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We now have the Archies Slides

We have been a stockist of the Archies Thongs since the very beginning and they have proved to be very popular. Pretty much everyone who tries on a pair buys them. However, that type of footwear is not necessarily for everyone, so we are please that we now have the Archies Slides in stock. We managed to sell quite a few the day that the first box arrived!

They are currently available in 4 colours: black, peach (orange), tan and white.

Please come in an check them out. We are only in Croydon on Monday, Tuesdays and Thursdays. And we also have a lot of stock of the Archies thongs and the children’s sizes.

We are one of the biggest stockists of Archies slides in Melbourne!

archies slides
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If your big toe hurts to move, then we need to find a way to stop it moving

Pain in the big toe that hurts when walking is most commonly due to osteoarthritis, a condition commonly known as hallux rigidus (if the joint is really stiff) or hallux limitus (if its not so stiff). If its really painful at rest, then it might more likely be gout than hallux rigidus. With the hallux rigidus, when we are walking and the heel starts to come off the ground, the big toe joint needs to move. If that movement is limited or there is osteoarthritis in the joint, then that is going to be painful to walk. It makes sense that if that joint hurts to walk, then a logical way to deal with it is to restrict how much the joint moves.

There are a number of ways to do this. One is felt padding that can be stuck on the foot under the big toe and ball of the foot or strapping could be used to tape the joint. Both of these are really good short term measures. If you need a foot orthotic for other reasons, there is an extension that can go on the front of the orthotic called a Morton’s extension that can be used to stiffen up the joint. Another way is to use a carbon fibre insole plate that usually are about 1-1.5mm thick and very rigid that fit inside the full length of your shoes. These carbon fibre plates are often used to treat hallux rigidus and other problems such as turf toe. The evidence is that they are pretty effective.

Another way to treat the pain from the hallux rigidus is to simply use shoes that are more rigid across the ball of the foot. The more flexible the sole of a shoe is, the more that the big toe joint is going to move and the more likely it is to be painful. The are some shoes, especially the Hoka running shoes, that have a rocker built into them. The effect of the rocker is that the big toe does not need to move as much. A pedorthist or shoe technician can add a rocker on the sole to many different types of shoes to achieve the same thing.

If you have pain in your big toe joint when you walk, come and see us and we can discuss what options may be the best for you.

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What a load of …. Croc

Crocs are a somewhat maligned brand of footwear and the butt of jokes about peoples fashion sense. Crocs are a brand of footwear that were designed as a boating shoe and rapidly become a popular fashion item. They are a one piece molded type of footwear that is easy to get on and off and come in a lot of different colours and styles. They are comfortable, but probably not that good to wear on the feet all day, every day as they can make the feet sweat a lot and the toes do have to flex to help them stay on, which in some people can create problems long term.

There is no doubt about their popularity and there is also no doubt about the jokes and comments they get. They are a source of a lot of memes:

A few have even used Crocs as running shoes and done all right in them, but that is not recommended. However, those that do use them as running shoes do claim that they last much longer than a running shoe and cost a lot less than a good running shoe.

Like most footwear types, there is probably not a lot wrong with Crocs if you use them for what they are intended to be used for and use them in moderation.

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Archies Footwear for Children

Archies Footwear are a thong or flip flop that have an arch support built into them. We are one of the largest Archies stockists in Melbourne and have the full range of sizes and colours. It is exciting that the Archies are now available in children’s sizes. Besides being functional and helpful, they are also really cute.

Pretty much anyone who tries the Archies on in the clinic, buys them. They really are that good and comfortable. They are also functional and have a useful arch support for those that need them. This can make them particularly useful for kids. Please come in and give them a try.

archies thongs smelbourne
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Back to School Shoes

A new school year is starting soon and so is that tradition of getting the new school shoes for the year.

back to school shoes

As the feet of children are still growing, they are malleable which means that getting the fit of shoes wrong can result the potential of affecting the normal development of the foot and lead to problems later in life. The role of the shoe is to protect your child’s feet and ensure that normal development can happen. This is even more important for school shoes, since your child spends so much time in them. To ensure that their shoes do fit properly, make sure you have your children’s feet measured regularly for length and width each time you buy shoes.

Specifically, the toe area of the shoe should allow your child’s toes to move freely about and not be squashed from the top or the sides by the shoes. Make sure there is around 1cm growing room between the end of the child’s longest toe and the top end of their shoe. The shoe should fit comfortably around the back of the heel as well and be too loose or too tight.

Going to a specialty footwear retailer to have shoes fitted by a store that offers trained assistants can also help ensure that your child gets the correct size and shape of shoe.

When should you seek advice from a podiatrist?

A podiatrist can help ensure your child’s school shoes are fitted correctly. An evaluation by a podiatrist is also recommended if you notice changes happening, such as uneven shoe wear on the heels or if there is pain in your child’s feet. You should also consider getting the help of a podiatrist if you notice your child walks on their tip toes, or their walk does not look the same on both feet and legs; or if you have any other general concerns about your child’s foot health.

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How do you get some arch support in ballet flats?

Short answer: with difficulty.

