Shoes for my whacked out feet!

Hey all - My workout at this point is all treadmill.  Brisk walk 4 times a week for 45 minutes.  I've been doing this for months and have also relied on treadmill workouts in the past, so it's not new to me.

What IS new is that my feet are falling apart!  I have strange shaped feet.  Very narrow heels, wide toe box, high arch.  I had New Balance shoes and I was getting horrible blisters on my heels.  Band-aids, new socks, etc. didn't help.  I was also getting little cuts on the top of my toes where they were rubbing against the shoe.  So I switched to my old Nike's.  Worn as heck, but much looser.  The heel blisters have abated (come back only if I wear the wrong socks) but I now have the nails on my big toes turn black and blue, I have a blood blister on the side of one of my big toes and I have occasional blisters on my other toes.

I know I need to get new shoes and I'm also going to get a work out DVD so I'm not doing repetitive movement on the treadmill all the time.  I'm just hoping there are people out there with whacked out feet like mine who can give me advice on what shoes work for them.  I'm a female with size 9 or 9 and 1/2 feet.  Thanks!

Go to a running store and get fitted by someone who knows.  Different manufacturers have different size toe boxes.  I have been very happy with my Mizunos, but again, you need something specific for you.

As far as the blisters go, you can try some things.  Vaseline to keep them from rubbing together, or baby powder.  You can also by socks with little "fingers" for each individual toe.

Sof Sole makes a moldable insert for shoes.  You cut the insole to match the ones that came with your shoe.  You put them in the oven for two minutes, stuff them in your shoes, put the shoes on, and voila, you have insoles that are molded to match your feet.

Good luck!

I agree with wes - go to a running store (a real one, not just footlocker)

I have high arches and Ascics work for me, but I'm not a runner, so take that with a grain.

Your feet sound very similar in shape/size as mine.  I found sizing between brands is not consistant, for instance a 9.5 Nike is too tight (well, too short, so I need size 10) compared to a 9.5 Adidas or Mizuno which fit MUCH nicer, so keep this in mind, too.  I ended up prefering Adidas for running.  And, in agreement with both previous posters, go to a store where the staff knows what they are doing!!  Your feet will thank you!

How much could one expect to spend on a pair of properly fitted running shoes like you describe? I have a similar problem (my feet are wide but short with fairly big toes and very high arches, and extended activity in my current shoes causes my toes to hurt and go numb), but am a college student on a tight budget, so I'm reluctant to spend money on another expense like shoes.

Hey Galax, not sure where you live so that might make a difference too, but I know that in Canada, to go to a place like the running room, you will probably end up spending at least $100 on a pair of shoes... At least that was the cheapest pair that "fit" me. I have the same issue that you do too, I had(have) a pair of beat up old Adidas runners that have seen much better days, they fit perfect, and I spent $39 on them as they were the previous year's style (like I care!), I have since bought a new pair of New Balance runners, and my toes go numb everytime I wear them... GRRR! That's $100 down the drain! I keep trying to wear them, thinking that I just need to break them in, but I always break down half way thru my workout and switch to my old faithfuls. Honestly, some days I would rather just do the eliptical in my slippers ;o)

galax, your best bet is to still go to a running store and try on shoes and have someone help you figure out what kind of shoe you need.  Then, armed with that knowledge, you can stalk the discount warehouses on the internet for that model, last years discontinued model, or a similar shoe from a different brand.

Be careful though, some manufacturers will change the lower part of a shoe between years, and last  years shoe may not fit like the current (newest) model.

Galax - $100ish is what I expect to spend.  Seems crazy expensive to me too, but when you have weird feet it's either spend the cash or suffer.

Thanks for all the advice.  I was planning on going to a local "specialty" sportswear store but it's helpful to have some ideas in mind.  I've never actually heard of the Mizuno brand.  I read a review of Ryka shoes that sounded pretty good except for a few people mentioning they didn't have great arch support, which I need.  I'll check into the Sof Sol idea as well.

I have whacked out feet too only I have fallen arches, so I don't know how relevant this will be...it sounds like you're really giving your feet a beating, though, which isn't good, down the road. I suggest you go to your doctor, have him/her refer you to a podiatrist, and see if there is some sort of custom orthotic (shoe or insert) that can be made to help your feet. If you have insurance it will be covered (at least the appointment, perhaps a portion or all of the orthotics), and you'll be grateful for the extra expense in the long run--I've been wearing orthotics for years but hadn't been wearing them this winter because they didn't fit in my boots properly--now I've damaged my left foot further so it's excruciating to walk--which makes it really hard to exercise if walking is your main form of exercise!