Special skills and shoes for special feet

Debra L. Glasser, M.D.

PHOTO BY GLORIA TOWNE

Lacey Shoe Repair
4219 Pacific Ave SE
Lacey, WA 98503
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A couple weeks ago I found myself parked next to Lacey Shoe, a business I had given up trying to find. I decided to ask if they could fix the favorite aging boots I was wearing that day.

Upon entering the shop, there was a display of notable rubber flip-flops (much like the ones I wear for my special feet), a brand I’d never seen. “This is not just a shoe repair shop,” I thought. Peggy, the co-owner, was professional and kind though pessimistic about my boot repair. She called her husband and business partner, Paul, over for a second opinion. He offered an unexpected and long-winded explanation how he might fix my adorable purple boots (they agreed they were adorable and of a quality worth repairing).

Paul, the primary cobbler, couldn’t help explaining why the boots had worn the way they did, when they should have been fixed, and why. He advised me to be more proactive with other favorite shoes in the future as well not to wait to do until the season I want to wear them, like most of his customers do! As an aside, I mentioned that I only buy shoes that fit my custom orthotics from my excellent podiatrist, which triggered the beginning of a long fascinating monologue about how he thinks about feet, shoes and orthotics. Peggy interjected a few comments here and there when she could.

It quickly became clear that I had happened upon a special place, owned by a couple who work as a team and carrying special products and hold knowledge held by few for special feet.

Paul had my apt attention because I am one of those people with special, aka, problem feet. Think flat as a pancake. In addition, not long after his shoe-sharing began, I realized I was learning something to share with the community here.

Little Debbie’s flat feet                

Many years ago, my pediatrician took one look at my feet and recommended Mom take me to an orthopedist to be prescribed special (think really ugly) shoes, shoe lifts and exercises. At age 12 I rebelled and refused to wear those ugly things and went for fashion first. Nowadays fashion is out (sort of) and comfort is in because those flat old feet are now really problem feet with a bunion, hammertoe and arthritis; and have to have a podiatrist on board whenever they raise havoc with my lifestyle.  

Peggy and Paul ’s story

Peggy and Paul’s story with Lacey Shoe began after Paul had worked 10 years doing paving and road construction. He was suffering severe back and hip pain and knew he needed to do something different sooner than later. His father was the owner of Lacey Shoe. In winters, Paul had helped out in the shop. Once the unsolvable pain began however, Paul focused with a sincere intent to learn the skills of the trade. He learned quickly, his father telling him that he took to shoe repair like a fish to water. Within a year, he decided to commit fully to the work and within another when his father could no longer swing a hammer (an essential tool of the trade), Paul bought the business from him. He loved fixing shoes and the community obviously appreciated that because within two years he had tripled his business.

His father did a fair share of orthopedic work and Paul didn’t want to do it. It scared him and he limited himself to placing lifts based on doctors’ prescriptions. Then one memorable day he received a prescription for a 5/8-inch lift (very high) and realized he wanted to learn something about what was going on with feet in a deeper and more comprehensive way.

The answer to his willingness showed up in a visit by one of his product salesmen. At this time, Paul was still suffering from sacroiliac, back and hip pain that remained unsolved even after visits to a myriad of professional healthcare specialists.

After sharing his tale of woe, the salesman convinced Paul to try the shoes the company had developed. Reluctantly, Paul agreed. In the first three days, he experienced muscle tension in his legs and feet followed by a change of gait in 5 days. Within two weeks his legs and feet felt the best they had in years. Next, the salesman convinced him to place a medial wedge orthotic in the shoe and nearly immediately his sacroiliac joint ‘popped back in’ for good and he was pain-free!

Free, at last

Freed from his own pain and suffering, Paul’s special shoe and orthotic business began. He started with a few products which has grown to a whole room dedicated to special feet and products to help them. The walls are covered with shoes, orthotics, a variety of sandals and even socks to help those with problem feet and legs. Like any good clinician in healthcare (which ironically, they are not ‘officially’), Paul and Peggy have learned from their customers. Paul has a foot scan device to evaluate foot structure to validate for his customers what he can now assess without it after 40 years. They carry a variety of shoes and orthotics to address foot issues of all kinds – flat to over-arched, bunions and hammertoes, plantar fasciitis, uneven gait and more. His impression is that the products help up to 80% of those willing to purchase and try them. He honors a 30-day money back refund and only will prescribe products that he and his wife have tried on themselves. He reiterated to me that this business evolved out of Paul’s own suffering, and they share a deep commitment to help his customers.

Paul’s approach

His typical approach is to hear a person’s concerns, look at their shoes and assess their feet and gait. If special products are recommended, he suggest they ease gently into their use gently (as to not overstress the current foot structure) while the feet re-adjust to the new position and gait. Eventually he works up to a more definitive orthotic.

He recounted the story of one of his customers, loyal for more than 30 years. When she initially came in for an assessment, she could barely walk a few blocks. He put her in the best shoe for her feet (a lovely color teal) with the definitive orthotic “just to try.”. She wore them for 3 minutes and upon her insistence walked out with both the shoe and orthotic against his protests about starting out ‘so aggressively.’ She did not return until some months later with those teal shoes having turned black. Shocked, he asked what happened and she said she had been hiking 8 miles every day in New Zealand without a lick of pain!

Paul has treated military veterans with all kinds of foot and leg issues, some who jumped out of airplanes and everything else veterans in the armed services are required to do (as a former VA physician I say…think ruck marches). “It all starts with the feet, “he insists. Our feet and what we wear on them become ever more important as people age. His advice to everyone, “Don’t buy crappy shoes!”

Note to 27-year-olds

I couldn’t help mentioning my 27-year-old son with especially flat feet (those genes do it again) and if he could help him. This led to a pleading from Paul about how he so wished more young people and athletes could benefit from what he does earlier in their lives. “Have him bring in his hiking boots,” he offered. Paul and Peggy have been doing this work for 42 years; they have more of their own needs to consider, so have cut their shop hours to three days per week, which they call semi-retirement.

Our community is fortunate to have the likes of this business in our midst.

Doctor’s note

It is always essential to see a medical professional who can assess the situation and make a diagnosis when one suffers any ailment. This is KEY and not always straightforward; diagnosis, like treatment, often takes time and a stepwise process not always solved in one or even two visits. Especially when it comes to the feet, after you try a variety of treatment plans, if relief is not forthcoming, before an invasive intervention (i.e., injections and surgery), foot assessment and special footwear might safely offer more help than you (or I) could have imagined.

Lacey Shoe Repair is located on 4219 Pacific Ave SE, Lacey, WA 98503. They are open Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Debra Glasser, M.D., is a retired internal medicine physician who lives in Olympia. She is always caught flat-footed. Got a question for her? Write to her at drdebra@theJOLTnews.com