Psoriatic arthritis & footwear

[brit2013]

Good evening all.

Just curious to know what others wear indoor slippers & boots in the winter & summer?

[Hidden]

I wear crocs indoors. And sometimes outdoors for gardening etc. They're not beautiful in my opinion, but although I used to like going barefoot indoors, the soles of my feet are now too sensitive. Crocs are very light and cushioned to just the right extent for me. I like the fact that they're washable because the trouble with proper slippers is that I can't stay put & I'd need to change into something else to pop out into the garden - but crocs can go anywhere. Apart from job interviews, I wouldn't recommend them unless it's for a job that involves working in an operating theatre.

This sounds like an advert, sort of! But I guess 'crocs' has become a generic name for this type of footwear!

[Hidden]

Hello

I used to have to ware sandals all the time even in winter, when the Specialist and GP found out they put me , after a couple of years they had me see a Podiatrist who measured my feet and took impressions, of both feet and checked my leg length, I have one leg slightly shorter than the other. Then they asked me what style I wanted out of a shoe booklet and had a pair built for me, they also raised one of the soles and put in special insoles. Initially I was given one pair then two, so that when on pair needed resoling I would wear the other pair, the shoes are maintained by the hospital clinic and when I need replacement they will supply a new pair from new measurements. i have small joint arthritis caused by PSA

BOB

[earthwitch]

Ankylosing spondylitis here, but yes, I do wear shoes pretty much all the time. Annoying, as I used to love being barefoot.

[Hidden]

I wear Emu sheepskin mules in the house, so soothing and soft for my sore feet, then always Hotter shoes and sandals, like the bouncy feel of them, helps my back pain xx

[norfolkjo]

Slipper boots . I have loads of pairs . Walking barefoot kills

[xandii]

Hi Brit,

I'm a great fan of the croc type of shoes as well ! I wear them all the time inside and out and they suit me pretty well for the support and comfort side of things. Now you can get them with a type of sheepskin lining they are very warm when you need them to be as well and can just go straight into the washing machine for a freshen up if you get them grubby. As someone said...... They are not the height of fashion in some situations and don't Necessarily work well with suits but since I wear comfortable and warm clothes in preference to fashionable they really fit well with my wardrobe style nowadays. They are also pretty good for the budget and you can get a good range of colours and slightly different models for reasonable prices so I have quite a few different colours, some lined and some not to fit every situation I find myself in. They are of course, excellent when you go for medical examinations as well as you just slip them on and off as many times as you need to without trying to bend down of fasten laces or buckles so I think they have a lot going to recommend them to anyone with PsA like myself or any other chronic condition that requires comfortable feet.

Sorry I can't be much more help !

Take care,

X

[Mary2G]

I can't walk barefoot on hard surfaces and wear Birkenstocks most of the year. They have a well shaped footbed that supports my flat feet well. I also have shoes with orthotics made for me by the hospital as well as some other commercial orthotics which I can wear to provide support in more normal shoes when I want to wear something prettier to look at. I se the podiatrist every 8 weeks and that helps a lot too. If you want to try Birkenstocks see if they have a pair in your size at TKMax - I get all of mine from there. I take a size 8 and have wide feet and find the men's Birkenstocks very comfortable though I can wear the ladies ones too.

[pippin_fort]

I wear boots/ Uggs (real not fake as they are very soft inside and cushion painful joints), slippers which have similar fur lining inside and Fitflops for as much of the summer as I am able. Basically anything that does not press on painful joints. If I wear shoes I make sure that they have a cushioned sole and are wide fitting to allow for swelling. I hope this helps. Good luck. Painful feet are very draining.

[pm52]

I cannot wear shoes at all now. In the winter I wear shoes and boots made for me and ordered via the orthotist at the hospital which are great but not so pretty! Also Fitflop boots are good, not all of them cecause they can be too shallow in the toe area, but the sheepskin ones are good as are their slippers, they are great, In the summer I wear Fitflop sandals all the time when it is dry and they are amazing, no pressure on my feet at all and thick cushioned soles. Hope this helps. Perhaps you can get a referral from your rheumatologist to see the orthotist?

[angel-delight]

Hi brit2013,

I use to have a terrible time buying comfy shoes, now I wear DB easyb shoes and they are vat exempt depending on the size. You can order a catalogue which I did just yesterday or you can read through the catalogue online at dbshoes.co.uk they have a good range of shoes. I buy the "stretch to fit" and they have been the most comfortable. I call my local shop and he will order several for me to come in and try them on which is great but you can order online.

Hope this helps you and it is what you are looking for.

Good luck, take care. x

[Hidden]

I have moved all my footwear over to hotter shoes as they have cushioned insoles and wider fitting. I live and die in my hotter trainers so comfy. I also have two pairs of m&s slippers that can be put in the washing machine and alternate these each week for indoors, these are big enough to wear bed socks all day in winter to help with the cold and hurting when indoors.

[leflunomideifyoudont]

Fitflops!

[sueathome]

I was recommended MBT shoes for my painful toes & sore feet, several years ago. The rolling action of the curved outer sole takes a short while to get used to, but the benefit is that your feet & toes stay flat inside the shoe, and the curved base does the walking action for you. The soles are really thick & cuishoned, so you can't feel the surface you're walking on, even if it's really rough. I can't wear anything else outdoors now, so over the years I've gathered a canvas trainer style, a full leather pair for wet weather and sandles for the summer. They're expensive, so after getting an initial fitting in a shop, where I didn't buy any, I buy them online to find the best price, although sometimes a style can still need exchanging for a smaller or larger size. I'd recommend trying some on first before buying. Sometimes ebay has nearly new ones sold by people who didn't get on with them.

