Choosing shoes when you had foot issue

[quattro]

My foot issues have been a problem for years, but the one that is the most troubling is that my fat pads under my metatarsal heads on my left foot are basically gone.

Wondering if anyone else suffers from no fat pads and how you deal with it. What shoes are you wearing and have you made any adjustments to your shoes for comfort. I'm looking to purchase a new pair of road shoes and I'm ready to buy the Shimano 320's. I do have custom orthotics for my everyday shoes that I transfer to my cycling shoes, do you think cycling specific orthopedics will make a difference?

I am not going the custom shoe route so I don't want the discussion to go off in that direction, I appreciate that many people have had good luck with them.

Appreciate hearing from anyone suffering from similar issues.

quattro

[John H.]

I have a similar problem. In the last 18 months I have had surgery on both feet.
It fixed the right one to 100%, but the left one still hurts.
I currently use r320 shoes with custom orthotics.
I am exploring orthotic modifications and also different cleat/wedge positions.
Trying to find a way to take pressure off that spot.
I am also exploring new shoes- trying on everything I can- I may move to Lake CX402 wide or maybe even try the Lake CX300.
I would say that my foot is wide with a high arch that collapses- not a high instep.
It is important to find shoes that match your foot shape.

[charliedid]

I have had great luck with these orthotics. Working on a new pair this week.

http://www.footmaxx.com/

[quattro]

I have a similar problem. In the last 18 months I have had surgery on both feet.
It fixed the right one to 100%, but the left one still hurts.
I currently use r320 shoes with custom orthotics.
I am exploring orthotic modifications and also different cleat/wedge positions.
Trying to find a way to take pressure off that spot.
I am also exploring new shoes- trying on everything I can- I may move to Lake CX402 wide or maybe even try the Lake CX300.
I would say that my foot is wide with a high arch that collapses- not a high instep.
It is important to find shoes that match your foot shape.

John H., how do you like the 320's? What custom orthotic devices do you have to help take the pressure off of the metatarsal heads?
I have also looked into LAke shoes but they are not available in my area to try on, the CX402's look very nice, but narrow, I know they are available in a wide, might try to track them down, but don't know if the shape of the shoe is much different from the 320's that they will provide added comfort.
What other shoes have you tried? I'm presently wearing Specialized Pro Carbon, about 6 year old model.

[quattro]

I have had great luck with these orthotics. Working on a new pair this week.

http://www.footmaxx.com/

Charliedid, what modifications were made to your orthotics to take the pressure of off your metatarsal heads? I checked out their web site, not sure what they would do.Thanks

[charliedid]

Charliedid, what modifications were made to your orthotics to take the pressure of off your metatarsal heads? I checked out their web site, not sure what they would do.Thanks

They built up a little wedge or ramping behind the metatarsal heads to distribute the pressure. The white one I am holding is a 25 yr old pair with the topsheet now gone. The new pair has less of that wedge and needs to go back to make it larger. Footmaxx is a Co. I used to sell years ago and just finally found someone again who uses them here in Chicago. Great stuff, they take a 3D mapping of your foot by walking across a sensor pad on the floor...

Make sense?

[malcolm]

Thankfully no foot problems here, so I don't have any first hand advice, but since the custom shoe option is out have you thought about maybe seeing an orthopedist that specializes is feet or maybe a podiatrist and having custom orthotics built? My wife had a 1st MP joint issue and the orthopedist had custom orthotics built that were covered by insurance and they seemed to help.

[charliedid]

I can take more photos if needed.

[quattro]

They built up a little wedge or ramping behind the metatarsal heads to distribute the pressure. The white one I am holding is a 25 yr old pair with the topsheet now gone. The new pair has less of that wedge and needs to go back to make it larger. Footmaxx is a Co. I used to sell years ago and just finally found someone again who uses them here in Chicago. Great stuff, they take a 3D mapping of your foot by walking across a sensor pad on the floor...

Make sense?
Does Footmaxx work only with Drs. or will they work with the general public?
I have custom orthotics that I wear in my everyday shoes and transfer to my cycling shoes. The foot Dr. that made them for me hollowed out an area under my second smallest metatarsal head to allow an area for it to have no pressure under it and placed a firmer strip of foam in front of the metatarsal head, I'll have to post a picture as it's hard to describe, however, it does work, but on longer bike rides I still have discomfort. I also had a pair of orthotics made by a podiatrist using a scanner to map the bottom of my foot, he then CNC'd a chunk of foam to the specific measurements taken by the scanner. The result is that the orthotic is way to thick for cycling shoes and I can't use them, recently contacted him again and he has not changed his methods to make it thinner, so $300 wasted. The question for me is, will a different cycling shoe make a difference in comfort on my metatarsal heads where no fat pads given that all high end shoes are going to have a full carbon sole that has no give. I haven't been able to answer this question yet.