Ballet flats are a particular shoe design inspired by the shoes used by ballet dancers. By design these shoes are very minimalist. They do very little to the foot except cover it and come in a wide range of attractive designs. They also tend to be very snug fitting to help them stay on the foot. There is nothing inherently wrong with these types of shoes provided that are fitted properly and are of the right size for the user.

The issue with these minimalist types of footwear is if there is a foot problem that needs some sort of arch support, even on a temporary basis. The main sorts of problems that this might be needed are especially if you are on your feet all day and the feet and legs get very tired. Due to the minimalist nature of the design and the typically snug fit of the footwear, there is not going to be a lot of room in the shoes to do much. Clinically, choices or options can be limited if you spend most of your time in this type of footwear. There is simply no way that a typical foot orthotic is going to fit into these types of shoe. Sometimes a cut down foot orthotic might be able to fit in the shoe. Other times the problem can be managed by changing to a different type of footwear that foot orthotics can easily be used in for a period of time until the problem gets better. It is always best to see a podiatrist and discuss the options that you have if you really do need some sort of support and if it can be accommodated in your ballet flats style footwear.

Arch Support in Ballet Flats

There are a very limited number of ballet flats on the market that do have arch support type designs built into them. However, they are hard to find and may not be suitable for you. There are the instant arches types of self adhesive pads that can be stuck in the shoe to give some sort of support and this is often a good compromise if that is what is needed to deal with your problem. We do use them from time to time when there is no other more suitable workaround to getting support into a ballet flat type of shoe.

Long answer: it can be done, but there has to be compromises made.

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When should running shoes be replaced?

Running shoes are probably the most important piece of ‘kit’ that a runner has. Running shoes can also be expensive and if you are not using the right running shoes, this may increase the risk for an injury and may affect performance. Running shoes can ‘wear out’ and need replacing.

How often should a running shoe be replaced?

There is no hard and fast rule to answer that question. Some runners wear out there shoes a lot quicker than others. You do often see advice that they should be replaced every 350-500 miles or 550-800 kilometers, but that is not based on any actual evidence, but still could be a good guide.

Probably the best way to know when a running shoe should be replaced is to listen to your body. How do the shoes feel? Are they starting to interfere with the way you are running? Do you feel like an injury might be starting? Above all, use your common sense.

When you get your new running shoes

As running shoes wear out, there are going to be very subtle changes in the way that you run. They will be so subtle that you probably will not necessarily notice them, but your body will adapt and be used to those changes. When you get your new pair of shoes, there can be a problem as you will suddenly be changing that way you were running in the older worn out shoes. This can cause an injury if you are not careful. You should only do a few shorter runs in the new shoes initially to allow your body to adapt to the new shoes before using them for most of your runs.

If you have some questions about running shoes

Please do not hesitate to get in touch with us. Craig has had a lot of experience with running shoes and has recently completed the New York Marathon.

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Archies Thongs are selling themselves

We have been stocking the Archies Arch Support Thongs in Melbourne from the very beginning. We were one of the early adopters. They are selling like ‘hotcakes’ and walk themselves out the door. With spring here and summer around the corner, how about coming in and getting a pair. We recently had a run of ladies who were pregnant buy them and raved about them. Some are coming in to buy them before heading to Bali for a holiday. Everyone seems to have a reason for wanting a pair. Even our office manager called them “life changing”! Runners and other athletes are finding then great for recovery after a hard worksout. No one seems to be disappointed in these.

What are the Archies Arch Support Thongs?

What is special about these is that they have an arch support built into them. If you need to wear foot orthotics or something simiar, than wearing thongs for an extended period of time can be difficult, so these are a good option when the weather is warmer or you prefer to use this type of footwear. Those who do not need foot orthotics just like the comfort that the arch support feature of these thongs – they just like wearing them. Some of these users of the Archies Thongs say things that they are less tired at the end of the day.

The Archies come in a varity of sizes and colours.

archies stockists in melbourne

Archies thongs design features:

Features and benefits:

  • The Arch Support – Archies Arch Support Thongs have a similar amount of support as most off the shelf orthotics. This may help to support the foot and improve foot posture, thereby potentially reducing the strain on your feet and lower limbs.
  • Comfortable! – The orthotic / arch support found in Archies Thongs combines with a super soft, highly resilient foam to provide an unbelievably comfortable feel, irrespective of whether or not you wear orthotics or have issues with your feet making them the perfect thong to wear when out walking or as a slipper in and around the house.
  • Lightweight – The highly specialised foam material found in Archies Thongs is ultralight in comparison to other orthopaedic thongs which may result in less tired and achy feet at the end of the day, making them the perfect thong when travelling!
  • The Strap is Tight – In thongs with a loose strap, your toes claw down and you do not get the protective support from the arch like you are supposed to. The tighter strap in Archies Thongs may help to reduce toe clawing allowing you to walk more naturally.
  • Construction is one piece – As the thongs are all moulded as one you are far less likely to break the toe pole as you are in thongs with a base and plug configuration.

Croydon Total Footcare is one the biggest stockists of Archies in Melbourne.

Croydon Total Footcare have other recommended footwear brands, so come in and see them.

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