03/17/2026
When is cushion too much cushion? Had a patient come in with diagnosed Posterior tibialis tendon dysfunction. 1st picture shows him barefoot. PTTD right with about 9 degree medial collapse. He wanted some arch support for his shoes he brought in. After fitting, I had him take a few steps. There I saw that even with the support, his shoe increased the medial collapse to 18 degrees! The sole of his shoes, while feeling good with all that cushion, could not support the foot against that medial collapse.
A shoe too cushioned and too high stacked, can also minimize or neutralize your proprioception (allows you to perceive your body’s position, movement, and force in space without using vision. Your feet cannot „read“ the ground you are landing/stepping on. That can lead to twisting your ankle,stumbling and falls.
The older we get, the more our proprioception is degreasing and this is considered a common cause of falls.
Think twice if that extra cushion, thick sole shoe that is in fashion in the moment, is the correct shoe for you.
Remember, you can always make an appointment for an assessment, which includes a gait evaluation at Arches FootCare. I can suggest what shoe and/or support may be more fitting for your gait, pressure distribution and foot conditions. You can call, go online or come by to make the appointment. 254.773.2693 or archesfootcaretempletx.com.
PS: make sure you read more about proprioception in my next post. As always clicking the like button, share or leave a comment message.