[charliedid]

Does Footmaxx work only with Drs. or will they work with the general public?
I have custom orthotics that I wear in my everyday shoes and transfer to my cycling shoes. The foot Dr. that made them for me hollowed out an area under my second smallest metatarsal head to allow an area for it to have no pressure under it and placed a firmer strip of foam in front of the metatarsal head, I'll have to post a picture as it's hard to describe, however, it does work, but on longer bike rides I still have discomfort. I also had a pair of orthotics made by a podiatrist using a scanner to map the bottom of my foot, he then CNC'd a chunk of foam to the specific measurements taken by the scanner. The result is that the orthotic is way to thick for cycling shoes and I can't use them, recently contacted him again and he has not changed his methods to make it thinner, so $300 wasted. The question for me is, will a different cycling shoe make a difference in comfort on my metatarsal heads where no fat pads given that all high end shoes are going to have a full carbon sole that has no give. I haven't been able to answer this question yet.

I was a retailer (outdoor store) but don't know if they only deal with Ortho Docs now or not. I contacted them directly and they gave me a list of Doctors here who work with them. Also, I have had so many different orthotics over the years and these are the only ones that work for me, especially cycling ones.

Most were too stiff and those cut outs never worked. The guy I worked with recently was very good about helping me reproduce the 25 yr old ones. Again I think they need some tweaking but will eventually work. For the Meta pain I deal with, hard or stiff shoes are impossible for me. Good thing I work in a bike shop and can wear whatever shoes I desire.

Speaking of which I gotta go sell some bikes. PM me if you want. HAppy to help.

[John H.]

My orthotics have a bit more arch built into them and also a depression for the painful metatarsal.
Like yourself they do help- but I still get pain sometimes. Particularly on long and flatter rides. I think climbing rides "let off" sometimes and that keeps the pain down.
I like the 320 ok- an even wider shoe might be better.
You can get wide Lakes from Competitive Cyclist.

John H., how do you like the 320's? What custom orthotic devices do you have to help take the pressure off of the metatarsal heads?
I have also looked into LAke shoes but they are not available in my area to try on, the CX402's look very nice, but narrow, I know they are available in a wide, might try to track them down, but don't know if the shape of the shoe is much different from the 320's that they will provide added comfort.
What other shoes have you tried? I'm presently wearing Specialized Pro Carbon, about 6 year old model.

[quattro]

My orthotics have a bit more arch built into them and also a depression for the painful metatarsal.
Like yourself they do help- but I still get pain sometimes. Particularly on long and flatter rides. I think climbing rides "let off" sometimes and that keeps the pain down.
I like the 320 ok- an even wider shoe might be better.
You can get wide Lakes from Competitive Cyclist.

Have you had an opportunity to try the new Lake cx402 or any other Lake shoes? They look narrow, wondering how they compare to the Shimano 320's for toe box width and height in a regular, not wide version.

[John H.]

I tried on some CX402 in the wide width- They are nice and wide.
Though I think I need half a size up.
Sole is way wider on the CX402- I think this is a plus.

Have you had an opportunity to try the new Lake cx402 or any other Lake shoes? They look narrow, wondering how they compare to the Shimano 320's for toe box width and height in a regular, not wide version.

[quattro]

I tried on some CX402 in the wide width- They are nice and wide.
Though I think I need half a size up.
Sole is way wider on the CX402- I think this is a plus.

John H., good information about the Lakes, I agree a wider sole is a plus. Do you wear the Shimano 320's in a wide or regular? How do the regular cx402's compare to the regular 320's in width?

[John H.]

I currently wear the E width (wide) in the R320.
I would say that the Lake is maybe a bit wider- but like I said the sole is way wider. I think Shimano uses the same slow on both widths and just builds the wide shoes with a wider last.

John H., good information about the Lakes, I agree a wider sole is a plus. Do you wear the Shimano 320's in a wide or regular? How do the regular cx402's compare to the regular 320's in width?

[quattro]

I currently wear the E width (wide) in the R320.
I would say that the Lake is maybe a bit wider- but like I said the sole is way wider. I think Shimano uses the same slow on both widths and just builds the wide shoes with a wider last.

I ordered a pair of the Lake CX402's today in the regular width, I'll hold off on the Shimano 320's and give these a try, hope they work.