If you’ve ever suffered with plantar fasciitis I don’t need to tell you that when your feet hurt, life is pretty miserable. Several years ago I developed this painful condition. For close to a year I was in excruciating pain. I am allergic to anti-inflammatories but I tried all the other recommendations:
- ice
- rolling my foot on a tennis ball
- stretching my foot before getting out of bed
- expensive tennis shoes with special inserts
To no avail.
We usually walk all over the place when we visit New Orleans but we ended up taking a lot of cabs during the couple of visits we made while I was dealing with this.
Then I discovered the cure – Birkenstocks.
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links.
I had been a lifelong lover of going barefoot. My grandfather called me Barefoot Sally. As an adult I adopted shoes in public but still went barefoot at home most of the time. I generally wore Keds-type tennis shoes for casual wear which have no arch support, a terrible idea for someone with flat feet.
I bought my first pair of Birkenstocks while in California taking care of my uncle who had had surgery. I noticed a sale at a shoe store next door to the Trader Joe’s I always visit out there. I popped in on a whim, saw Birkenstocks on sale and bought a pair.
I was in California for about a week, wore the Birkenstocks the whole time, and at the end of that visit my foot was about 90% better. I couldn’t believe it! I continued to wear them and soon all traces of plantar fasciitis had disappeared.
Occasionally I would revert to my barefoot-in-the-house habit and start to feel twinges of pain again. Or I would wear other shoes in public several days in a row. Again…pain.
I’m a pretty fast learner, though. It was obvious that if I wanted to have pain-free feet I needed to stick with my Birkenstocks. And that’s what I’ve done now for several years. I have a nice pair of Clarks boots which are very comfortable that I wear in the winter and a pair of Clarks heels (mine are black) for church and dressy occasions. But as soon as I get home I put on my Birkenstocks.
I know many people think they are ugly. I used to think so, too, to be perfectly honest. But you know the saying, “pretty is as pretty does”? In my world that applies to my shoes. And the funny thing is, they are actually in vogue right now.
Celebrities Wearing Birkenstocks
How Birkenstock Stays in Vogue Without Selling Out
Why the Non-Fashion Shoe is Making a Comeback
Yes, Birkenstocks Are Still a Thing: The 12 Styles We Love Now
Are Birkenstocks In Style For Spring & Summer 2016?
You know what? I honestly don’t care. Sure, it’s nice to be on trend, or even ahead of the curve. However, I would wear them even if they NEVER were in style. Pain-free feet are worth whatever it takes to achieve. But I must admit a teeny bit of satisfaction when I see models and other celebrities embracing the Birkenstock.
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These are the two styles I currently own:
I’ve been told how great Birkenstock’s are but I just can’t get past the looks. Years ago I owned some Mephisto’s. They’re similar to Birkenstock’s but look more stylish to me – makes sense since it’s a French company. 😉 I don’t know why the looks don’t appeal to me – I wear Uggs all winter – certainly not the prettiest footwear out there. 😉
It’s probably an acquired taste. 😉
Thanks for writing this and sharing Dee. I’m a Podiatrist in my day job and heel pain is the biggest reason patients come to my clinic. I shall send them in the direction of your blog post about Birkenstocks next time. I wear (and love) them too.
How nice to hear that a podiatrist confirms my appreciation for Birkenstocks. Thanks for stopping by!
Hey, if they help with your foot pain, who cares what they look like!
I hate wearing shoes. I wear shoes to go out, and will sometimes wear slippers at home if it’s really cold (though I prefer to go with fluffy socks rather than slippers). But that’s about it. This is partially because I just prefer bare feet, and partially because I have a twist in my foot that means my foot’s most comfortable position is one that doesn’t lend itself well to being restrained by shoes.
If I hadn’t developed plantar fasciitis I’m sure I would still be going barefoot most of the time. I still have to remind myself not to do it too much, even in the house. Old habits die hard!
What kind of minimalist shoes do your kids wear or what do you recommend? We live in a colder area so closed in shoes are required 8 months out of the year.
That’s a good question. My kids are grown now so I’m out of the loop regarding kids shoes. A podiatrist also responded to this post so perhaps she’ll see this and have a suggestion. I do know that Birkenstock makes clogs and even some boots although I don’t know if they come in children’s sizes. I’ll keep my eyes open about this and if I find something I’ll let you know.