Awesome shoes that don't make my knee hurt! Please!?!

October 17, 2009 2:50 PM

Best shoes for a P.E. teacher with a bad knee.

I am a P.E. and am on my feet all day (obviously, lol). I have had 3 knee surgeries on my left knee, one for a torn ACL, the second was for torn Meniscus (have no Meniscus on Lateral side of my knee), and the last for to remove my Medial Meniscus and repair my ACL again.

This makes things difficult in finding shoes, I need shoes that are not going to hurt my knee and not make my feet hurt. It seems as though I can find some that do not hurt my knee but never some that do not make my feet hurt.

Since I am a P.E. teacher the shoes need to be sporty shoes (tennis shoes). Any suggestions on the best brand/style of shoes that would be good for my bad knee. I have already tried to expensive Dr. Scholl's insert at Wal-Mart and they make my knee hurt. I currently have Adidas brand Micro-bounce shoes.

I have no insurance so I can't go to a foot doctor or anything like that. But I should have insurance within the next year if that matters.

posted by roxiesmom to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion (5 answers total)

Without seeing a podiatrist or physiatrist I am guessing that any response posted is a crap shoot. Make sure the shoe is designed to accommodate any pronation/suppination you have. If you know you have a discrepancy in leg length this can also be accommodated. Any reputable running shoe store should be able to look at your present shoe and get a good idea of your foot plant. Good Luck
posted by rmhsinc at 4:02 PM on October 17, 2009

The Athlete's Foot chain of stores has a neat test thing where they see how your weight is going, etc., and recommend shoes and insoles based on the test. They've been very helpful to my spouse (who has also had multiple surgeries on his left knee and who gets back pain when his shoes and insoles start to wear out). It might be worth checking one out and seeing if they can recommend the best shoes for you.
posted by Cricket at 7:37 PM on October 17, 2009

You need shoes, but more importantly, you need to try a hinged knee brace.
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 9:14 PM on October 17, 2009

I used to use the $10/pair Dr. Scholl's insoles because of bad arches and they helped a lot. Two years later, the horrified clerk at New Balance recommended green Superfeet, instead. I like them a lot better, even at $35 a pair. Also, since the Dr. Scholl's only raised my heels and arches, I was always leaning forward. I didn't notice till I saw myself in a photo. If this is the kind you're wearing, that might be what's hurting your knee. Superfeet go under your whole foot.
posted by bentley at 6:25 AM on October 18, 2009

A few days late, but I recommend going to a store that specializes in running. A person who does athletic shoe fitting professionally can analyze your gait, foot shape, arch height, etc. and help you pick a great pair of shoes.

I found Runner's Den in Phoenix by searching for local runner's stores on Yelp.
posted by Aleen at 10:13 AM on October 19, 2009