Guest guest Posted October 17, 2006 Report Share Posted October 17, 2006 Karon, Are these shoes stiff or heavy? I find that I cannot wear a lot of shoes. Even New Balance are heavy for me and my legs tire from lifting. I have been wearing Merrells and they have been good. I wear them with my AFOs for the foot drop. Jackie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 17, 2006 Report Share Posted October 17, 2006 Karon, hi, I tried these on about a month ago - just walking around the store was horrible. I hated the 'rocking' motion. The shoes offer: Class 1 EU Medical Product Supports a natural walking gait Absorbs shocks to feet, knees and the back Equalises unnatural motions and postures Increases blood circulation in the feet and legs Eases pressure on the vertebral column Helps in the reduction of cellulite Improvement of oxygen inhalation Prevents vein problems & eases varicose veins Muscle toning of legs, buttocks and stomach Stretching of tendons Supporting the (Nordic) walking rhythm Increased core stability Strengenths the Pelvic floor muscles Improves posture and relieves pressure on the vertebral column Increases blood circulation in the feet and legs; improves respiration Activates the foot reflexology zones Helps with weight loss Muscle toning of legs, stomach and buttocks Increases core stability Activates neglected muscles Helps prevent injuries, especially to the ligaments and tendons Makes the muscles work harder and therefore burn more calories Increases calorie consumption * (watch out for this one!) Improves blood flow of the feet and legs Improved posture and body control Helps with relaxation through a combination of improved respiratory function and strengthening of the muscle control Finger pressure and activation of the foot reflexology zones I get all of the above from working out in the pool and Pilates, daily foot massage, as well as use of my custom orthotics in New Balance shoes with a S-1 last. The Chung Shi shoe did not appear to have the S-1 last. I'm glad they work for you, though. For that price, I had orthotics made that go in any shoes I have. I much prefer New Balance shoes because of rollbar technology, and in the cross-trainers, excellent lateral support. ~ Gretchen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 17, 2006 Report Share Posted October 17, 2006 Hi Jackie, I love Merrells, too and they have always been good for me. I wear the " Primos " and they, too, have a rocking action. My problem is that I love to walk and when I do in regular shoes (New Balance, Asics) I lean forward, causing strain on my lower back. My feet have really atrophied and don't work too well which is why I lean forward to rely more on my thighs. I was skeptical about Chung Shis and the MBTs but I went to a store called Foot Solutions here in San Diego, and they insisted I walk outside in them and around the store before buying them. They also properly fit the shoes. I actually bought a half size bigger than I normally do. I don't wear orthotics so, of course, allow room for that, if you can. As soon as I hit the hard surface outside, I caught my reflection in the store window and I was amazed at how straight I was standing. Never had I seen my posture look so " normal! " They are heavy when you hold them, but once they are on your feet, the rocking action does all of the work, as far as your feet are concerned. They do recommend that you break them in slowly, even though I have had no trouble. I loved them instantly! I am sure they have a website listing the stores where you can buy them. Just go and try them on. The MBTs are basically the same idea and cost the same. Neither are cheap. Karon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 18, 2006 Report Share Posted October 18, 2006 Gretchen, I don't wear orthotics so I suppose they could be a problem for some. I also have drop foot; therefore, the rolling action helps me tremendously. If these shoes do all of the mentioned things then that's great. But for me, just the rolling action enables me to walk completely upright and for that I am grateful. Unfortunately, I detest swimming or even getting into my pool here in So. California. I am ALWAYS cold! Sure wish menopause would arrive soon so maybe after experiencing those lovey hot flashes, I might be able to go into the pool! Karon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 19, 2006 Report Share Posted October 19, 2006 Hi Karon, Do you wear an AFO too with your shoes? Please let me know. Thanks Elaine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 19, 2006 Report Share Posted October 19, 2006 No, I don't wear AFOs. I was fitted for some but found that they only worked well in one pair of my tennis shoes. I might have to wear them one day but at least for now, I can get by without them. Karon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 20, 2006 Report Share Posted October 20, 2006 Hi Tonya, Read my previous postings (about four days ago) about my recent purchase of the Chung Shi shoes. I have a bad gait as the result of my feet and leg weakness, and as a result have damaged my lower back, too. These shoes (and MBTs, too) have a " rocking " action that enable me to walk " normally " . Now I do not walk leaning forwards, thus my back does not hurt. These shoes have corrected my posture instantly. As I am walking, I glance into a store window and see how straight my posture is when wearing these shoes! I do not wear AFOs or orthotics so I do not know how they work if you use these aids. They are pricey but so far I am in heaven with the results! Karon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 20, 2006 Report Share Posted October 20, 