It's Almost August...Do You Know Where Your Sensible Shoes Are?

At this time of year, I find it almost impossible not to obsess about my classroom and the new school year to come.

While I look forward to bright, shiny school supplies, textbooks and my new students, I do NOT look forward to being on my feet all day again.

In my school, as in many schools, the flooring sits on a cement pad. It was built for cost effectiveness and made to last but not for comfort. And while I can take my feet for granted most of the time, in the fall of the year my feet do not afford me that luxury.

Several years ago, I developed plantar fasciitis. After limping around for a bit upon waking each morning, I would feel optomistic enough to put on cute shoes that matched my outfit while still being realistic enough to put my tennis shoes into my bag in case I needed them.  And each day after the walk from the parking lot to my classroom, I would give up and change into my tennis shoes as my feet were already protesting.

I took many measures to get my feet healthy again, but the one thing I would recommend to any teacher or other professional who spends hours on his/her feet is to stop buying cheap shoes. For me, it clearly was time to go for quality over quantity.

Of course, everyone has to find what works for them.  Here are recommendations based on my experience: Clarks, Naturalizer, Aerosoles and Born. I have also had good luck with Skechers.

If you can't find these brands near you, Zappos.com carries them.  I love their free, fast delivery and free returns, also.

Here's a versatile choice for the upcoming school year:
https://www.zappos.com/p/clarks-flores-poppy-black-combo/product/8892165/color/181562

In her April 25, 2019, article for SmarterTravel, Caroline Morse Teel consulted a doctor for advice about selecting shoes:
"Dr. Priya Parhasarathy tells travelers to look for the following when shoe shopping:
The shoe should not be able to fold completely in half.
You should have some flexibility in the toes but you should not be able to have the front of the shoe touch the back of the shoe.
It should also have a firm heel cup and should not collapse when you squeeze it.
A bonus is a removable arch support which will allow you to slide your orthotics or additional arch in if needed."

The rest of the article can be found at: https://www.smartertravel.com/shoes-that-are-good-for-your-feet/.