The best shoes for RA?: Hello, I'm looking for shoes... - NRAS

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The best shoes for RA?

Purple_Watercolour profile image

Hello,

I'm looking for shoes that are comfy but smart enough for work and also to wear with dresses and skirts.

If someone could recommend shoes they has bought and have been good for their feet? I get swelling and lots of pain in my toes and Sketchers used to be good but wear away to quickly!

Thank you! 😊

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Purple_Watercolour profile image
Purple_Watercolour
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15 Replies
allanah profile image
allanah

I love hotter shoes

KittyJ profile image
KittyJ

If you type shoes into the search box and filter for NRAS then all the posts regarding that will come up. There was one very recently. Unfortunately, like meds, what suits one person doesn’t always suit another. Have you seen a podiatrist or been referred to orthotics? They may be able to help you 😊

benmaise profile image
benmaise in reply toKittyJ

I have tried a few but find Hotter the best.

Summerrain14 profile image
Summerrain14

I recently saw a podiatrist and she has been fantastic. My rheumatologist referred me. She advised for my problems with my feet particular footwear which will improve my current waddle gait. 😊 and hopefully ease my pain. Had custom made insoles made too. Going to have them fitted next Thursday. As they say one shoe does not fit all. RD can cause all kinds of problems with our feet so maybe a referral to the podiatrist is the first step so to speak.

Good luck. x

medway-lady profile image
medway-lady

Hotter and I think Sketchers may be comfy but in the long term no good for feet. I was told firm soled with small heel and I also like Tamaris especially their boots and Picollino.

wishbone profile image
wishbone in reply tomedway-lady

I was told Skechers don't offer enough support by my podiatrist, which is a pity as they are so comfortable. I've just messed up my light brown Skecher boots by using a black protective spray on them instead of neutral. :-(

medway-lady profile image
medway-lady in reply towishbone

Thats the same as me ! and to be honest he was right too.

Gjkas profile image
Gjkas

I find Hotter to be the best. They are stylish and comfortable. A lot of them has Velcro Fastening, so you can adjust them when your feet swell.Some of them have insoles. If you are looking for boots,I can highly recommend Hotter Whisper boots👢👞. They have 2 zips on them. One at the side of the outer side and one on the opposite side. They have them in Leather and Suede. I have 7 pairs of them, all in different colours .

They are soooo lovely and comfortable.

I also have sandals👡 from Pavers. They are all different types. But i think that Hotters are the best. My Nurse recommend Hotters to me. Im so glad that she did. 😊

Thingybob profile image
Thingybob

Clarks trigenic are good for me. Sketchers are comfy but too bouncy for my knees

Madmusiclover profile image
Madmusiclover

Hotter yes but don’t underestimate Clarkes. If I look in my wardrobe now its Hotter, Deichmann, Tesco (Skechers imitation), Clarke’s. I find summer footwear harder. Without a sock to cushion I need sandals with a footbed type. Flats are a Nono and I can’t wear toe posts coz of fibro. Good luck. Hotter often have sales which are best time to buy.

Gjkas profile image
Gjkas in reply toMadmusiclover

When I was a child I had to have my shoes specially made for me, because I had no arches. Then as i got older nearly all of my shoes were made by Clark's. Then 12 years ago my Hubby bought me a lovely pair of Clark's Leather Boots. I only wore them once. Then I became I'll and can't wear them anymore. But I've kept them ,mostly because of sentimental reasons. I can't bring myself to get rid of them..

I can't wear flats or toe posts because I've got Fibro and Rheumatoid. Also have trouble with my right foot,because i had a bunion operation done that went terribly wrong.I can't bend my foot or even wiggle my toes anymore.

I did find a nice pair of sandals last year.

They are peep toe with a slight wedge,also a bit of support at the sides.

I like Sketchers but I find that they don't give you enough support .I also can't wear Lace ups because of the Rheumatoid in my hands. Although my Hubby would tie them up for me. But he does enough for me already.

So I usually look for the Velcro type.

HappykindaGal profile image
HappykindaGal

I think someone mentioned Vionics before. They’re a bit smarter than the others. Clarkes are good as they come in different widths.vionicshoes.co.uk/

nomoreheels profile image
nomoreheels

Hiya Purple_Watercolour, welcome. Unfortunately as the foot changes through RD everyone's needs are different & so different brands offer different things, footbed, support, insole & whether it needs to be removable for custom made orthotics & such. I would recommend that you ask to be referred to Podiatry so your individual needs can be addressed & recommendation made by a professional, that way you'll save money by not buying something which aren’t supportive if that's what you need or some which have been mentioned but aren't necessarily the best sole out there. Also, ill fitting shoes can cause more problems, what may seem comfy may not hold your foot correctly & as there are so many bones in the foot it's easy to cause issues you may not be aware you're doing. I've bought everything from Clark’s to Ara & my problems are such that I need a walking boot for stability & ankle support. You'll need to consider whether you'll need lace ups or Velcro fastening to accommodate if your foot shape varies during the day. I find I need to release mine as I have more swelling in the morning.

As you can imagine it's a regular question, you can look for past posts if you use the Search Healthunlocked box & select My Communities but this is the most recent one healthunlocked.com/nras/pos...

Hoka One One is the very best for exercise. They are incredibly supportive all around the bottom of your feet and the sides. They changed my life, I can walk long distances again. I just feel so good with them on my feet. Dansko has very good support for arthritic type problems also, they are the only shoes that I can walk in all day (aside from my Hokas). Dansko has some dressy styles too. Clarkes don't have enough support in the soles.

Seeds2sow profile image
Seeds2sow

I am surprised not to see DB Widerfit shoes mentioned. Wide range of width and depth and loads of styles. First recommended to me by my rheumatoid nurse.

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