The shoe review

From high heels to low flats, local podiatrists analyze our favorite footwear

~Furry boots

How they affect your feet:

"They're very comfortable and warm, but there's not much support in them," says Dr. Hugh Protzel, podiatrist at Foot and Ankle Centers of Southeast Missouri. Wearing these popular boots may lead to heel pain, foot aches and arch pain, especially if you have flat feet. "I wouldn¹t go for a long walk in them," says Protzel. As for the furry lining, doctors don't see any relationship between the material and foot fungus. "If someone already has a problem with excessive foot sweating, they could have a problem with foot fungus. But for the average person, there shouldn't be any kind of issue," says Dr. Robert Daugherty of Advance Foot & Ankle Center.

How to find a good pair:

You may want to get a prescription insert for added support, says Protzel.

---

~Flip flops

How they affect your feet:

Flip flops are a good way to protect your feet when you're hanging out at the pool, says Protzel, but if you plan on going for any length of walk, they offer no support. "They don't allow for the proper gait cycle your foot should go thorough with each step," he adds. Protzel's flip flop-wearing patients have problems with heel pain and tendinitis.

How to find a good pair:

Look for sturdier sandals. Protzel says Birkenstocks offer very good support.

---

~Stilettos

How they affect your feet:

"The visual, aesthetic things going on are nice, but functionally, they are potentially deforming," says Dr. Zenon Duda, podiatrist at Cape Foot Clinic. Stilettos alter the way the head and shoulders sit, increase the arch in the back, relax the calf muscles and cause the chest to protrude. As a result, you place excessive pressure on the balls of the feet, take unnaturally short steps, and struggle to maintain stability. With long-term wear, you're likely to see hammertoes, bunions, corns and red spots. Pointy-toed heels will eventually mold your feet into a triangular shape.

How to find a good pair:

If you must wear stilettos, look for a pair made of soft leather and with not many stitches -- these will be more flexible and protective than heels made of man-made materials. Duda suggests wearing them in short bursts, with time in between for the feet to breathe and stretch.

---

~Kitten heels

How they affect your feet:

The heel changes your body line, but on a smaller scale than a high heel. "They're a little bit safer because they don't have the drastic changes in pressure like a stiletto heel," says Duda. Short heels are safer because the sole of the shoe absorbs more of the shock, he explains. Still, if you're going to be on your feet for a long time, it's important to look for a comfortable, supportive and breathable shoe.

How to find a good pair:

Look for shoes made of soft leather and a thick sole. "Really thin leather stretches a bit more when you put the shoe on," says Duda. "An added benefit is that the leather will absorb some of the moisture and conform to the shape of the foot. Having a little bit of slack will make the shoe more comfortable. Firm leather with a lot of stitching makes the upper part of the shoe less pliable, and more likely to rub across the toes and create problems."

---

~Flats

How they affect your feet:

"Most don't have any cushion or support, but then again, they don't cause any problems because they're nice and wide and are often made of soft leather," says Dr. James Main, podiatrist in Cape Girardeau. "Other than if you have a problem where you need cushion or additional support, these are probably not too bad. They're better than heels or pointy shoes." Daugherty thinks most women without foot problems can get by wearing flats, but he worries about the long-term effects. "If you wear them excessively over time, you might wind up with some problems. They have no support, especially for the arches, and people that stand a lot with their jobs will probably have some pain," he says.

How to find a good pair:

Look for flats with enough room for an insert -- that way, you at least have some type of arch support, says Daugherty.

---

~Wedges

How they affect your feet:

"They're a good way to hurt your ankles," says Main. "Anytime you wear a heel, you shift your body weight forward to the front of the foot, and you're inherently unstable." Like heels, wedges place more weight on the front part of the foot, which can cause knee and lower back problems, says Main. Wedges usually have no support on the sides, making it easier to lose balance and topple over. "On a wedge, the weight is at least spread out over the heel," he concedes.

How to find a good pair:

"A woman should go with the very lowest heel height that she can go with. The lower the better," says Main. Many wedges have a rubberized or corklike bottom, which Main believes may add more support than a hard material.

---

Walk off the weight

~Is the fitness shoe fad for real?

The commercials say you can lose weight and tone your muscles just by

wearing a pair of Skechers Shape-Ups or Reebok EasyTone shoes -- but is it

really that simple? Podiatrists say no. In fact, these fitness shoes may do

more harm than good.

"When you take a step, you're supposed to hit the back outside of the heel

first. With these things, you miss that whole 30 percent of the heel-strike

gait cycle because you go straight to the middle of the foot, and that's not

good," says Dr. Hugh Protzel of the Foot and Ankle Centers of Southeast

Missouri. The knee is supposed to rotate in a few degrees with each step, he

adds, but these shoes prevent that from happening.

The shape of fitness shoes may lead to tendinitis, Achilles tendon strains,

and knee and back pain. Even more, Cape Girardeau podiatrist Dr. James Main

says that, like heels and wedges, the side-to-side stability of these shoes

is not ideal.

"I think that the biggest reason people get benefit out of them is that when

they buy walking shoes, they actually use them. Instead of sitting on their

butt, they go out walking," says Main. "Biomechanically, they don't pan

out."