Can you help me find a brand of shoes for power walking that will not rub bloody sores on the back of my ankles?

I like the ProFoot inserts for Plantar Fasciitis. In my case, I have it bilaterally, and it is a chronic condition resulting from rheumatoid arthritis and exacerbated by being overweight. I bring the inserts with me when trying on new shoes. Try the inserts with your current shoes – the elevation of the heel might help where the shoe hits the back of your Achilles.

Also, there are anti-chafing balms and powders that runners use, as well as blister patches from Band-Aid and similar brands that might help.

I have gone minimalist and it works well for me. Do some reading on it and see what you think. A lot of it makes sense. In the meantime, can you put bandaids or tape the area that rubs???

Sounds like they are a little big in the heel. Either too long or too wide. If they are loose they move around and rub the area. However, if they are very stiff they can also be a problem. Are they hitting very high on the ankle? Coming up to hit where your leg hits your foot? Is that where your irritation is?

While I don’t have that I do this annoying callus on my foot since I was a child that hurts if I wear the wrong shoes. So since I walk everyday in adulthood my main goal has been to find the most comfortable pair of walking shoes and so far the ones I have now are by far the most comfortable. They are Nike’s but of course they are for women. But I have also found out by researching for my husband at one point that the mens have a great pair also so maybe @Hawaii_Jake you would prefer these?

I get New Balance Country Walkers from LL Bean and they work well for me. I cn fit my orthotics in them. The only things is they wear out very fast (I walk a lot) and I have to keep replacing them. What wears out are the soles and the heels.

Back when I was in climbing school, the teachers recommended that anyone having that trouble go buy some tampons, and place one against the area that is being calloused. It does work well.
Also, my wife strongly recommends New Balance shoes.

I have a pair of these and I absolutely love them. Hands down the most comfortable and form fitting shoe I have ever worn. It’s like gloves for your feet :P.

Since they fit so well there is no rubbage or anything so no blisters. They also cause you to pay more attention to how you’re walking and make you walk properly instead of thudding your heels against the ground like most people do. (yayyy no more shin splints)

Sounds like they just need to be broken in… Just where some mole skin on the back of your ankle for the time being.

Brooks running shoes are what I have bought for the last three pairs of walking/exercise shoes.

I use these plastic heel cups for plantar fasciitis. They are the perfect solution for my problem and were originally $3.00/pair at my doc’s office

Now I buy them online.

@JLeslie They are rubbing where my leg hits my foot.

@Hawaii_Jake I can usually tell right away if a shoe or sneaker is not going to work out in that place, because I can feel it hit there when I try it on. It doesn’t hurt right away, but I feel it. Maybe they will break in, but in my experience they don’t sneakers should be pretty comfortable from the start in my opinion. I wonder if you can exhange them?

@JLeslie Thank you. I ordered these from LL Bean, and they have a very gracious return policy.

I’ve just been out for my third walk in these shoes, and they made my ankle bleed again. They are hiking shoes, so I doubt there’s any chance of the rigid ankle portion softening.

I’m going to return them and look for some good orthotic insoles.

Maybe exchange them for the country walkers which are low shoes or are they low and just hit in the wrong place? I agree that Bean’s are wonderful about returns.

@Hawaii_Jake Before my Alaska trip last summer I tried to find waterproof sneakers for walking, because the chance of rain is so high there, and it was impossible for me to find a comfortable pair. They were so stiff.

Many people above suggested New Balance, and I do agree they are very good. If you actually go to a New Balance store they evaluate your foot, including how you lean on your foot, and give you the proper shoe to “balance” you. You might want to give it a try.

@janbb These are walkers, so they have a low ankle. They aren’t boots or even something mid-high.

@JLeslie I’m going to the mainland in about a month. I will look for a New Balance store there.

Try vibram five fingers !

I’m a Merrell fan. Their shoes aren’t cheap, but they are the most comfortable brand I’ve found. You can find them in many major department and sporting good stores. If you have the time, they are worth checking out.

I just want to point out to those suggesting minimalist shoes – like the Vibram five-fingers, that those shoes are bad for people with plantar fasciitis because they don’t provide the cushioning for the heels and I’m guessing the arch support isn’t so great.

My foot and ankle orthopedist gave me the soft silicone heel cups, as opposed to the firm cups Gail uses. Apparently there are different factors on whether soft or firm is better for a particular patient. They made walking less painful, but I didn’t feel that I was getting better. Once I incorporated inserts with arch support as well (like those I linked above), I started to notice improvement.

Since the shoes you have are low cut, the insert may position your foot so that your current shoes don’t rub. A new pair may not be necessary.

@hearkat: Re; heel cups. It is indeed trial and error. I tried the soft gel cups and found that they made no difference; the cheap plastic ones were miraculous. If I stop wearing them, the pf pain returns.

However, I do not put them into my serious walking shoes, since they are heavily cushioned. I have one pair of Merrill’s and another of Saucony’s.

I sold shoes for years. 3 things:
Proper fitting shoes
Athletic socks and proper lacing
New Balance brand shoes

I had a similar problem.
I went for a run with a friend of mine and half way through the run I could feel the bottom of my foot and my heel was hurting like crazy!
When I got home, I looked at my feet and I had massive blisters, which made me have a limp. I soaked them in warm salty water which helped a little bit, but then I had to result to popping it, which I hated doing!
It helped them a lot and after I drained the fluid out of them, I used a ‘Compeed’ plaster.
They are breathable and really helped heal the blister. I haven’t had the problem since but whenever I go out for a run I make sure that I’m wearing suitable socks, my shoes are tied tightly and I always take a plaster with me, just incase.

I think it depends on what you feel comfortable in and what you prefer in foot ware. If you go to a store and try on foot ware and see what you prefer then I think that will be your best option. See what shoes your friends/family use, ask to try them on and see what they’re like.

I hope you find something to help!