Indoors, I rely on Padders slippers with memory foam insoles, which are like pillows for your feet! In the summer, Totes Isotoner mules are good as they have thick memory foam insoles as well.

[Cathryn]

I also swear by crocs boots, sandals and clogs . I also wear emu boots as the toes are wide and comfy but have recently bought a pair of wide fit Skechers with memory foam insole that are like slippers as they slip on. Finding them very comfy at the moment .

[Hidden]

Fit Flops for me. Slippers, Mukluk boots in winter. Sandals in summer. Expensive, but they last for ages. And I tend to wait for the end of season sales, when I can get them half price.

[Cornishrex]

Can any of you tell me why your feet hurt. I'm assuming that a lot of you are "under control" and so won't actually have any inflammation in your feet? So do you know why they still hurt such that you cannot go barefoot?

[Hidden in reply to Cornishrex]

You cannot go bare feet as my feet are numb and burn. Your podiatrist advises against it, I had a piece of glass in my foot and dd not know it. Although I am under control with inflammation I am still unable to walk properly. Am taking it that your feet are ok and your body is affected elsewhere.

[Cornishrex in reply to Hidden]

Thanks. No, the balls of my feet are always slightly sore but everything else is fine and my inflammatory markers show no inflammation. So I wondered what might cause the soreness without inflammation. I usually wear fit flops so this thread interested me. I went on MTX for 4 months, and had no change. And have now come off it for a month, but still no change either way. Had it for 6 months now. I might go see a podiatrist and see if they can come up with an explanation other than arthritis.

[Hidden in reply to Cornishrex]

I think there can be some inflammation even when inflammatory markers are low and the disease is deemed to be under control. Under control is not the same as 'gone'!

PsA also causes enthesitis - inflammation of any of the tiny points at which tendons connect to bone. And it doesn't necessarily show up as inflammation in blood tests but it hurts. There are an awful lot of little bones and tendons in the feet so lots of opportunities for enthesitis as well as for inflammation of the joints there.

[Cornishrex in reply to Hidden]

Hmm. Ok. So you're saying that everyone above probably has active inflammation in their feet, or enthesitis. Well with a crp of 0.4 and esr of 6-7 I don't believe I have inflammation. But I hadn't heard of this enthesitis. I'll look into it, thanks.

[artyone in reply to Cornishrex]

I have synovitis in my feet.maybe it's that feels like I'm walking on a Peebles beach. I take no medication for my ra my choice not specialist recommendation.ive been 3 years and not much worse than I was. Feel blessed.

[nomoreheels in reply to Cornishrex]

Put simply IMHO Cornishrex it's because they're not included in the DAS 28. I have awful problems, some of which can be managed but none of which will never be right because of this. It's been covered in many publications yet still feet aren't included. I feel dispensation could be given if we have foot problems & certainly if it's where RD first presented to save us from the complications which arise from them not being examined.

I always fall in the low disease activity score in spite of having little swelling or pain in the joints included in the DAS 28 & this is in part because the inflammation shows in my bloods because the disease activity is in my feet. Eventually they were examined & been it's confirmed that that's where the disease activity is resulting in an increase in MTX & referral to Podietry.

I could continue but it would serve no purpose. Save to say that if my feet had been examined 18 months to 2 years ago I wouldn't have had all the problems I have now or need all the work that is being done to get me to a place where I can have orthotics made. All were dealt with previously when I had the full DAS performed as the feet were included & any sign of activity was acted on. I had pretty feet then & I could walk properly.

[Hidden in reply to nomoreheels]

Hi nmh, that's the difference between ra and PsA as our feet are included in the count! It's one of the recognised symptoms especially our heels and toes.

[nomoreheels in reply to Hidden]

Thanks for clarifying Georje, I didn't know that. So which examination do have? Is it the original DAS, the 44 point check?

I suppose those of us with RD must pay the price of painful & ugly feet then if our Rheumy's won't or delay examining our feet! Seems most unfair though, permanent damage & pain because we have the wrong arthritic disease.

[Hidden in reply to nomoreheels]

Don't know how high only that when I reached 29 been on three dmards which didn't hit the sides, I was put forward for tnf and received the funding. Das was never used as a word just 'adding up your scores'. Am confused as you whether it's dad or not.

[nomoreheels in reply to Hidden]

I suppose it doesn't really matter as long as you're cared for & any problems with them reacted upon. I just wish it was the same for those with RD & then I wouldn't have the problems I do now.

[beeckey]

My feet have always been sore they were the first sign when i took RA even when other joints feel a bit better my feet are alwa ys sore i assume that it is damage that has been done but there are people on here that know more than i so i will let them answer this one for both of us

[Pands]

Shoes: I wear sheepskin slippers all winter indoors (and sometimes in th summer as well). I wear fitflops in the summer indoors for the cushioning soles. I have extensive damage to the small bones in my foot from my RA and there is some fusing. So that with ongoing inflammation is what causes the pain for me!

[LIZMAC10]

Hi brit 2015 . Well I just treated myself to another pair of fitflop clogs. They are so comfortable and lovely to wear , they are a bit expensive but they are worth it . Hope this helps 😊

[adycol]

Crocs everywwear and all weathers x x