free love.
Cloud • Sep 18, 2010 11:17 pm
my feet may be calloused, but they rarely stink. they are freeeee to breathe!
Flint • Sep 18, 2010 11:57 pm
Birks need to break in, in exactly the same way that a pair of cowboy boots do. This is not an unusual concept.

Docs are great, too. Had a pair of Docs while I was doing construction work a decade ago, and they were a dream.
DucksNuts • Sep 19, 2010 4:55 am
Clodfobble;683307 wrote:
I would just like to state for the record that I have never, ever understood how people find those God-forsaken shoes comfortable. They say you have to "break them in" first, but I tried wearing them for a month and it never happened. Like walking on two pieces of plywood.


Agreed.

I love my Fitflops!! They are the only flats I wear.

4" heels are my every day shoes.
Trilby • Sep 19, 2010 6:51 am
Clodfobble;683312 wrote:
Pah!... Me and my angsty punkrock friends will just be over here in the corner, glowering at you dirty hippies and your open-toed free love.


Heeee!
monster • Sep 19, 2010 9:49 am
I just wear my black boys' sandals (:eek:). Ducks, I got a new pair, this year, though!
nowhereman • Sep 19, 2010 9:55 am
My wife swears by her Birks... I bought a pair of their shoes - worst things I ever bought. Uncomfortable things.
Trilby • Sep 19, 2010 10:08 am
nowhereman;683369 wrote:
... I bought a pair of their shoes - worst things I ever bought. Uncomfortable things.


it helps if, while you wear them, you are simultaneously tripping on acid and grooving to Me & My Uncle by the Dead.
Cloud • Sep 19, 2010 10:19 am
(sigh). I haven't done acid in 30 years, and I rarely listen to my Dead albums anymore. The memories are enough.

What does help is wearing them for a few hours a day for a month or so. And apply the cork sealant so it doesn't dry out.

Monster: what are black boys' sandals?
wolf • Sep 19, 2010 12:24 pm
I think she means that she wears boy's sandals that are in the color black rather than having mugged an African American Child for his summer footwear.
Cloud • Sep 19, 2010 1:13 pm
ah. I was just wondering if it was a brand name or something. duh.
monster • Sep 19, 2010 8:39 pm
:D
Juniper • Sep 20, 2010 2:14 am
Tevas. I love my Tevas.
DucksNuts • Sep 20, 2010 4:32 am
monster;683368 wrote:
I just wear my black boys' sandals (:eek:). Ducks, I got a new pair, this year, though!


Monster, I cringe when I see your sandals!!
fargon • Sep 20, 2010 7:17 am
My Birkies are my dress up wear for Spring, summer, and fall. The time I am not dressed or I wear some nasty old leather flip-flops.
I love my Birkenstock sandals.
monster • Sep 20, 2010 9:49 am
:lol: first chuckle of the week, thanks, ducks. Actually, this summer I was mostly sporting purple jewelled flip flops. I'm wearing them right now, even. They're a little grubby, though :eek:
jinx • Sep 20, 2010 10:19 am
I can't wear Birks anymore, they are too wide, I end up kicking my left ankle and bruising it all up. Basic leather flip flops for me or Keens.
Pete Zicato • Sep 20, 2010 10:29 am
I wear Birks, but only in the winter. :crazy:

Chicago can be a mess pretty much of the winter, so I wear heavy shoes or boots for the commute. But the office is often overheated, so my feet'll sweat. So I switch to Birks when I get to the office.
glatt • Sep 20, 2010 10:48 am
I have a pair of Birks I haven't worn in years. They are comfortable enough, but nothing special. They look kinda ugly, and they feel clunky on my feet. They are so big. When I bought them, the dirty hippy sales guy said I could use a hammer to help break them in if a particular spot was uncomfortable. Seemed silly, So I didn't do it.

Now in the summer, I wear Tevas or usually just flip flops. When I walk to work I wear sneakers and switch to shoes at work. I don''t want anyone stepping on my toes on the crowded Metro.

My Tevas are as comfortable as the Birks ever were.
TheMercenary • Sep 20, 2010 10:50 am
jinx;683491 wrote:
I can't wear Birks anymore, they are too wide, I end up kicking my left ankle and bruising it all up. Basic leather flip flops for me or Keens.


Keens are absolutely the best shoe to come out as of late, I am on my fourth pair. When they go on sale I buy an extra to last when they stop making them or we have global warming on a larger scale.
wolf • Sep 20, 2010 1:55 pm
Juniper;683442 wrote:
Tevas. I love my Tevas.


I've never gotten blisters from my Birkies.

