I was approached by DiabeticShoeHub to review their diabetic shoe, I-Runners. I agreed.
When I agreed, I was typically barefoot so I decided to wear the shoes for short periods of time to allow my feet to adjust to shoes in general and to these shoes specifically.
After a couple of weeks of wearing the shoes walking for short distances, I took the shoes for a jog. I had encountered no discomfort wearing the shoes walking, but running was another matter. I developed a bloody blister quickly on my big toe. As I recall it was only a one mile jog but began limping home about half way through.
To be fair, I decided to re-test the shoes after my blister had healed and after I had attempted to re-adjust my feet to wearing these shoes.
I emailed my contact with the results of the second trial.
“last week I went on a two mile jog… and developed the same blister in the same place inside my left big toe.
I went out jogging later that night in my Adidas and ran without pain or additional inflammation.”
Obviously I can not recommend anyone buy “I-Runners”.
Skimming their website, all of the shoes I saw were 50 to 100% higher than comparable ‘non-diabetic’ shoes.
So not surprisingly, I recommend that you obtain and maintain truly normal blood sugars and save yourself not only money but pain and suffering as well.
Here is a picture of me wearing the shoes to the gym. The shoes wore well and felt comfortable while walking around the gym today.
In Closing
If you want to pay 50 to 100% more for shoes of dubious benefit to diabetics, then by all means, maintain elevated blood sugars and buy ‘diabetic shoes’.
Me? I’ll continue thriving, maintaining truly normal blood sugars.
This will allow me to run outside, barefoot and to buy ‘normal’ shoes for my normal feet. Just so you know, I do not wear diabetic shirts, pants nor undergarments either… :)