Be good to your feet with Strive footwear

A few weeks ago after dropping Jelly Bean at nursery I hopped into my car and made the short drive to Holbeach in search of Toto Shoes to pick up my first pair of Strive Sandals. Strive isn’t a name I had heard of before but it was certainly one which caught my attention.

Over my 40 years I have had more foot and ankle injuries than I care to remember so nowadays I look to buy shoes which will not only look good but will be comfortable and provide good support too.

What are Strive?

In 1980 the first custom made orthotic was made by LBG Medical Ltd, the parent company of Strive Footwear. Over 35 years later, with lots of discussions and development with healthcare practitioners all over UK and Europe to create millions of custom made insoles for people from all walks of life including elite athletes to acute diabetics.

Strive Footwear make amazing, comfortable and stylish shoes with a difference, hidden within the sole of every pair of shoes hides Biomechanical Footbed Technology which improve health conditions such as Metatarsalgia, Plantar Fasciitus, Achilles Tendonitis, Knee Pain and Shin Splints. In the past I have had an operation on both of my feet because of a condition known as Morton’s Metatarsalgia and I also have issues with ankle and knee pain so my Strive sandals couldn’t have come at a better time.

Strive Footwear at Toto Shoes

When I arrived at Toto Shoes I met with Dave who was a really friendly and approachable gentleman. He told me how he set up Toto Shoes around 5 years ago after asking the people of Holbeach what they wanted to see in a new shop. He has a love of Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz and so Toto Shoes was born. His shop reminded me of the old shoe shops in Alford where I grew up, no racks of identical shoes lined up but big glass-fronted cupboards with colourful shoe boxes stacked high and stands with an array of shoes to suit everyone’s taste. Of course the display which stood out for me was the Strive stand. I had only recently been introduced to Strive but I instantly liked the idea of them and looking at their online catalogue found a number of pairs of sandals which I could imagine myself wearing.

After discussing my foot/ankle history and shoe choices with Lisa from Strive she recommended that my first choice of Capri would be the best fit for me right now and we chose Oxford Tan colour as a nice neutral tone to go with the majority of my outfits over the Summer.

Dave checked my feet without shoes on and immediately said that he felt I should see a podiatrist as I have collapsing arches and said that I over-pronate which in turns gives me joint pains in my knees, hips and back (he is right, I do). He also said that my Strive would help me with this because of their Biomechanical Footbed Technology.

Wearing is believing

Putting on my Capris sandals felt like sliding my foot into a silk glove as the lining of the shoe is a supersoft leather. I loved the way they looked and couldn’t wait to get started on wearing them. Dave explained that unlike other new shoes I wouldn’t be able to just wear them for a whole day straight off, I would need to start wearing them around the house for an hour on the first day, two on the second and so on until my feet, ankles and calf muscles had adjusted to the way they support my feet as they can make your legs ache a little to begin with. I found that I could comfortably wear mine for the day by day four.

I had been wearing my Strive Capri almost daily with the lovely weather we have been enjoying, right up until I sprained my ankle last week. They had become my go-to shoe and looked great with jeans, shorts, maxi dresses and I particularly like them with my Harem trousers. I haven’t worn them very much since I sprained my ankle as I don’t want to stretch them with my ankle support, though I have worn them when my ankle has been strapped with KT tape.

Where to Buy

Strive SS16 is available from the below retailers + over 100 independent outlets:

To find your nearest stockist, check out the Store Locator online. You can also join in the conversation with Strive on Facebook and Twitter.

DISCLAIMER: I was gifted my Capri Sandals for the purpose of this post. All words, images and opinions are my own and may not be copied without my permission. I have not been instructed what to write.