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I conceived this idea from one of my clients I saw this past week. This gentlman has two different sizes for feet. He has a 10 on Left and 11 on right.

My question is: Has anyone found or runs something on the net to help find clients/patients who have different sized feet find their match on the net so they can exchange footwear?

Your thoughts?

If there is no such thing would you/ your clinic and patients benefit from such a service?

Thanks for your time
MN

There is the National Odd Shoe Exchange, but their site is currently down for maintainence, but has been like that for at least a few days, so maybe no longer operating.

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Hi Craig,

Thanks for the info.
Mike Neugebauer

Not sure if they still exist, but an organisation called "sole mates" used to put people with odd sized feet in touch with their opposite counterpart to facilitate shoe exchange between the pair.
Perhaps a web search would come up with more info?

Best regards,
Poll

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There is a company called Simple Way which makes shoes of differing sizes - very reasonable prices £60 ish if I remember rightly, plus a surcharge (£15?)for supplying different sizes. They can accommodate minor deformities in the uppers and are suitable for average to wide feet.

Hope this helps.

Anna Mapp

Thanks Anna...

I see the National Odd Shoe Exchange site is back up and those Google cached links above I gave have now gone.

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Craig Payne
Department of Podiatry
La Trobe University
Melbourne, Australia
http://www.latrobe.edu.au/podiatry
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God put me on this earth to accomplish a certain number of things - right now I am so far behind, I will never die.
The views expressed above are those of the author and not that of La Trobe University
This is where I am, where are you?

Hi Peeps - This is neat, contacts for US and UK, thanks for that info, does anyone know of any NZ contact? I have a patient with feet of two different sizes who has big trouble getting shoes to be a comfortable fit on both feet. As an 'at risk' patient this is a clinical issue - and yes we are working with local hospital but it does mean that the hospital may be the only source of shoes, and there may not be a lot of choice for the patient, who, like many, has financial restrictions on buying two pairs of shoes to get one usable. I will at this point praise the hospital service staff who are extremely skillful and helpful and increasing their range for patients. It appears that they may be the only choice of 'shoe shop' for patients with different sized feet and there must be people out there for whom different sized feet is the only issue.

I thought Sole mates were about putting amputees in contact with somebody the same size with the other remaining leg but i could be wrong.

Here in the US, Nordstrom's department store will sell mismatched shoes but there has to be as least a 1.5 size difference.

Also, Birkenstock online will sell mismatched shoes: http://www.birkenstockexpress.com/Se...fm/topnav2.256

Hi Robert,
I definately used a group called sole mates (run by a really nice woman called Anne) several years ago to help a client who had a need for one shoe size 5 and one size 7 (UK).

Since that time I have encountered 3 other clients who have a similar need. I searched locally and made (many ) enquiries and eventually discovered that my local Clarks shop was able to help. The manager of this shop arranges for clients to try on and select shoes at her branch and then orders the specific sizes for them directly from the factory. There is an extra charge for the service, but nothing approaching the cost of 2 pairs of shoes.

Hope this helps,
Poll

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Hi Polly,


Clarks used to run a scheme whereby they supplied odd sized shoes and charged an additional 50% for adult’s shoes. For children they charged an additional 25%.

As far as I understand, Clarks abolished this scheme last year for both adults and children.

They claimed that, now that their shoes are no longer manufactured in the UK, it is not economically viable to offer this service. Other companies like Hush Puppies and Startrite have already given up similar schemes.

Sole mates does supply odd sized shoes or shoes for only one foot. This is a voluntary organisation which has a register of over 5,000 people with different-sized feet. Its aim is to match odd-footed people with their opposites, in the hope that they'll be able to share pairs! Failing that, Sole Mates can supply a list of companies offering dissimilar shoes.

As well as the companies listed above, The British Footwear Association produces a booklet entitled Footwear for special needs at a cost of £3.

The Disabled Living Foundation produces a useful fact sheet on finding suitable footwear for various needs.

There is also The British Odd Shoe Exchange which is a resource for single shoes for amputees or for odd sized shoes for people with different sized feet.

Many manufacturers, mail order companies and orthopaedic footwear companies also provide odd sized shoes.

Regards

Anne

Thanks for this Anne. I was unaware that Clarks no longer offered this service. Do you by any chance have the contact details of the British Odd Shoe Exchange?

Many thanks,
Poll

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Hi Polly,

Try Emailing: oddshoex@aol.com

Regards

Anne

http://www.ebility.com/shoes/
This appears to the be the Australian version!

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My location

If The Shoe Fits Foundation
PO Box 1529
Riverton, UT 84065-9998
Ph: 801-808-7009
E-Mail: iftheshoefits@desertmail.com

Need A Shoe
P. O. Box 371222
Denver, CO 80237

One Shoe Crew
9328 Aizenberg Cir.
Elk Grove, CA 95624
Ph/Fax: 916-685-8746

Sole Mates
Ann Cross
46 Gordon Road
Chingford
London
E4 6BU

Tel: 0208 524 2423

Hotter Comfort Concept offer a service for those with significant differences in shoe size - they will provide a 30% discount on the second pair of shoes, provided the customer's GP or Podiatrist provides a letter saying they need this service.

Regards,
Martin Nunn
Podiatry Service Manager
Hotter Comfort Concept

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