Hi everyone! I am a caregiver for my stepmother who has had an AVM rupture and a weaker balance gait. She loves going on long walks but I want a shoe with good traction and support. Does anyone have recommendations? Thinking about hokas but wondering if the cushioning could mess up her balance because she’s higher off the ground (i dont know I know it sounds silly but I am not sure)
I might be able to help out a little from a couple different angles. Im a runner and wear Hokas almost exclusively, and use the Bondi, Skyward and Rocket X depending on the type of running I’m doing. They are fantastic for me personally with a little history of plantar fasciitis, achilles tendonitis and IT band injury. I use a shoe by a ON when in the gym as my model Cloud X is great for that but does provide some cushioning. My hiking “boot” is the On Cloudrock for its stability and grip. The stack height in the Hokas is great for me, but when I suggested Hokas to my 87 year old mom for her walks, she was uncomfortable with the height. She went with a lower shoe made by New Balance, and really likes them. Most of her walking is on pavement so the balance of stability and cushioning is important.
My recommendation would be to go to a running store with a variety of options, that has trained staff to assess gait and see the recommendations provided. In Canada we have the Running Room who are great at fitting shoes to specific gaits, and challenges etc…I imagine similar stores are available to you.
I hope that helps a little. Im not obsessed with running shoes but have gone through a lot to find what works well for me particularly as I age and become more injury prone! Take Care, John