So, here's the thing. In 2008 I started up an exercise and eating regimen that included 1400 calories and 45 minutes of wogging (walk-jogging) a day for 3 months. I dropped almost 30 pounds and over 17 inches overall. Awesome, right? Ok, well near the end of the summer (when I was doing this), my 2-year-old Nike's finally kicked the bucket. The soles were falling off, etc. They were a mess.

So, I went to a proper shoe store (not Payless or Walmart) and was fitted for a pair of Brooks. They felt great in the store. They felt great when I walked around at home with them.

Then, I took them out on the road. After about 4 minutes, the outer part of my feet were KILLING me. I figured I just hadn't broken them in. I persevered. After 2 weeks, the pain was still there when I was outside with them, but never inside. I could even walk on a treadmill with no problems. So, I went and bought some fancy insoles. No help. I even tried my $300 orthotics that I had made in 2007 and rarely wore because they were too thick for all my shoes. That didn't help either. Regardless, I stuck with them and this past Christmas I bought myself the Kinect for xbox. Since my feet sweat and I have hardwood, I had to wear my shoes to exercise. Lo-and-behold, those damn shoes feel fine until I start to exercise in them. Then, the outsides of my feet ACHE like someone's smashing them with hammers.

At Christmas 2008, I bought a pair of work shoes from Mark's Workwear House and have been wearing them for everything. I could walk for blocks with them on pavement, in the bush, whatever. But they're so old now and so worn out that my feet slip in them when I'm walking. I wore them 2 weeks ago for a 20 minute walk and the balls of my feet were burnt from slipping so much afterward.

Over Easter, I bought a pair of New Balance. They're extra wides and they are so comfortable around the house. I went on a 6 km hike this past weekend and they were fine through the trails.

But, get them on to pavement and within 4 or 5 minutes, I'm having the same problems as before! I just got back from a 20 minute walk and near the end, I was debating on whether I should actually crawl home.

I, obviously, cannot bring the NB's back. They've been through the mud when we went quadding over Easter, they've been through the forest, etc. Insoles didn't help the last time, neither did my orthotics (specifically made for my feet).

I'm at my wit's end. I don't understand why my old, beaten down shoes from Mark's feel fine, but the other ones only hurt when I start walking on the sidewalk.

Does anyone have any ideas?

I do overpronate (i.e. flatfeet) but I have no pain in my ankles, or the inside aspects of my feet. It's the outer aspects, right between the heel and the little toe.

I think if you constantly have pain then no exercise until your foot completely heals.

I have/had (they say it never goes away fully) and I didn't exercise for MONTHS until it healed and then I bought good shoes from road runners (they fit shoes for you also) and haven't had issues since. IF I do start to feel pain I immediately stop and rest a few days- if I pursue it just gets worse.

It's not just when I exercise. Just walking outside today hurt both feet. I've never injured them. They're 100% fine any other time, except in those shoes and the Brooks shoes. Then the outsides of my feet ache.

Soon as I take them off, I'm fine. I can walk on a treadmill with them with no problems; but outside on pavement? Can't do it.

First, I would check the return policy at the store where you bought the NB shoes. Then I would check the NB site online for guarantees and return policy. If they don't work, take them back, muddy or not.

My next suggestion would be to see an orthopedist. Get your feet evaluated and get recommendations for shoes.

I have tons of trouble with my feet and my orthopedist is my friend. There is nothing worse than aching feet, except maybe a toothache. I go and get my feet taped about every 3 months. So worth it.

My job requires that I spend the better part of the day on my feet. I work for a veterinarian. I also suffer from plantar fasciatis, (spelling?) more commonly known as heel spurs. So I am way fussy about my shoes.

Don't give up! Shop and wear and return, until you find something that works.

Return policy (which they reiterated to me at least 3 times) was they can be brought back so long as they were not worn outside. Once they were worn outside, I can't bring them back. Very annoying considering they were $220 after taxes!

I think I'm going to try my old orthotics, and maybe take them to get shaved down so they fit. Maybe that will work.

It's just odd that they ONLY hurt on pavement. No where else.

What kind of pain is it and where on your foot exactly? Does the pain go away after you sit or do you have to take them off for the pain to go away? I get the impression (ie. I am no foot expert) that if the pain goes away with different footwear, it's not an injury, just a bad fit.
I personally have had problems (read: major cramping across the front of the foot) from too snugly tied or fitting shoes, as well as from shoes that are TOO soft. Something about a pillowy air pocketed layer makes my feet rebel.

The pain is on the outer aspects of both feet, between the ankle and the baby toe.

The pain goes away if I stop walking on pavement. When I went for that hike on Saturday, we had to walk up this hill on pavement and after about 10 minutes of it my feet were hurting. We then turned off onto the trail, which was rocky and dirt and stuff, and for the next 2-1/2 hours my feet were fine. Coming back, we took the road, and for most of the way it was gravel and my feet never hurt. Once we hit pavement, I got the same pain again until we got onto the sand by the beach at the lake.

Walked to the car with no problem over the grass, drove to a restaurant, walked there no problem, drove home no problem.

But on pavement OR when I'm exercising on hardwood, totally different story. Then I'm in pain within about 5 minutes.

I'm completely baffled as to why.

The shoes are an "extra wide"; and they're usually sold mainly to people with medical conditions. They are so comfortable; like walking barefoot in relation to having so much room for my wide wide feet. I can walk in the stores, wear them to work, no problems.

But within 5 minutes or so of walking on pavement, I'm in pain.

It happened with my Brooks, and those are significantly narrower. It never happened with the Nikes and it doesn't happen with the Mark's Workwearhouse shoes I have now.

Don't self diagnose, you've already done that and nothing seems to be working... I agree with the poster who said to go visit your foot specialist and go from there...

Hmmm, alright, I have no idea then. I will say I have experienced something similar though with my current shoes. After a lot of quick walking or distance walking on pavement, my toes start to hurt and go numb, but the instant I start walking in sand/grass, the pain goes away. But because it's harder on my leg muscles, I tend to save the non-pavement walking for brief bouts of foot pain relief. Now I'm curious to see what you find. Perhaps we are having similar issues in different parts of the feet.

I think I will be mentioning it to my nurse practitioner (like a family doctor) on the 13th when I see her again and hopefully get a referral to a podiatrist. I'm worried that s/he will want to give me another set of orthotics because the last ones that were specifically made for me cost over $300!

But, we'll see what happens.

Thanks everyone!