AIBU to think birkenstocks could be damaging my feet?

[NickECave]

Well not this summer as I'm still in my boots but in a normal summer I'd be mostly wearing birkenstock type sandals from May onwards. However, last summer I started noticing that the tendons in my arches and top of my feet start aching after a while. Now a friend of mine who's from New Zealand told me that her mum and aunt both have arthritis in the balls of their feet after many years of wearing this type of sandal. Does anyone else find their feet get sore after a day walking around in this type of sandal and anyone developed longer term foot problems?

When i was pregnant i loved them, thought they were great but, i put any on now they ache so much after a while.

must be something in it MIL thinks so too

I personally don't find them comfortable

I think it's a combination of:

• the moulded shape of the bed of the shoe - my foot doesn't seem to "fit" it
• the sole being completely inflexible
• I feel I have to "claw" my toes to keep them on

So, yes, it wouldn't surprise me if they gave you problems

I also realise that this opinion could lead me to being drummed off MN :o

Are they like flip flops (ie insecure on your feet?)

Wearing flipflops can cause hammer toes, as your toes curl down to try and grip. The same applies to any footwear that is not secure on your feet.

I can't wear them for this reason. So disappointing as friends kept telling me how comfortable they were. I don't find flat shoes comfortable anyway - too
much pressure on the calves.

Yes ItsAll. But with an inflexible sole which exacerbates that problem imo

I'm glad this has come up as mine made my feet hurt last summer. I've got a pair of the ones with the very thin strap with a buckle over the toes and nothing else. QVC.

They're fine for everyday stuff, and i'll wear them again WHEN it stops raining this year. i wore them alot out in Egypt last year and my feet started really hurting. I was

Cheapy flip flops saved the day

And they come up so big! I'm a five/six in normal shoes, but my four and a half Berkies are on the big side tbh.

Hurrah we'll all be drummed off together!! :o

Yep - the balls of my feet ached like hell after wearing them. I gave them to a charity shop.

agree the keeping them on is part of the problem with them, with flexible flip flops its nowhere near as bad its the fact that they have no bend at all, there so nice to slip your foot in when its hot and there cold though, like a foot cuddle

a foot cuddle ?, ill just go and sit in the corner on my own. nobody talk to me ive embarrassed myself

I have Plantar Faciitis and my GP told me Birkies were the best thing to wear on my feet.

Horses for courses I suppose

Shiney I've had that too and it blummin hurts :(

You are all wrong!

I can't wait for the summer months to get my feet into a nice pair of Birkenstocks. Have been wearing them for about 12 years now and absolutely no foot problems.

(Realises that the idea of wearing one type of shoe for 12 years will horrify the S&B MNers!...)

They've all been different styles and colours, so please don't shoot me!

I'm with shinyshoes, they are the only thing that works for Plantar

Don't like the look of them, massive on my tiny feet, but they really help my feet, help keep the arch up and my foot in the correct position.

Yes they hurt my feet too and I was rather dissapointed. That saying I still have the pair I bought about five years ago and get them out every summer incase they no longer hurt.

ahh i don't have this at all with my birkenstocks BUT i always go for a style with a strap higher up.

i don't like the ones with just one bit across the toes because, like you say, you have to grip them on the whole time.

i have ones like this which stay on the foot a lot better.
they're the only thing that doesn't make my feet hurt.

completely flat shoes and normal flip flops are the worst thing for plantar fasciitis. Shaper type sandals like fitflops or like the ones I got in Asda are the best, along with mbt style trainers for the spring and autumn and fitflop boots for winter.

I agree thismum. When I had it bad, flat shoes were the worst and bare feet just awful

I am pretty sure wearing Birkies gave me Plantar fasciitis but then i did used to do the school walk in them. now i just wear them in the house instead of slippers.

I don't know about comfort but they LOOK hideous. I'd chuck them out on that basis alone.

I'd never heard of Plantar fasciitis before - just googled it and I think I had it when I was a teenager and wore nothing except Doc Martins for nearly 3 years. I guess the way to go is to vary your footwear. That's one in the eye for dh who has 4 pairs of shoes and boots to his name and thinks it hilarious that a woman might need more than that!

It's sometimes known as Policeman's heel

Mine seems to have gone away for the moment

I love those descriptions.

'Policeman's Heel'

'Tennis (Player's) Elbow'

'Housemaid's Knee'

'Baker's Eyebrow'

There must be new ones coming on the scene these days though.

'Cold Caller's Eardrum'

'Spreadsheeter's Finger'

etc.