IS THERE FOOTWEAR TO REDUCE KNEE PAIN FOR ELDERS WITH ARTHRITIS?

Before pain and arthritis, pain and the war with Iran:

• Iran's new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, missed his father's six-day state funeral entirely. He has not made a single public appearance since he was appointed following the strike that killed his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, at the start of the conflict. [1, 2, 3, 4]  Other sources say he was there in disguise.

• 
  Believed to have been wounded in the February attack by Israel and the US that killed his father, mother and wife, the new supreme leader has remained in hiding since the war began, communicating with his supporters only through written statements, never showing his face or using his voice.  Clearly, he must have revenge in mind.  The New York Post quoted President Trump today as saying he had "left instructions" for the U.S. to bomb Iran "at levels that they've never seen before" if the Islamic Republic assassinates him, claiming he has "been No. 1" on their list of targets "for a long time."
• 
  You ask, why aren't there more revolts occurring instead of millions honoring the Supreme Leader at his 6-day funeral.
• Simple, the population of metro Tehran is close to 17 million.
• Government workers and many others dependent on the leaders are "forced" to come.
• For the anti-establishment group, past crackdowns have been severe, so they just stay away.  The Islamic Republic of Iran Army and Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps continue to loyal and vigilant.
• 
  Ship traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remains limited.  More and more, the Red Sea/Suez Canal route is being used.
• Gasoline was $2.98 /gallon just before this war began, 132 days ago.
• Today, at $3.88/gallon.  However, this price rose to $4.50 in May.

• 
  President Donald Trump says the ceasefire is over.  However, Pakistan and Qatar continue to mediate.

About that bipartisan housing bill that President Donald Trump is holding hostage until passage of his Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE America) Act, he has to do something by midnight tonight:

Democrats in Congress hailed it as the biggest housing bill in decades. Republicans called it a win for families across the country. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt described it on X as "one of the most significant pieces of housing legislation in American history." And in June, both houses of Congress passed it with broad bipartisan support.

House Speaker Mike Johnson delivered the housing bill to the president on June 29, starting a 10-day clock for him to either sign or veto the bill. That clock is set to expire tonight at 11:59 p.m. ET — without action from the president, the bill will become law automatically.

On Friday morning, Trump posted on Truth Social: "I will not sign the Housing Bill, which has been fully approved by Congress and sent to the White House, in PROTEST over the fact that the United States Senate is not capable of passing THE SAVE AMERICA ACT."

About the topic of the day, someone related to me that there is a place in Japan that has no knee problems.  Maybe it was what they wore on their feet?  Me, with knee problems, got interested.  So I asked Google AI about this.

You are likely thinking of Yuzurihara (a village in Yamanashi Prefecture), which gained worldwide attention as a "village of long life" where elderly residents maintained youthful, flexible joints and smooth skin into their 80s and 90s. [1]

The village’s reputation for defying calendar age is often tied to several key factors that protect knee health:[1]

• Traditional Diet: Their regional diet is rich in hyaluronic acid, antioxidants, and anti-inflammatory elements like sweet potatoes, taro, konjac, and fermented soy. [1]
• 
  Constant Natural Movement: The region’s terraced, mountainous terrain means locals naturally maintain strong leg and core muscles, with many residents actively farming and walking their fields well into old age. [1]
• The "Hara Hachi Bu" Philosophy: Eating until only 80% full helps residents avoid excess weight gain, drastically reducing chronic daily stress on their knees. [1]

On Primetime, Connie Chung reported on the "Village of Long Life."

In the year 2000, an ABC television news reporter visited the village of Yuzurihara in Japan (about 2 hours north of Tokyo). The report showed villages who defied the hands of time. Out of 990 villages surveyed by the world health organisation, there were 10 times more people living beyond the age of 85 in Yuzurihara than in the whole of North America and Japan.

Dr Toyosuke Komori, the town doctor, had been studying the population for over 60 years. He noted that there had never been a case of skin cancer. Fewer people developed the age-related health problems of diabetes, heart disease or cancer. Dr Komori attributed the longevity and good health of the residents of Yuzurihara to a substance called Hyaluronic Acid (HA).

If there is a secret of youth in Yuzurihara, it may be due to the phyto-oestrogens from plants such as soy, and the dark purple sweet potato. They are known to increase the production of HA in the human body.

