These $9 Heel Cushions Are the Only Way I Can Wear Dr. Martens Without Crying

They say beauty is pain, and while I’ve certainly experienced stray bra underwires stabbing my ribcage, dresses that are nearly impossible to sit in and, of course, blisters from all types of shoes, I’ve never felt anything quite like the pain of wearing Dr. Martens. Do I love the way they look? Absolutely. Do I want to spend the four days after wearing them caring for golf ball-size wounds on my heels? (So sorry to make you read that.) Not really.

So, bloodied and defeated, I began to accept that I might have to resign myself to a Doc-less life. (Don’t think I didn’t try to break them in—my feet and those shoes are not meant to live in harmony.) But then, as if sent from the heavens, I discovered a TikTok video praising a pair of gel-like heel cushions that apparently save your feet from the absolute demons that are Dr. Martens.

For $9, you'll get three pairs of heel cushions that are meant for preventing blisters, healing dry cracked heels, relieving pain caused by Achilles tendinitis, plantar fasciitis and more.

I ordered them immediately and waited impatiently for them to arrive. Two days later, I slipped on the heel cushions, followed by my favorite Happy Socks and my Dr. Martens Jadon boots and headed out for the day. They do feel a tiny bit weird initially, but I got used to the feeling of gel on my heels pretty quickly. As for blisters? Nonexistent. The cushions are super easy to wash after wearing, and despite the ventilation holes—which I thought would cause tearing—they’re surprisingly durable.

The ability to wear one of my favorite pairs of boots without making my feet look like I just ran an ultra-marathon? All for less than the cost of my favorite Sweetgreen salad? A total no-brainer.

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