Fused Ankle – Love Them
6 Month Update: I'll be buying Gdefy for life. These were a life changing product for me!I’ve had a fused ankled for almost 20 years. It happened when I was young. I’m supposed to wear custom orthopedic shoes with aggressive rocker bottoms, but never have. I hate the way they look, you can only manipulate the bottoms of certain shoes, and I found myself rolling my good ankle with the added “platform-like” height. Simply having a fused ankle for so many years, combined with not wearing the proper shoes, arthritis has accelerated throughout the rest of my foot, knee, and hip. It hurts to get around and just all-around sucks.Yada yada, on to the shoes. I’ve been wearing them for about 3 weeks now. The very first time you put them on, they’re weird. Really weird. Not bad weird, but the “trampoline” heel is unlike any shoe I’ve ever worn. It’s cushy and springy. The rocker bottoms also make a tremendous difference. That little bit of a rounded bottom really helps me get around, and I’ve noticed less strain / pain on my knee. I’m used to wearing Puma’s, which are pretty narrow and form fitting. These are wider, with a larger toe box, and you really have room to wiggle your toes. Also, the wider stance makes them more stable. I haven’t rolled my good ankle like I used to on my prescribed orthopedic shoes. Because I’m used to Puma’s, I thought these might feel like clogs or boots, bulky—tripping on them or scuffing. I haven’t noticed that all. Being an “athletic” shoe, they’re pretty nimble and light, considering.I’m using the “corrective” inserts, and I love them. For years, I had been buying Superfeet Orange high-arch for my good foot, and actually using my prescribed orthopedic insert for my bad foot. With these corrective inserts, it’s the only time in 20 years I’ve been able to use an over-the-counter insert on my fused foot. These inserts may be aggressive for some people, it may take some time to allow your feet to adapt – but I love them. Again, the only time in 20 years I could put on a shoe and not have to swap in my prescribed insert.Shoes have been a really difficult experience for half of my life because of my fused ankle. Things rarely work well and everything is a compromise. Still being “young” (under 40), I hated being restricted. Discovering GDefy may be my opportunity at variety. The MATeeM are my first experience with GDefy, and as of today, I’ll probably never buy anything else. That’s tough because they’re so expensive, but for me, they’ve truly been life changing. I look for forward to trying different styles, especially the hiking boots.The shoes themselves don’t “scream” orthopedic, which I like. They look like big soled Sketchers or cushy running shoes. You can now pass off foot trouble with a shoe that looks like something most people would wear. The MATeeM have a mesh top, are very breathable, and have an athletic look and feel. Take note, they don’t have a traditional tongue. The entire top of the shoe is one piece with elastic around the ankle. The laces basically secure your foot in place, but might not be needed as there is no tongue. I generally push my foot in and out of shoes without tying, so not having a tongue to pull up and out of the way makes that a little trickier. It’s not a big deal, but I detail I overlooked when buying. Because most of the shoe is lightweight mesh, I’m not sure how long they will last, but so far I like them enough to replace them once they wear out.I can’t say these shoes are for everyone – and I think you should expect an adjustment period – but if you’ve suffered major foot trauma, these shoes may provide some relief. If you’ve struggled like me, I recommend that you give them a shot. I fully intended to take advantage of their return policy if these didn’t work for me – I’ve never spent $150 on sneakers – but they won me over. I’ll most likely be buying GDefy for life.
✔ Verified Purchase
J
Joseph j wolak
October 23, 2023
Super comfort great Chef shoe!
I had a terrible right foot problem lasting for months . I bought these and the different insoles and arches plus the super soft shock resistant soles help me tremendously !!I rotate between these and the Oofos recovery clog . My foot problem is gone .I am very very happy with this purchase! So much research went into this along with many doctors visits . These shoes are in a class of their own! I’ve worn everything being a chef from Dansko, SAS, Birkies, Keens .So far these Gdefy are the most forgiving of any shoe I have ever worn .
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A
Amazon Customer
March 11, 2022
That it fits comfortably and reduce foot pain when walking.
The neck of the shoe is so tight that I struggle to get the shoe on even with a shoe horn. This shoe felt great afterwards but not worth the fight getting your foot into the shoe. I spent a lot of time searching for the right shoe, and almost every time the one I wanted was not available. There’s no noticeable indication of this tight fit, in the pictures shown before purchasing. I see several other shoes of this type brand with regular size openings for your foot to enter the shoe. This shoe had what I wanted in a shoe to releive pain, but disappointed when they were too hard to get on.
✔ Verified Purchase
