Driving and foot pain

[Gottarelax]

While my feet do get a bit achy from time to time, I’ve never thought of them as being much affected by RA and X-rays came back with no damage. However, recently I have been finding that on long drives it feels like my feet are swelling up and my shoes are way too tight across the top. I feel like I need to kick my shoes off urgently and I get a bit of a panicky feeling if I’m on the motorway and can’t just pull over. My feet don’t actually look swollen though. The shoes I generally wear for driving are soft fabric such as slip on trainers so not particularly restrictive. I also tend to get pain in my heal where it rests on the mat. Does anyone else get this and if so did you find a way to avoid it or any shoes that helped.

[julie1908]

Hi,

Yes i get this were my feet feel swollen and painful whilst driving so these days i don’t drive much anymore and if i do only short journeys, it doesn’t help as i have a manual car.

[Gottarelax in reply to julie1908]

I also have a manual car but the gears aspect is OK. it’s my accelerator foot that suffers the most. Unfortunately I have a fairly frequently 3hr drive for work. I used to quite like the drive.

[helixhelix]

x rays will show permanent damage but not issues with tendons and nerves. Keeping your foot still for periods of time can be difficult.

I exercise my feet. Lots of simple things you can do, like these ( I can’t walk bare feet, and can’t bend big toe, but do the others)

medicalnewstoday.com/articl...

[Gottarelax in reply to helixhelix]

that’s a good point about the X-rays not really showing the inflammation but rather the damage. I think it’s inability to wiggle toes while driving that causes the issue.

[medway-lady]

It sounds like your shoes are soft but not supportive. I’ve had an operation on my left foot and was told by the surgeon that shoes need to be supportive, so it might be worth a trip to a shoe shop and/or a consultation with a podiatrist to see if insoles can help.

[Gottarelax in reply to medway-lady]

I do wear arch support insoles and these really do help with walking foot fatigue but I do recall the podiatrist talking about more supportive shoes… I thought that was for walking rather than driving though and I do wear proper walking shoes for long walks.

[medway-lady in reply to Gottarelax]

I used to get awful pain;in my left foot when driving it was painful walking but the pressure on the Morton’s was dreadful. I bought an automatic that helped but only the operation that straightened my foot really stopped the pain. I was told before that to wear a supportive shoe with a small heal. It did help. I know it’s subjective but I was told. Shoes like Sketchers are bad for people with foot problems as appear to be comfortable but in reality can make problems like I had worse. My foot had begun to twist over, and toes bend.

[Gottarelax in reply to medway-lady]

I was wearing sketchers when I had the gait analysis and was told they weren’t supportive…but I guess my driving shoes are similar.

[Boxerlady]

Definitely worth seeing a podiatrist - can you get your rheumy team or GP to refer you? My rheumy nurse said that she would but the process had changed in my area so I had to self-refer but the process was quicker than I expected. I wasn't having a problem driving but was having soreness and a bit of swelling and he was really helpful. Gave me two types of insoles and advice on shoes. Most importantly, checked my feet over thoroughly which was very reassuring and didn't make me feel silly for going, even though I was concerned that I wasn't "bad enough".

[Gottarelax in reply to Boxerlady]

I had a private appointment with a gait analyst who prescribed insoles. That was when I had sciatica and they really helped but that was a while back before RA reared it’s ugly head so perhaps a podiatrist visit is required as things may have changed now

[ageddancer]

In th e UK the doctors do not seem to pay sufficient attention to the feet and footwear. I started this horrible journey when living in France and was sent to a specialist and was given various walking tests and computor related tests and then fitted with suitable orthotics which gave immediate comfort (not off the shelf versions). When I returned to live in the UK my leather orthotics needed re lining and found a suitable person to do that. I live in Norfolk and have a wonderful man who now makes them for me. Orthotics are expensive and the computor technology assessment is costly too but boy "its worth it". I buy trainers a size larger to accommodate mine.

[Gottarelax in reply to ageddancer]

I had this done by a gait analyst and had custom orthotics made. They were really expensive and I found some very similar off the shelf ones that had the same feel for additional shoes. They helped balance me but now I have RA a revisit is likely required.

[ageddancer in reply to Gottarelax]

Yes my marvellous foot clinic specialist has said we are likely to get peripheral neuropathy!! Yet another cross to cope with. So far I have been fortunate that with my padded leather inners I am fine and for my dance lesson once per week I can cope with a pair of the satin low heeled dance shoes.

[Potatos]

I wholehearted agree with getting good orthotics. I get mine on the NHS but had to push for the referral as my rheumatologist didn't think they would help, they do hugely. I also have trouble on long journeys, but I found using the cruise control helps. I also now have more stops and have a short walk to get the blood flow back into my feet.

[Gottarelax in reply to Potatos]

my car has cruise control and I really need to work out how to use it! 🤣

[J1707- in reply to Gottarelax]

😂

[J1707-]

YesYesYes!!. I’ve had orthotics, tried many shoes had physio and steroid injection into my Achilles but still it flares up . It’s flaring today and mr limp is very noticeable today . I also get burning / numbness and tingling. That tight bad across the top of the foot makes you want to move your foot but can’t as you will crash the car . I no longer drive any long distance

[Gottarelax in reply to J1707-]

sounds like you have my feet! It’s almost like my feet get claustrophobic. I know other affected joints show tight tendons so perhaps that’s responsible here too.

[J1707- in reply to Gottarelax]

I’ve just been diagnosed with inflammatory arthritis as I cross over RA/PsA spondolarthitis.

[Gottarelax in reply to J1707-]

I don’t really know anything about PSA spondoloarthritis…but it doesn’t sound too nice!

[J1707- in reply to Gottarelax]

neither did I but seems to effect tendons more and lower back . I’ve always got tendinitis/bursitis or enthesitis .

[Gottarelax in reply to J1707-]

I think I probably have more of tendonitis and bursitis than RA to be honest

[J1707- in reply to Gottarelax]

snap although I do have damage in my hands and have an ulnar drift

[veg_c2000]

Do you have cruise control? I find it invaluable, particularly on long drives as it means I can rest my right foot flat on the floor and periodically rotate my ankles and make up/down movements on ball of my foot. (I think) all cruise controls can be operated by button/lever either on steering wheel or (don't know what you call it) stick (where indicators/light full beam controls are) so you don't need to touch the brakes if you just want to adjust your speed down a bit. "Intuitive" cruise control is even better (automatically adjusts your speed to the car in front) but my car is not new enough!

[Gottarelax in reply to veg_c2000]

I do have cruise control but only think of it when driving down the motorway and I can never get it to work and don’t want to take concentration off the driving. I must get the manual out when parked up! I’ll do it today!

[veg_c2000 in reply to Gottarelax]

I was concerned about losing concentration when I started using it, but have found the opposite as it makes me think about what traffic is doing further ahead. I now use it all the time, even in town (obviously not stop/go traffic )

[Green230461]

My sister has this she wears vionic shoes when driving and says it helps😏