Put Your Best Feet Forward

Felts Shoes helps customers find properly fitting shoes to ease foot pain.

Paula Stiner of Felts Shoes.

Sometimes, when the pressures of life mount up, you might feel as if you are “carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders,” as the old saying goes. But in reality, the weight of your personal world is carried not on your shoulders, but on your feet. Your feet provide your foundation when you are standing still and propel you into motion. Even with this truth, however, feet tend to be the “unsung heroes” of the human body – so it is no surprise that Tabitha Felts and the folks at Felts Shoes in Claremore frequently hear about all too common problems involving these undervalued appendages.

“Almost daily, someone comes into the store complaining of heal pain, and most of the time it is due to a condition called plantar fasciitis,” says Tabitha, who explains the condition as involving pain and inflammation of a thick band of tissue, called the plantar fascia, that runs across the bottom of the foot and connects your heel bone to your toes. Those who have plantar fasciitis will notice symptoms first thing in the morning, when they endure stabbing pains as they take their first steps. The pain will usually lessen as the foot limbers up, but each time the person stands in one position for a long period or has been seated for any length of time, he may encounter the pain again. “Plantar fasciitis is usually caused when the person does not get enough arch support,” says Tabitha. “It is particularly common in runners, but also among people who are carrying some extra weight or who wear shoes with inadequate support, like cheap flip flops.”

Improper fitting shoes can cause other problems as well. For instance, if a person has very little or no arch in his or her foot, commonly known as being “flat-footed,” they will need extra support to keep all their body’s pressure from rolling to the inside of his or her foot. This condition can cause knee and back problems and in fact, a person enduring these issues may not even realize that the source of the problems can be traced back to his or her feet.
These examples display just how important it is to understand the human foot, and as the owner of a family shoe store, Tabitha feels it is important to concentrate on the health of clients’ feet rather than just the style of the shoe. The store carries a wide variety of quality brands for the whole family, with a myriad of the latest styles to choose from, but the advantage of visiting Felts Shoes goes beyond just the esthetic. The staff at Felts is trained to understand the human foot and how best to take care of it. At Felts, your feet will be evaluated to find just the right fit for your specific problems or needs. Personal service is the top priority, and when you walk out of the store, they want you to feel you are putting your “best feet forward.”

“I like to tell customers they are the only feet you are going to get,” Tabitha says, “so you have to take care of them.”

For more information, contact

Felts Shoes

918-343-9296