As unglamorous as it sounds (and is), I have some foot problems. Sometimes I feel fine, but other times, I can’t jam my foot into heels, which means a lot of footwear can go unused, collecting dust on the shelf. Exercises and physical therapy help, however my plantar fascia has begun to hate me lately, causing heel issues and limited mobility and tenderness in that area. Finding a stylish solution to wear on most days has been a challenge, and pardon the term, but the only options I tend to come across are “fugly mom shoes.”
Through the Dr. Andew Weil Intergrative Footwear brand, I’ve actually overcome this anxiety-inducing situation with the Chelsea Casual Flat, a great style that I got to test (courtesy of the brand), which not only bears the American Podiatric Medical Association’s seal of approval, but also possesses a podiatrist-designed, biomechanical tri-planar motion control footbed which has a built in Orthaheel® orthotic and a significantly raised heel cup to stabilize, support, and naturally realign the feet back to where they should be.
The shoes, which need to be gradually introduced over the course of a few hours before working up to a full day of wear, make such a tremendous difference that I don’t know if I will ever be able to go back to flimsy ballet flats ever again! Dr. Weil, an advocate for integrative medicine and a healing-oriented approach to health care recommends this licensed product, in which some revenue from the sale of the footwear go toward the Weil Foundation, which in turn, gives funds to medical centers and other non-profit organizations nationwide.
Honestly, these are the nicest looking pair of footwear I’ve seen in the category, and are versatile enough for both wearing to work and running errands or to brunch on the weekend. If you’ve got foot problems, it’s always better to address them sooner than later, and to make sure you have footwear that helps, and not hinders, your progress.
