2021 is here. Let's all make a positive start!

So 2020 has drawn to an end. What a relief! We may have started this year by going into a third lockdown, but with multiple vaccines now being rolled out the end is in sight. So, for the time being, we must keep our spirits high and our bodies healthy. Last year we wrote about walking and how it contributes to a positive mental & physical wellbeing, and we want to revisit this as it has never been more relevant. Exercising is crucial to having a healthy, happy lifestyle especially in lockdown, and walking is a fantastic choice of exercise.

According to an article written by Age UK, walking for health can; 

• Help keep your heart strong, reducing the risk of heart failure, strokes and high blood pressure. 
• Reduce the risk of developing certain forms of cancer including breast, womb and bowel cancer. 
• Lower the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. 
• Reduce the likelihood of developing dementia.

These are just some of the benefits of walking - and do not include obvious day to day perks such as socially distanced interaction and fresh air! 

Now walking is great, but it does put more strain on our feet, and I speak from experience. Wearing loosely fitted slip on boots to a 5 day trip in New York in 2018 is seared into my memory forever - luckily the sights were enough to outweigh the pain caused by shoes that had no cushioning, no arch support and caused blisters everywhere! Bottom line is if we want to walk more, please wear properly fitted footwear! 

Now fast forward a couple of years to ShoeMed and painful feet are no longer an excuse to not enjoy something - at ShoeMed we have solutions for everything. Bunions, corns, hammer toes, plantar fasciitis, if you can think of it we more than likely have something that can help. An ex marathon runner once came to our stores thinking he would never be able to walk again pain free, but after being fitted with one of our rocker sole shoes that evenly distribute weight throughout the feet and reduce peak pressure points, his outlook was completely changed. 

Fidelio is a great range we stock which is brilliant if you suffer from conditions that effect the general fit of footwear, such as the aforementioned above. Fidelio is an Austrian brand that create footwear using a range of all leather uppers - a combination of goat and lamb leather, with calf linings. The uppers incorporate a stretch insert over key points on the feet to ease the pain of bunions and hammer toes.  Alongside this, the leathers are incredibly soft and are perfect for sensitive feet. As the foot heats up, these leathers they will soften even more and perfectly mould to the shape of your feet. With Fidelio there is no compromise required as they are also stylish!