Page 20 - Fall 2020 CMTA Report

Sole-Searching: Finding Shoes to Fit Your

Feet and Personality

BY BETH DELORIA The good news is that more To address these issues and
stylish, orthotic-friendly shoes and restore proper alignment and gait,
id you know that shoes can boots are available today than ever the next two pieces of the puz-
reveal someone’s traits or char- before. The key to finding your zle—the orthotic insert and the
Dacteristics? A 2012 study perfect shoe is to first understand AFO—are critical. When properly
showed that 90 percent of a per- how footwear fits into a four-part designed and paired, customized
son’s personality is reflected in his puzzle: inserts and AFOs can offer many
or her choice of footwear. For long-term benefits: pain allevia-
those of us who need shoes that tion, fall-prevention, better ankle
accommodate ankle-foot-orthoses stability, improved proprioception
(AFOs), what do our shoes say and balance, higher energy levels,
about our personalities? Are our decreased rates of muscle atrophy,
personalities altered by our diag- increased confidence and better
noses? Is this reflected in our shoes? overall quality of life.
Of course not! We are not However, even a perfect
defined by our injuries or condi- insert-AFO combination is incom-
tions even though we may feel Each of the above compo- plete without the fourth and final
confined by them at times. This is nents is totally interdependent. piece—the shoe. The characteris-
why one of the most common The first piece represents your foot tics and design of the shoe will
complaints from AFO-wearers is and its unique characteristics. For determine what benefits the
not being able to wear the shoes of CMTers, these may include high orthotic devices provide, and the
our choice; we want the same style arches, toe curl, ankle instability same care should be taken when
options as everyone else. and foot drop. selecting and customizing your

20 THE CMTA REPORT FALL 2020