Hi all,
As the title suggests, for the last 3-5 years I've noticed that my right shoe always tender to wear out more quickly than it used to. Specifically in the area inside the shoe at the back that supports the heel. Depending on the shoe design/durability the material will be worn down and plastic support exposed anywhere from 3 to 6 months. It used to be 6 to 12 months, but over the last couple years it became more noticeable.
My first solution was to switch from regular tennis shoes to "work shoes" that tend to be more durable with steel toe or composite toe. I bought a pair from Red Wing and they lasted about a year. I went to replace them and found out they were discontinued so I went right with the replacement ones they recommended. After about 4-6 months the plastic became exposed again and started cutting/rubbing into/against my heel. Obviously, very uncomfortable.
I got another pair, and they lasted about 3 months before the material started to noticeably wear. I got tired of paying so much money for shoes that wouldn't last. So I went with Crocs for the last year. While comfortable, they don't provide much on the way of support, and I've been spending more time on feet at work lately then not. So, I went and saw a podiatrist. They did an exam and noticed the heel of my right foot doesn't have much muscle mass compared to my left foot. After an X-ray and MRI both came back as "unremarkable", meaning nothing of note observed. I have a follow up appointment in a couple weeks, but the general consensus seems to be that they aren't sure what to suggest other than trying some kind of weird tape.
I asked about prescriptions for shoes as I had a veteran college classmate several years ago mention that the VA had written a prescription for shoes. The podiatrist said that those shoes are for diabetics, but that some VA doctors might be willing to write a prescription regardless of if you are diabetic or not.
I went to a shoe store that the podiatrist recommended and I ended up going with a pair of Hoka's that felt very supportive. Has anyone else had this problem and/or have any suggestions for some shoes that my foot won't eat? Or at the least, has more padding/material in the heel support department?