I went to an NRAS online gathering about getting back to exercise and walking a few weeks ago it was inspirational and really helpful. Ali from the Kington walking hub was the guest, she has had RA for 24 years and walks lots now, and rather than orthotics she uses wide shoes that give toes plenty room and barefoot shoes with no rocker or insole. it is a very different approach and certainly works for her. It is available as a recording on her website
here is the link kingtonwalkinghub.com/blogs... well worth a listen
My question is have any other folk with RA tried flat, flexible shoes with a wide toe box, often called barefoot shoes? Did they help?
I was diagnosed with RA in Dec and swollen feet and ankles have slowed me down a lot, though I need to walk for work. Been trying podiatrist recommended more support, more rocker, more insoles, more pads under the foot.
The approach with barefoot shoes and strengthening my feet and spreading my toes appeals though it the opposite of the podiatrist advice. Has anybody tried?
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purplecyclist
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A couple of people in my Pilates group have just bought barefoot shoes - can’t remember the make but they are widely advertised.
They both like them and find them very comfortable but I have had plantar fasciitis in the past and still have spinal problems and I know I need very supportive shoes all the time. We were talking about them after our session and I said although I liked them I felt they would not be good for me and I was surprised that our teacher who is a physiotherapist agreed with me. I wear very supportive ECCO lace ups, ASICS trainers and I have a pair of Sketchers for wearing in the house.
that is really interesting that you have been talking about them with the Pilates folk. Apparently spreading your toes out also improves balance which would be good for pilates too.
It is *but* my teacher is a physiotherapist and she knows me and my body and while they suit some people those shoes are probably not for everyone.
We do loads of exercises in class involving moving our feet and toes because as you say we need them for balance etc but I need the support of proper shoes when I’m walking because feet and things that let my feet spread just don’t work for me.
I used to have those MBT rocker shoes I liked wearing them but they were a bit heavy.
Must try and remember to ask my podiatrist what she thinks about those barefoot shoes when I see her next but I know with a tendency to get plantar fasciitis I need the support.
yes we are all different, it will be interesting to see how your pilates friends get on and what your podiatrist says. Like you I have been trying to do exercises to get my toes moving, they have been so swollen and squashed up they had forgotten how. I got a spikey ball from Healthy step/ X-line and it is really good too.
I saw a podiatry rocker shoes orthotics exercises recommended things really didn't improve with my achilles tendonitis had for months so recently saw sports therapist who said insoles too hard recommended arch support ones with gel on bottom magnesium gel and did some massage calf and on foot recommended For 2 weeks a ankle strap it's alreafeeling better so different views I don't think bare foot would suit me. I do pilates and foot stretches strengthens exercises too
Bet you’re glad you saw that sports therapist! I can imagine hard insoles wouldn’t help. You must be really pleased that things are improving. That’s the trouble with feet isn’t it - you need to use them all the time. I love a good soak in a magnesium bath plus a book to read so that I can stay in for a long time and although I have the magnesium spray I don’t use it all that often now. Don’t know what age you are but as you get older your body seems to require a lot more maintenance - or mine does 😉
No they are light. Feel a bit odd at first but it’s because of the roll. I’ve just bought got the black suede ones for this autumn with ribbon ties and zips, white sandals with buckle, cork sole and velcro join.If your near Kent visit the Golden Boot in Maidstone a fabulous shoe shop with hundreds of shoes. Various prices from Clark’s to Jimmy Choo. They are on line but do fit shoes properly, it’s an old fashioned shop with bang up to date trendy shoes and bags. They can also stretch if needed and it’s my favourite shop. No where else like it in the county and it’s the UKs oldest shoe shop.
Gosh Clarke’s to Jimmy Choo. Amazing, unfortunately the M25 is between us and that fabulous shoe shop unfortunately but I’ll have a look out for them. I think there is a shop up in Stamford that sells Gabor, I can always Google for them. The MBTs that I had were comfortable but incredibly heavy. The rocking motion is weird at first but good once you are used to them.
I also had an amazing pair of very stylish neoprene ‘wellington boots’ that I bought at an agricultural show and eventually I found them too heavy - think it’s my poor old hips that can’t cope with the extra weight. 😊
I think they do send out online anyway it's worth a look to see whats about. I have a pair of Hunters but very very old and unlike my granddaughters rainbow Hunters, mine are boring green. The just never wear out. Have you tried Stable boots for winter wear? look very strange but light and non slip. I just love shoes and main reason apart from vanity why I had my foot straightened. Clarks never fitted well, if wide enough the ankle gaped and when the Morton's Neuroma played up I had them removed as it was only my left foot affected and so painful. I used to walk a lot and ramble so good boots were vital, not so much now but I still do at least 7000 steps a day and try to stay active. My hips are ok and I've to see the Bone Clinic later in the month as my mum had Osteoporosis really badly and I qualify the nurse said for the new drug. But it'll have to go before a panel for approval if needed. I don't actually think it will be as when I broke my leg two years it healed well in about 7 weeks. And that was an accident not down to age etc anyway it's injectable daily and I dont fancy that!! I can have the usual stuff as it's not licensed for CKD under 30. So I take the D3 religiously. lol xx PS Do Jones do them? I know John Lewis do and House of Fraser do. Sadly good independent shops are hard to find and The Golden Boot still shuts on Sunday so I wonder if Quakers still? xx
Not sure about Jones and I can’t see them on the John Lewis site but Amazon have got them - I have put them on my wish list - I don’t actually need a pair at the moment but I will eventually.
I hadn’t thought of that being a reason for The Golden Boot being closed on Sundays but that would explain it. My husband has a pair of lovely Mephisto leather shoes he bought in France and when I looked them up the London store is closed on a Sunday.