(although I must admit that under ordinary circumstances, the Tevas are just darn dandy, it was under very extreme conditions (DisneyWorld) that I had a problem with the Tevas.)
Pico and ME • Sep 20, 2010 2:28 pm
Oh God, blisters at Disney World are awful! I got them on my first day from a new pair of Sketcher sandals. My feet are still scarred.
monster • Sep 20, 2010 2:35 pm
Did you get one large blister with two small blisters either side?
Pico and ME • Sep 20, 2010 2:48 pm
The sandals had a loop on either side that held a stretchy strap that lay more toward the top of my foot. Its those loops that caused the blisters - on both sides of my feet. I had to change to socks and gym shoes when I got back to my room. I should have just worn those to start with, but it was effing HOT...like in the 100's, practically. I did wear the sandals for a few days at home to test them out and they were fine then, but high-tailing it around the Magic Kingdom to catch ride openings and fast passes got the better of me.
Cloud • Sep 20, 2010 4:48 pm
I wish I could wear Tevas or Keens, or most "pretty: shoes, for that matter. Not wide enough.
Juniper • Sep 20, 2010 5:04 pm
I wore my Teva sandals all over Universal Studios in August, and they were just awesome. 'Course, they were already broke in; I'd had them about a year. I love, love love 'em.

These. :D

Image
Tulip • Sep 22, 2010 12:04 pm
Gosh, I had a busy weekend and before I know it, it's Wednesday! Time sure flies.

zippyt;683146 wrote:
Arch Support is KEY !!!

And are your Big toe and Second toe separated ??
and if so By How Much ???
Big toe and second toe separted? There is a small space between them as if permanently wedged from wearing flip flops often.

Flint;683245 wrote:
I think Birks are more comfortable than bare feet. But I wouldn't recommend them to replace care by a physician.
I know a number of you recommended going to the doctor but I am trying to avoid going to one. :D I know it's best going to one and I am not trying to replace a pair of comfortable footwear to a care of a doc. I'm trying to prevent the pain from being severe so that I would definitely NEED to go to one. Ever since I stopped jogging and started wearing my mom's crocs in the home (one size too big for my feet), I've had much less pain. I know the importance of a doctor's care just that I'm paying for my mom's dental work at the moment. :p: My friend podiatrist's recommended Birkenstock, so I was just wondering if I should wear one now so I won't have to visit one in the future.

Thanks for everyone's input! Now I have more brands I can check out for comfortable footwear. :) Btw, I like crocs and Born. Oh well, I guess I have to lay off those high heels. :neutral:
monster • Sep 22, 2010 12:12 pm
If you don't know what problem you are trying to fix, you could make it worse rather than better. And more expensive. Save your money, don't buy new shoes, see a doc. In my experience (far too much to be proud of), most PTs and podiatrists recommend well fitted, supportive, ugly sneakers anyway.
Tulip • Sep 22, 2010 7:41 pm
Hehe...thanks. I'll check out a podiatrist's fees and maybe I'll go in a couple of months when I stop paying when I can rest paying for a couple of months before the next payment comes again. :rolleyes: I am not buying new shoes just yet, just entertaining the idea. Well, as long as I don't jog or walk or stand too much the problem won't escalate quickly.
monster • Sep 22, 2010 8:03 pm
Is your pain worse in the morning?
HungLikeJesus • Sep 22, 2010 10:37 pm
Can you borrow a walker?
Tulip • Sep 23, 2010 12:59 pm
monster;684250 wrote:
Is your pain worse in the morning?
Yeah and after sitting for a while. But now that I've stopped jogging and wear Crocs in the home, the pain is not bad, not sharp like before.

HungLikeJesus;684277 wrote:
Can you borrow a walker?
Ha! You're funny. And to answer your question, no because all the old folks around me are using theirs. :p:
monster • Sep 23, 2010 1:19 pm
Gel insoles. Try them. This is what beest had, I think. Pretty sure we've discussed it here before

Plantar Fasciitis
Clodfobble • Sep 23, 2010 11:57 pm
Tulip wrote:
And to answer your question, no because all the old folks around me are using theirs.


Wow, your feet must be really bad off, if you can't even knock down an old lady to take her walker...
monster • Sep 24, 2010 8:04 am
:lol:
Tulip • Sep 26, 2010 1:18 am
Clodfobble;684584 wrote:
Wow, your feet must be really bad off, if you can't even knock down an old lady to take her walker...
Hahahahahah....well, now that you showed me what to do....(is there an evil smilie somewhere?)
xoxoxoBruce • Sep 26, 2010 2:04 am
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