Hi guys, I'm hoping someone can give a bit of advice.

First let me say that my shoes fit well (they are "New Balance"). Now the problem is that these shoes are hurting the back of my ankle, right above the foot (where the top of the shoe hits). At first I thought I was just being a wimp, I put a bandaid over the spot that was hurt and kept walking. Well when I got home there was blood on my socks and the part of the shoe that was hitting that spot. The bandaid was pushed up off the wound.

Anyways, what this boils down to is that I guess I'm going to have to buy some new shoes. Right now I don't have enough money, but I need to figure out which shoes to get first so I know how much I need to save. Has anyone found a brand they swear by?

Of course if anyone knows of any way to fix this problem, that would be better, the shoes aren't even a year old yet....*sigh* so depressing...Do you think I would be alright walking/going to the gym, in crocs?

Hello Othie,

I cannot give you a certain brand that I swear by, nor could anyone else really, it all depends on you. How you fit the shoe, how you like the fit, if you like a well cushioned shoe, one with a bit of a heel, or if it's flat to the ground.

If you did decide on a buying a shoe, try checking out a specialized shoe store, they will fit your foot properly, see how you walk ( I over pronate (my foot rolls in when I walk)), ect, help you out with the right size of shoe.

It may be a lil bit more expensive than Walmart, (that's where I bought my first pair of $30 runner's) and than a few weeks into running/walking, I ran into several painful problems.

Don't quote me on this, but it could be that your shoe is not tied tight enough, may be too big (so clunky and hitting spots( my hiking boots do this too sometimes when not tied proper) You could have lost weight in your feet..type of thing. IDK How long have you been walking?

Maybe your intensity has changed and these shoes are more for a leisure walk?

Are you thinking of using the Crocs for a leisure walk? That would be fine, but swift walking, they wouldn't be very good for your foot. Were you wanting to use them at the gym? I guess it depends on what activities at the gym you're doing. Would they be stable enough? They may end up hurting your foot or legs, which may lead to an injury in the long run.

Take Care

Not even a year old? Sheesh, I go through a pair of shoes faster than that.

Just because they are good shoes doesn't mean they are right for your foot. I suggest going to a speciality runner's shop. The people there tend to be highly experienced and can help you find the right shoe for your foot, gait, etc.

This can get very expensive, however, particularly if you have to get non-standard shoes (I recently bought a good pair of stability shoes, and they set me back $180)

Oh, and by the way, if they are hurting the back of your ankle, they aren't fitting well.

A cheaper alternative is to buy some shoes and try them out at home. Most stores will let you return shoes if you haven't worn them outdoors. Wear them around the house for a few days and see if problems develop.

thanks guys, that was alot of help

Yeah, I gotta say getting myself professionally fitted for shoes the first time out helped. It was more expensive, but worth it.

Now that I've been fitted, it's also easier to find shoes for myself - I know what to look for. The last pair of shoes I bought I got at the Nike outlet store ... but I know they fit me right because I know that I pronate slightly when I run and I know how a good shoe fits.

Although, as you lose weight or ramp up your exercise, you should go back and be refitted periodically - because your feet will lose weight with the rest of you and running especially can change the shape of your feet.