Member-only story
Do Shoes Make the Woman?
When I learned my trademark shoe was destroying my feet, I did what anyone would: question my entire identity
My identity crisis began with pain in my right foot. I hadn’t done anything particular to injure it so I didn’t take the pain very seriously at first, but as time went by, it got worse. At first the top of my foot hurt, but then the pain spread to the outside edge, to my arch, and then to the base of my little toe. Walking on uneven surfaces was painful, and walking downhill was excruciating. Accepting the fact that at 39 years old, I had arrived at an age where I could hurt myself doing nothing, I gave in and went to a podiatrist.
The doctor was young and energetic. He told me his philosophy was to treat all patients like elite athletes. That sounded good to me. After a thorough examination, he arrived at the diagnosis of peroneal tendonitis, noting that I also displayed chronic ankle instability, cavus (high-arched) foot, and equinus (limited upward bending in the ankle joint).
“What shoes do you normally wear?” he asked.
I nodded with satisfaction at the patent-leather clogs gleaming on the floor beside me, shoes that proved I took footwear seriously.