Whilst we try to increase HA in joints by the use of glucosamine supplements, that is only one half of the HA molecule. HA is two sugar like molecules (glucosamine and glucuronic acid). Oral HA can rapidly replace lost HA as we age and help with joint health, youthful skin and healthy eyes.

Well, is there a Yuzurihara shoe to prevent knee pains?  I noticed a pair from Cosplay.  I asked Google AI:

No, standard Yuzurihara cosplay shoes (often worn for characters like Yuzuriha Ogawa from Dr. Stone) do not work to eliminate knee pain. [1, 2, 3]

So all the above has mostly has to do with a longer life through physical well-being from diet and lifestyle, just one result being better knees.  

• Studies showed that people here had a high intake of hyaluronan, which helps keep joints lubricated with synovial fluid.  Included in their diet are:
• Bone broth:  simmering bones, skin and cartilage breaks down animal cells to release natural hyaluronic acid and collagen.
• Liver and kidney, both contain high amounts of this acid.

• 
  Soy beans are widely consumed, like in edamame (boiled soybeans) and miso.
• Miso is a traditional Japanese seasoning made from fermented soybeans, salt and a cultivated mold/fungus called koji.  
• This product is packed with umami, known as the fifth basic taste, alongside sweet, sour, salty and bitter.
• Many in Japan daily consume miso soup for breakfast.

• 
  Citrus fruits contain naringenin, a flavonoid that helps preserve hyaluronic acid in your body.
• Root vegetables, especially purple sweet potatoes, which are high in magnesium, a necessary mineral for hyaluronic acid synthesis.
• Leafy greens and nuts like kale, spinach, almonds and cashews provide magnesium.

Anyway, Japanese sporting brand, Mizuno, partnered with medical experts to research how people in this village walked.  They created a YOUDO walking shoe series. That word is a play on words, and in Japanese refers to guiding the foot to promote proper walking.  Here is what they developed.

• A patented 3-layered sole that changes shape with every step to gently guide the wearer's weight distribution, reducing the typical load on the inner side of the knee.
• There are cushion holes at the bottom of the shoe, strategically placed for more natural weight transition.
• Lightweight cusioning, such as U4ic and SR touch materials, actively converts force into forward energy.

Available products.

• Mizuno Wave Sky 8/9: Their premium neutral max-cushion trainer. It features Mizuno Enerzy NXT foam that provides cloud-like, floating landings, drastically reducing the shock transmitted up your legs to your knees. [1, 2]

• 
  Mizuno Wave Horizon 8/9: A max-cushion stability shoe. It incorporates an asymmetrical Wave plate and a structured, firmer medial wall that corrects overpronation and balances your stride. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
• 
  Mizuno Wave Inspire 22: A lighter, moderately supportive stability shoe. If you overpronate (roll inward), it uses an open clamshell Wave plate that guides your foot into proper alignment, relieving joint pressure. [1, 2]

• 
  Mizuno YOUDO: Specifically engineered for knee support. The unique sole compresses gently to naturally guide your weight to the inner side of your foot, minimizing the internal burden on the knee joints. [1]

• 
  Hoka Gaviota 6 (Best for Stability) [1, 2]
• Why it helps: If your ankles roll inward (overpronation), it misaligns your knees and causes joint stress. The Gaviota uses an internal "H-Frame" to keep your foot centered, reducing this twisting.
• Best for: Runners or walkers needing severe impact protection with heavy arch and ankle support. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

• 
  Hoka Clifton 10 (Best Overall) [1, 2]

• Why it helps: The Clifton 10 provides a balanced, highly-cushioned ride with an 8mm heel-to-toe drop. This higher drop relieves load and strain on the calves and facilitates an easier, rolling forward motion.
• Best for: Neutral runners, walkers, and professionals spending all day on their feet. [1, 2]
• 
  Hoka Bondi 9 (Best for Max Cushion) [1]

• Why it helps: The Bondi 9 features Hoka’s thickest, most plush cushioning. This is ideal for reducing the bone-on-bone impact that travels up to the knee, especially during sharp heel strikes.
• Best for: Heavier individuals, people with patellofemoral knee pain, or those doing recovery walks on concrete. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

Very recently Dr. Cass Nakasone, the premier surgeon for knee replacement in Hawaii, came to 15 Craigside to educate us on arthritis.  In short:

• If you're young, you probably don't have arthritis.
• If you're old, you have arthritis.  The condition only worsens with age.
• One in four adults, versus one in 1000 youngsters, have arthritis.
• There are over 100 different types arthritis.
• Arthritis is the #1 leading cause of worker disability.
• There is a lack of strong evidence that stem cell therapy, supplements, and topical ointment can cure arthritis.  

