Shoes!!!

Pull out the rumpled bits and use insoles.

My late MIL advised me years ago never to wear the same shoes 2 days in succession but to "rest" them to recover their shape (shoe trees are good) and to dry out as apparently we can sweat copiously through our feet!

When I was working and standing for most of the day, the skin on my feet got into a terrible state. No amount of cream and attention seemed to have much effect.

They were marginally better in the summer. Since retirement I spend any time indoors only wearing socks or tights on my feet, and in the summer going barefooted. I now have no problems with the skin and my toenails have improved!

Conclusion, feet need air! x

I go barefoot all summer too. I used to have really narrow feet, and had terrible trouble finding shoes to stay on. I now find I can wear regular width shoes. Yippee! A whole new world of choice has opened up for me. I wear leather shoes, Unusually shop for them in the sales, ascshoes are expensive commodities.

I usually shop for them in the sales. (Silly hudl)

I'm shocked at how expensive shoes have become. I used to always buy Clarks but they are really pricey now.

Ah, one of my favourite things and DH is also known in the family as Imelda due to his shoe collection! DH has pvd so it's very important to have well fitting shoes. As a family - including the dd's - we have found ourselves returning to good old Clarks as they are so comfortable. I also wear Skechers a lot of the time as I need something with cushioning to absorb impact. Skechers are predominantly trainers but they have some very nice non trainer-y looking slip on styles as well. My Ugg boots were a godsend in the winter but indoors I go barefoot all the time and have never had any foot/nail issues. For total comfort in summer have a look at Sanuk shoes/sandals.

I have some lambswool insoles Falconbird - they are really comfy and you could replace your crumpled ones with something like that.

I've also used this leather stretching spray from John Lewis - a pair of leather loafers that were uncomfortable and too tight are now like slippers.

My best ever sales buy was a pair of Mephisto walking shoes at half price which was still around £50. They lasted a long time, but not for ever and were the most comfortable footwear ever. I keep looking when the same shop has a sale, but no luck so far. My Hotter walking shoes are comfy, but not quite as good.

My feet give me gyp too! I have spent the last 2 months either barefoot or wearing thongs / flip flops and am now having to squeeze my tootsies back into proper shoes and boots suitable for the British climate. I have quite wide feet and always seem to suffer with rubbing at the back of the heel. I can't wait for summer proper to arrive when I will be back to bare feet again

My feet are so arthritic that any shoe is painful. In fact, my feet are painful all the time, even in bed.

Try looking at Sanuks, Galen. They were originally designed for beach/surf wear and are so light you hardly feel that you're wearing shoes. Not ideal for UK winters but perfect for cruising!

I love glamorous shoes but my feet have other ideas. I have bunions so my feet won't fit into nice shoes. I am OK with sandals and boots but I can forget anything else these days. I know I could have an operation but it doesn't seem worth it really.

Shoe shopping is the biggest dread for me. I have bunions on both feet which have seriously deformed them, so I'm restricted to buying extra wide fitting shoes. In addition, the movement inwards of the big toe on each foot has pushed the next toe upwards, so if a shoe is too shallow in that area, the toe gets rubbed and blistered.
I used to long for the summer so I could wear sandals, but even they have become difficult because of the raised second toes - many sandals have a front edge which is exactly where these raised toes are, again resulting in blisters!
And now, to cap it all, a podiatrist has said I need orthotics for dropped arches and other problems, which mean even less room in my shoes for those raised toes.
Remember those 'stick on soles' you could buy to do your own shoe repairs? I need them to stick directly onto my feet. It would be perfect! No uppers, but protection from stepping on sharp stones etc.

No-one's mentioned M and S Footgloves. You can get them in wide fitting and they are fairly reasonably priced. Fit-flops are good in the summer as they have those very thick soles. A physio recommended those to me and you can also buy Fit-flop clogs and boots. They are not cheap but they are leather and are long lasting.

I need an extra extra wide fitting shoe. I can't wear a slip on, I have to have strap across the top and round the back of the heel. Both my feet lean inwards which means I'm almost walking on the insides of my ankles. I walk as little as possible.

Galen it sounds as though you could wear triple E fitting from Hotter. I usually wear lace ups which are extremely comfortable but I have a couple of pairs which have straps across and they also fit well. I cannot wear sandals in any form so I have given up, preferring comfort to the latest style.

The problem with Hotter is that once on their database you are stuck- emails with the latest offers and very frequently booklets advertising their latest are sent.

Look them up on line and see if any take your fancy.

I get EEEE fitting from DB Shoes (online from www.widerfitshoes.co.uk ) They have fittings up to 8E, and they don't look like granny boats (well, some do, but some grannies like wearing boats)

They have lots of sales offers, i wait for those.

Hotter don't do many in EEE.

I used to love Hotter shoes but I think the leather is now really a lot stiffer than it was. Pavers on-line are quite good but the problem I have is that shoes can be fine for months and then suddenly turn on me and start hurting.

I have a pair of old faithfuls I bought in a Charity Shop. They are plain brown slip-ons but they are beginning to wear out.

I found about three pairs of EEE in the whole Hotter range, none of them ones that appealed, and I suspect they would still not have fitted. There are other sellers who claim that their sizes go up to astronomical widths, but turn out only to have one pair larger than an EE.

There is a widespread idea that all wide feet will fit into a "wide" fitting, so what are we complaining about? That is an E - a bit wider than average.

Clothes, underwear and tights are sold in sizes from emaciated to obese, but not shoes. For feet it is the bones which are larger, not the fat on top, so what have we done to be discriminated against.

Mine is a combination of ankle surgery and drugs which have caused the gross swelling. Ah well, I am getting by and thanks Elegran that is a helpful website.

Is there any provision from NHS orthotics for shoes for those of you with problem feet? I know my friend with the very prem baby had to get her first pair of walking shoes via the hospital as she was barely a size 1. Is there any help available for older people?