Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Must Fit Flat Feet


When I started suffering (quite badly) from aching knees a couple of years back, I went to see an orthopaedic surgeon about it. The nice man told me it was due to the irreparable damage done to my knees from the misalignment of my ankles, knees and hips due to my flatter-than-flat feet.

Yes, my feet are so flat, they make a curious bell-shaped footprint in the sand. I have painful bunions, zero arch, and my ankles collapse so that my knees are pushed outwards and my hip joints, inwards. If I don't do something, I can look forward to being grotesquely bow-legged, and not quite mobile, in my twilight years.

To operate would be a waste of time and money because I am a naturally super-flexible person, and if I were to have corrective surgery, my feet would just flex to a flat again. The only way is to provide constant support to the bed of my feet and try as much as possible to keep the ankles, knees and hips aligned. Basically, what I needed to do was wear Birkies 24/7, in and outdoors. I was to only remove them when I go for a swim or take a shower. ;S

Since then, I have been religious about my indoor and outdoor Birkies. But right now the knees are acting up again. And for the life of me, I cannot figure out what it might be. I am sure it's not because of the live-in help leaving, 'coz I haven't been zealous about keeping clean. The only thing I can think of is the fact that I got rid of my old Birkies and got new ones.

Now the new ones are exactly the same brand and exactly the same size. (I'd be silly to stray.) But I'm thinking I might still have to wear them in a bit, after reading a rather serious message at the Birkie website on what to do when you bring your Birkie home (!). I say "serious" because it has quite specific instructions like "don't wear your new Birkies for more than a few hours for the first 5 or 6 times." I got my new Birkies on Thursday, and was in them whole of Friday, and the entire weekend. "Uh-oh" is a veritable understatement.

And with that, I anticipate my new Birkies to last me another few happy years like the last one did. Once my flat feet get used to them.


(pic via birkenstock)

4 comments:

  1. Love Birks! I have pretty flat feet too! I feel your pain, Pearl!

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  2. Ah, Emily, my fellow-flat-footer! You must take good care of those feet of yours, so that they serve you long and well. Pain is NEVER a good sign... ;)

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  3. They came out with high heels finally! Stella McCartney designed them, but the cost is terrible - $600!!!!

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  4. i quite like birkies, i've never owned a pair myself, but i always try them on at shops :) everytime i buy shoes i have to take the lab into consideration, therefore most of my new shoes now are all closed-toe *sigh* i hope your knee will get better soon, breaking in a pair of new shoes is never fun (i'm too impatient, but then suffer later. haiyah, never learn one).

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