• 
  Yes, some have reported to benefit from the above.
• But medical plans do not cover stem cell treatment.
• Supplements and ointments can be used, and should be if you feel better.  The placebo effect helps some, but only a few.  But I always refer back to one of my postings that all these non-traditional applications, like acupunture, Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) machines, and similar devices, all seem to help patients maybe 14% of the time, which is very similar to the placebo effect shown in medical research.

• 
  He kept emphasizing that sufficient exercise and not getting fat are the two most effective measures anyone can take to reduce the pain from arthritis.
• No matter what you do, if the pain is beyond your ability to function properly, then surgery can cure knee and hip pains.  This is largely covered by most medical plans.

I asked him if medical science can recommend the best footwear to reduce knee pain.

• Basically, he said no.
• I specifically brought up the matter of Mizuno research and the various products that have developed, but he seemed unaware of this.
• He did indicate that flatter bottoms are better.

So I again asked Google AI about the availability of special footware to reduce knee pain from arthritis.

Research shows that expensive, specialized "offloading" footwear designed for arthritis provides no extra pain relief compared to a comfortable, conventional pair of sneakers. You do not need to invest in costly specialty shoes to manage your symptoms. [1, 2, 3]

A breakdown of how shoe choices impact knee arthritis reveals the following:

• Specialty Shoes vs. Sneakers: Studies published in the Annals of Internal Medicine found that patients wearing conventional, laced walking shoes experienced the same reduction in walking pain and improvement in function as those wearing expensive, specially modified shoes. [1, 2]
• Supportive vs. Flexible: Clinical trial evidence varies on whether stable, supportive shoes or flat, flexible shoes offer more benefit. However, the general consensus is that simply choosing a comfortable, well-fitting shoe that suits your foot mechanics is the best approach . [1, 2, 3]
• What to Avoid: You should avoid high heels and worn-out, unsupportive footwear, as these can place increased strain on your joints. [1, 2, 3]

So what did I do? 

• Dr. Nakasone was no doubt right, so the wise thing to do was just forget about buying new footware,
• But I checked the internet anyway, and the best I could determine was that Hike Footwear showed potential.  From Google AI:

Hike Footwear offers barefoot-style shoes on Amazon designed to alleviate joint strain—including knee pain—by promoting a natural, zero-drop stride and proper posture . Their minimalist design allows your foot to move naturally, reducing the heavy impact on your knees that comes with traditional, stiff-soled footwear . [1, 2, 3]

• 
  As there was no store in Honolu that sold this brand, I went to Amazon.
• I have never mail-ordered shoes, for I have too feel right in shoe store to pick the best one.
• Nevertheless, I ordered.

Hike Footwear HF Stride – Hands-Off & Ergonomic Barefoot Shoes for Women Men, Thin Sole & Ultra-Light, Effortless Daily Wear Unisex

• Looks like I might have ordered the wrong size because this is what I later saw after I sent in the order.

• I now don't wear socks, but the shoe that came seemed bit small.  Yet, it was comfortable enough, so I walked around.  This might be that placebo effect, but every time I used this shoe, I had little to no knee pain.  Could this be just the phase of my sore knees, or something real?  Not sure.

So I searched the internet for where these Mizuno and Hoka shoes were available in Honolulu.  There are two shoe stores pretty much next to each other at the Ala Moana Shopping Center.  Those Hike shoes cost $70 on Amazon, but these Mizuno and Hoka 

Why would anyone, first, buy a product that medical science says is unnecessary?  And further, purchase another one?  Well, that's me, I guess, for I thought I would order one more Hike pair, a size larger.  There are shoe laces, so I thought I would be able to get this larger size to work.  Amazon said this should will arrive tomorrow.  Finally, notice that I buy black shoes, for these two will be the only ones I will bring on my next trip, and these walking shoes need to be good enough for formal wear.  I recently stopped wearing socks, and this larger size will be better for certain situations (like extreme cold), might be necessary.

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