I have a lovely light pair of Meindl walking boots that I wear in winter. I have decent flat boots if I need to look a bit smarter but the Meindl boots are amazing. I happened to walk past them and pick one up when I was in Cotswold Outdoor and promptly bought them. They are so comfortable.
I had an MRI in 2021 when I flew through the air backwards and landed on my tailbone on ground that had baked so hard it was like concrete and fractured a bone in my sacrum and among other things the MRI showed a touch of osteoarthritis in both hips and bursitis in my right hip so that’s probably why anything heavy on my feet doesn’t feel great.
I’m not sure about taking the new bone builders - I started on alendronic acid in 2020 and I felt so ill while taking it that rightly or wrongly I stopped after four months. I take D3, boron, magnesium, K2Mk7, calcium and Omega 3 - think that’s about it plus a Mediterranean diet and my Pilates and weight bearing exercise. I get around 6-7K steps with the occasional burst that can take me up to over 10K. One thing for sure, I wouldn’t want to inject daily.
They’ve got them in John Lewis Bluewater as I saw them a couple of months ago when shopping. I don’t usually if ever need shoes I just like them. lol I broke my leg when I slipped in shower an£ my ankle too. It was the way I fell and tried to avoid cutting my throat on a broken shower screen. Thats what I thought until my husband pointed out, it would shatter as safety glass and would probably have caused a few bruises but no broken bones. Sheer stupidity on my part and it was a non slip base evidently not though when covered in body emulsion cream for eczema prescribed by GP. Such is life, I only take prescribed stuff as the CKD complicates things but so far so good. You’re unlucky to have fallen so hard and so right good boots are vital to stay active which helps bones, mood and mobility. Xxx
Your accident sounds horrific! You must have got such a shock between slipping then trying to avoid the glass and then topping it off with a broken leg and ankle. Ouch!
Yes, mine was just real bad luck. I landed on my backside, felt this agonising pain then over onto my back and to top it off my head bounced off the ground - I tell you I’m sure I saw stars. But hey, ho I’m still living and I don’t need the mobility scooter I was convinced I was going to need for the rest of my life 😉
It did and it's very interesting. Am seeing my physio next week so thought I would ask him. Have problems with balance and neuropathy in right leg, compressed spinal fracture, and just to round everything off, cauda equina syndrome along with badly damaged neck due to osteoporosis.
Glad you found the talk interesting, it was only the second NRAS thing I had been at because I am new to all of this. Would be interesting what your physio says.
You're not going to believe this, I completely forgot. Am so sorry, I seem to turn around and there is something else wrong with my body. Hadn't realised how what we call brain fog can be so bad!! Did find out this new physio is moving on. 🤔 Next time please tell me to write it down ...
Take care and don't let the pain get to you purplecyclist 😀
I've not worn barefoot shoes.I have small (for a man anyway) but wide feet and hate narrow tight shoes. I wear Keens shoes mainly, for most walks. They're known to be a very wide fitting and i find them very comfortable. They do have an instep.
yes I have been wearing keen boots, shoes ans sandals they are wide and let my toes spread out. Once I got RA and swollen feet they were the only ones I could wear, they are great.
So glad you found the talk helpful purplecyclist 😀👍 If anyone else wants to join the next one, you can find details of the exercise group and other JoinTogether groups here: nras.org.uk/jointogether/
I was looking for a post on this, and there you are!
I've just purchased my second pair of barefoot shoes. Every other shoe just causes my toenails to fall off due to the heel pushing toes into toe box. I was worried at first about inflaming hips, knees and spine, but to be honest I found the inner soles from hospital just made things worse. It does take time to get used to barefoot shoes. I just wore them round house for a while. Honestly feels like I'm wearing granny made booties!
I had a feeling that my feet were causing me to fall all the time. I felt really unstable in shoes. I even tried my insoles in the barefoot shoes to test for difference. I ended up with knee and back pain. I'm better simply wearing barefoot shoes. They definitely don't suit everyone,but I love them!
Good to hear you are also finding the barefoot shoes helpful. Like you say I think the brilliant part of them is the wide toe box, no more squished toes when they are already swollen and sore. The other bonus I have found is much improved balance, partly because the toes are spread out the way they are designed to give us balance and I think also partly because there is good feedback from the ground through the flexible sole. I also got some correct toes which are separators for my toes, my toes were changing shape a lot and these help to spread them out and bring instant relief from the swelling between toes.
I was also concerned about the flat sole on barefoot shoes and not using insoles and how this would affect other joints. I think wearing them in gradually was important. The idea is that muscles and tendons that are designed to support your feet get back to work and strengthen up (RA affects joints not muscles and tendons). A bonus for me has been improved circulation as well, my feet feel less cold.
I started with Freet oxford, nice comfy black sensible shoes and gradually increased how much I wore them and how far I went in them. But I have gradually worn them more and more and now I have got a pair of Freet MudeeL walking boots which are so comfy and are getting me out again for longer walks, what a difference. I am outdoors and walking a lot at work and I had feared that RA was going to make me unable to do a job I love, now I feel much more optimistic that I can continue to stay at work despite RA.
That's really great! I bought mine from naturcontact. I might try others next, but I'm pleased with the ones I have. I have done other strengthening exercises alongside, and before I started wearing barefoot. I've got a rebounder, plus a balance board. The balance board is hard, and a bit painful! Both made a huge difference to muscle strength. I was falling all the time due to weakness. Agree with you about feeling more stable and in touch with the ground. Makes a huge difference. I was worried about poor muscle strength and falls, and really felt I needed to do something if I was to enjoy walks again
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