From Hurting to Happy: A Foot Story

THE PRELUDE: There was a time when I had a closet full of little shoes of all sorts. High heels, low heels, pointy and not so pointy toes, boots of various descriptions. Ah, those were the days. And those were my pre-pregnancy feet. I heard about all kinds of "things that won't be the same!" after pregnancy, but no one told me my feet would spread out like manifest destiny. It probably had something to do with carrying a child who was nearly thirteen pounds at birth (kids, don't try this at home!). For months I kept trying to fit my post-pregnancy feet into my cute little shoes, with no luck. Now I understand what Cinderella's evil stepsisters went through when the Prince kept trying to shove their dogs into that miniature glass slipper. I have big, wide feet now, and there's no turning back.

THE PROBLEM: It ain't easy finding a pair of shoes that are wide enough for my "duck feet." Most stores don't even carry wide shoes. If they do, they often aren't wide enough. And on top of that, they aren't supportive enough. Seems that the spreading out of my foot bones lends itself to nerve pinching and bone poking and other unpleasant stuff that calls for sturdy soles. The kind of shoe I can find is usually some kind of sport or walking contraption that is OK for forays to WalMart and dog walking but doesn't look too great with work clothes. What's a managerial girl to do?

THE SOLUTION: DANSKO! The Dansko professional clogs are my mainstay now, despite the price (somewhere around $100, usually) and the less than fashion forward style.

It took a bit of convincing to get me to buy these things. They look very 60s to my mind, and flower power isn't always the statement I want to be making at the office. But the range of colors, including staples such as black and brown, help to keep them inconspicuous if you are a bit on the conservative side, or conspicuous as all get out if you aren't. The toe box is wide, thank goodness, and the fit is loose overall, which takes some getting used to but is a nice change from the foot-pinching, metatarsal-mauling girlie shoe norm. The hard sole is also a shock, especially for people like me, who are used to thinking that a cushiony, flexible sole will stop the pain. For some that may be the case, but for me, the hard but supportive clog sole, with the "rocker" motion that your foot has to make while wearing it, was my ticket to pain-free walking. This kind of sole basically keeps your forefoot from bending, and that nips some forms of forefoot pain in the bud. In fact, when I broke down and went to a podiatrist in search of foot relief, he said the best thing to do was to keep wearing the Danskos I had just bought. Well, duh. Word to the wise: shoes cost less than doctors, and I got more practical advice and real relief from a lengthy visit to a high-end shoe store than I got from the foot doctor.

That being said, I really would rather NOT be wearing clogs with my professional clothing, but I can get away with it for all but the most dressy of occasions--and even then, there are some Dansko sandals that may pass muster. And despite the few snide remarks about Woodstock, I find that I get a lot of compliments on my clogs. Go figure!

I wear my Dansko clogs several times a week, for work and for errands. They seem to be impossible to wear out, which is something to keep in mind when considering the cost. The clog platform is also handy when there's a bit of rain outside, since it lifts my foot above the water, unlike most shoes.

Stylish shoes are fun, but not for me, and probably not for a whole lot of other people too. If you think you might benefit from Danskos, find a shoe store that sells them and be prepared to spend some time getting used to the fit. I do NOT recommend buying Danskos over the internet, at least not if you haven't worn them before. Each style fits differently, and each pair is also individually made and may feel slightly different than the next. When I buy Danskos I routinely try on several pairs of the same style to find the one that feels best.

HAPPILY EVER AFTER: If your feet aren't happy, the rest of you isn't going to be too happy either. For me, the time and money spent picking out the right pair of Danskos is a good investment.