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Foot Care Solutions

What is a Pedorthist?

A Certified Pedorthist (C. Ped) is a specialist in using footwear–including shoes, orthotics, and other pedorthic devices–to solve problems in or related to the foot and lower limbs. These experienced professionals are trained in evaluating feet and fitting footwear to alleviate pain or assist in recovering from an injury or surgery.

Meet With Our Pedorthists

We know it’s tempting to self-diagnose your foot problems by going to your favorite online medical source. While this may give you some ideas on what could be causing your problem, serious foot pain deserves a full medical analysis to determine an exact diagnosis. We recommend you see your family doctor or a podiatrist first, and then let Peterson Shoes be your partner to provide footwear and foot care solution your provider suggests. Schedule an appointment online or call our store at 763-421-3433!

  • Sandra Purtle, C. Ped
  • Michelle Purtle, C.Ped
  • Dawn Purtle
  • Amy Sandmann

Over-the-Counter Orthotics

Peterson Shoes carries a wide variety of over-the-counter orthotics that can help ease your foot pain. Here are some of the most highly recommended orthotics we stock:
  • Superfeet - Green, Blue, Orange, Berry
  • Spenco Total Support
  • Powerstep
  • Birkenstock
  • Icebug
  • Quadrastep

    Ideal for those experiencing pain or mobility issues. These inserts are the closest that you can get to a custom orthotic and have been carefully designed to help with a variety of conditions. See specialist to get fitted.
  • Medi
  • We also carry an extensive line of Pedifix products, including callus and corn protectors, toe protectors, and bunion guards.

Custom Orthodics

Custom orthotics are specialized shoe inserts designed to support, align, or improve the function of your feet. Unlike over-the-counter insoles, custom orthotics are made to fit the specific contours of your feet to address your unique foot structure, pressure points, and alignment issues. Requires a prescription from your doctor.
  • Full Sole Lift
  • Wedge
  • Flange
  • Flare
  • Interior Heel

What Determines a Shoe's Performance?

Construction & Materials

Construction techniques like sliplasting, injection molding, and stitching, along with carefully chosen materials, impact a shoe’s firmness, flexibility, weight, and overall performance. These elements work together to ensure quality, comfort, and functionality.

A Function of a Shoe

Selecting the right footwear for specific activities is essential, as no single shoe can suit every purpose. Proper shoes ensure optimal performance and comfort tailored to your needs.

Shoe Shape

The shape of the shoe must match the shape of the foot to ensure comfort and avoid potential damage to your feet over time. A proper fit reduces pressure points and allows for natural movement.

Heel Height

When walking barefoot, the heel normally rises about 2 inches during each step with the front of the foot providing push-off motion. In a higher-heeled shoe, natural movement is altered. The initial effect is redistribution of weight; an enormous amount of pressure is redistributed onto the forefoot, affecting the ability of the toes to push off and changing a person’s gait. With long-term usage, higher heels also have a ripple effect on the upper body. Increased pressure on your feet creates pressure on your upper joints, muscles and tendons.

Foot Characteristics

Feet lengthen, shorten, expand and contract during motion, thousands of times a day. They also get longer and broader as people get older. But while your feet change continuously, your shoes don’t. That’s what makes it important to measure your feet regularly when shopping for shoes; it provides you with a baseline that allows you to match your foot’s characteristics with a shoe designed to account for them. Foot length, width, girth, arch height and natural padding are all factors, along with the activity for which you're buying the shoe.

Shoe Fit

Shoe “sizes” are not standardized, which means a shoe labeled “Size 8” by Manufacturer A will be very different from ones that other manufactures call “Size 8.” That’s because shoes are built on models called lasts, which determine the fit of the shoe, not an industry-wide standard. What is standard about size is the difference between a whole size and a half-size: one-third of an inch. Be prepared to shop for shoes within a small size range. If you wear a size 8 in one brand, you might need a 7 ½ or 8 ½ in another brand and within the same brand.

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