2006 Hi, I've started having problems with my lower back. I think that part of this is due to the uneven gait - my right side is significantly weaker than the left. Since these shoes are supposed to 'equalize unnatural motions and postures', I'm wondering if they might help with this. Has anyone else had a similar issue that was partially or completely resolved with shoes like these? Thanks, Tonya Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 21, 2006 Report Share Posted October 21, 2006 Thanks, Karon! I had overlooked your second posting where you talked about your back. I don't wear AFOs or braces. There are some days that just walking into work sends my back into spasms. The parking garage is about a block from the building I work in. I don't have a handicap (HC) parking permit yet - just can't quite bring myself to get one. But, even if I had one, there aren't any HC parking places near my building for employees. My back was really acting up a couple of weeks ago. So, I 'borrowed' my Mom's permit & parked in 2 hr HC parking close to my building, but not intended for City employees - received a parking ticket (just deserts for borrowing, maybe??). A friend told me that they couldn't ticket a car that displayed the HC permit in a HC parking place, so I started looking at City ordinances. The ordinance they cited on the ticket was for metered parking - I couldn't find any ordinance that addresses time limits on HC parking. On top of that, I discovered that the City is in violation of it's own ordinances. They have an employee parking lot right behind the building I work in that is used by the councilmen, department heads, etc. According to City ordinance, they should have at least 2 HC parking places in the lot - there aren't any at all. I'm trying to figure out who to talk to on this one. Dontcha just love the government? :oD Again, thank you for the info. There's a Foot Solutions here in OKC - I'm going to go in and see what happens.... Tonya Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 21, 2006 Report Share Posted October 21, 2006 Tonya, Try on both the Chung Shis and the MBTs. They will make you walk outside on a hard surface to see which works best for you. Good luck! Which type of CMT do you have? I don't have a confirmed diagnosis but my neuro is pretty sure I have CMT2. Overall, I do very well, but like you, I suffer from back and neck problems regularly. Good news is that I had a bone density test last week (now that I am 50) and the test showed I had bones of a 30 year old woman! That made my day! That's too bad about the parking situation there. Here is San Diego, the same thing exists. I think the meter maids work on commission! Karon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 21, 2006 Report Share Posted October 21, 2006 Hi Karon, LOL! Commission makes sense. I was in San Diego a couple of years ago for a training conference & loved it. I'm hoping I can come back some time for vacation and really explore. I went to Foot Solutions this morning. I tried on the Chung Shis, MBTs and a couple of other brands. I really liked the Chung Shis the best - the felt really solid and provided a lot of support for my heels. I walked around the back room (no carpet) for about 10 minutes without back pain! Yeah!!! It will take me a bit to get used to them though and will be interesting to see how they work out in the long run. I found out last week that the affected gene is Cx32. The doc said it was CMT 1, but everything that I've looked at said this gene is CMTX. I want to look a bit more before I go back and ask the doc again. It seems like in some cases I've seen CMTX referred to as CMT 1X, so maybe that's what he meant - just haven't found it listed like that since I found out which gene. I'm 39 and have two sisters, 36 & 27. I have what I consider to be a mild case. The 36 year old doesn't show any symptoms, but since this is X-linked she has it; 27 year old has pretty severe case. That's great news about your bone density test! Tonya Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 29, 2006 Report Share Posted November 29, 2006 Hi all, About a month ago, I bought the Chung Shi and just wanted to give you guys an update. I consider myself to have a pretty mild case of CMT - no AFOs, braces, orhtotics, etc. I've been having problems with my back for the past year or so - I would get ready for work and my back would hurt - sitting in the car was relief - walk 3/4 block into work, and my back would hurt. I couldn't stay on my feet for any length of time at all. My right side is weaker than the left - I think compensating for this when I walk is part of what is causing the back problems. The chung shis claim to equalize your gait, improve posture, etc. among other things, so I thought I'd try them. My back isn't 100% better, but I have seen significant improvement. I was able to stand pretty much all day when I was cooking Thanksgiving dinner. I can walk into work without pain. I've been able to get outside and get some stuff done in the yard. It's great! My old shoes had a flaired out base on the sole so I wasn't as likely to 'fall off my shoe' for no reason. The chung shis aren't quite as stable out in the yard where the ground is uneven. But to me, it's a good trade-off. Tonya Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 4, 2006 Report Share Posted December 4, 2006 Glad you like the Chung Shi shoes, Tonya. I, too, love them but they do take breaking in and getting used to. My posture looks so nice when I am wearing them which ultimately relieves my back pain. Karon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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