I’m sure the smart people in this group can figure out I’m R

I’m sure the smart people in this group can figure out I’m REPOSTING this article from Dr. Angela, and NOT claiming I wrote it myself. The Problem with Hokas One of the most common questions I get on YouTube and social media is: "Why don't you recommend HOKAs or Brooks like so many other foot specialists do?" Well, it isn't about the brand. It's about the features. Many of the popular "supportive" shoes share several characteristics that can change how your feet function over time: 👉 A tapered toe box that restricts your toes from spreading naturally. 👉 Thick cushioning and excessive support that can reduce the amount of work your foot muscles do. 👉 And perhaps most importantly... heel elevation. Most supportive shoes have a heel that's 5–8 mm higher than the forefoot, while some reach 10–12 mm. That might not sound like much, but it can have a surprising impact on your movement. Over time, a raised heel in footwear can: ➡️ Increase pressure on the ball of your foot, contributing to conditions like metatarsalgia or Morton's neuroma. ➡️ Keep your calves and Achilles tendon in a shortened position. ➡️ Limit ankle dorsiflexion, the ability of your knee to move over your foot while walking. That last point is the one I care about most. When your ankle loses dorsiflexion, your body has to compensate. One of the most common compensations is excessive pronation, which places additional strain on the plantar fascia. I saw this firsthand while playing pickleball recently. A friend mentioned that his knees had been bothering him and he was having trouble moving around the court. He told me he was being treated for Achilles tendinitis and that his physical therapist had placed heel lifts in his shoes. Heel lifts can absolutely be helpful as a temporary treatment to reduce stress on an irritated Achilles. But then I looked at his shoes. They already had about 8 mm of heel elevation. With the heel lifts added, he was walking around with nearly 15 mm of heel elevation. It's no surprise his mechanics had changed and his knees were starting to complain. This is exactly why my recovery approach focuses on restoring normal foot function, including improving ankle dorsiflexion, instead of simply adding more support. It's also one of the biggest reasons I recommend zero-drop footwear for people recovering from plantar fasciitis. There really is a method to my madness 😄 If you're looking for shoes that better support healthy foot function, I've made it easy. 👉 Browse my Approved Shoe List for my top recommendations. 👉 Or visit my Amazon Storefront to see the shoes and foot health products I personally recommend. Dr. Angela 💙 I’m sure the smart people in this group can figure out I’m REPOSTING this article from Dr. Angela, and NOT claiming I wrote it myself. The Problem with Hokas One of the most common questions I get on YouTube and social media is: Shared post Ortiz Katherine Going sneaker shopping tomorrow. What do you wear for your walks? I walk 30-40 minutes 5 days a week. I looked up recommendations online and it came up with Hoka Bondi but holy those are $175! What do you wear and live for long walks? Shared post Wendy Baker Harvil This month is 4 years since my daily PF started. Drop your cure in my comments and I’ll let you know if I’ve tried it. Shared post Wendy Baker Harvil turned off commenting for this post. Tony Matcek I’ve been reading and researching for awhile now on PF. I have been wearing Hoka’s for awhile now and realized most all the cushioned shoes do more harm than good. Just got my first pair of Altra Escalante and was concerned going from cushioned to a zero drop ones, but so far I’m noticing only good results. The wide box toes feel fantastic, but I’m thinking of getting some toe socks because I feel like regular ones are restricting my toes. Any recommendations for some toe socks?I’m interested in ankle style ones only. TIA I’ve been reading and researching for awhile now on PF. I have been wearing Hoka’s for awhile now and realized most all the cushioned shoes do more harm than good. Just got my first pair of Altra Escalante and was concerned going from cushioned to a zero drop ones, but so far I’m noticing only good results. The wide box toes feel fantastic, but I’m thinking of getting some toe socks because I feel like regular ones are restricting my Shared post Cass Melrose These shoes @xeroshoes have been my secret weapon to conquering my 2 year recovery. Zero drop and it took some getting use to but my feet are stronger than ever and pain FREE. May be an image of shoes and text that says 'N'. May be an image of shoes and text that says 'XEROSHOES AERONGE OSHOES' Shared post Pat Schweitzer I bought them on a whim. BUT toe sox are helping my feet! Shared post