Are Your Shoes Helping or Hurting Your Arthritis? The Ultimate Checklist

Are Your Shoes Helping or Hurting Your Arthritis? The Ultimate Checklist

Arthritis happens when there is inflammation in or around the joints. Symptoms include numbness, tingling, pain, stiffness, swelling, and redness; one area in which many people experience this is in their feet.

According to the Arthritis Foundation, close to half of people in their sixties and seventies suffer from arthritis foot pain. But pain can start even earlier, especially in your forties. Rheumatoid arthritis in the feet can also cause a loss of strength, flexibility and exercise ability. For those suffering from arthritis in their feet, even walking can become painful, and in some cases, almost impossible.

If you are suffering from any of these problems, you should make a change in your footwear to make sure you have the best shoes for arthritis symptoms. A good pair of shoes for rheumatoid arthritis could even reduce or remove the pain entirely.

Our feet provide support for our entire body and are the first things to go forward when we move in any direction. They take us everywhere, so it is best for us not to neglect them. Take care of your feet by putting them in the best shoes for rheumatoid arthritis.

You want your arthritis shoes to be engaging the right muscles both when standing and walking. The right footwear will help minimize the stress on your joints, which is especially helpful if you have arthritis in other points along your lower body, such as your ankles, knees and hips. To be sure your shoes for arthritis sufferers are helping and not hurting your arthritis, here are a few things to keep in mind:

1. Supportive

You will want to pick shoes for mid foot arthritis with a lot of arch support and supportive insoles. This will help keep pressure off the ball of your foot, which is a common source of foot pain. However, if you have knee osteoarthritis, you may be better off in flatter arthritis shoes. In this case, it’s best to consult your doctor first.

2. Sturdy

When it comes to finding shoes for rheumatoid arthritis sufferers, look for ones with thick soles and extra depth. They may not be the best looking shoes, but your health is far more important than style.

If you don’t want to compromise fashion for sturdiness, however, Taos has shoes for arthritis feet that are both stylish and comfortable. The thick, lightweight rocker bottom outsole on the Zen sandals represent just that. Shoes for arthritis sufferers don’t have to be embarrassing to wear or look at, and so we have shoes for women with arthritis that feature the Taos Soft Support™ premium footbed with Cool Recovery Foam® and the style of a designer brand.

3. Little to No Heel

High heels are usually a bad decision when it comes to picking the best shoes for arthritis. Stay away from stilettos and anything more than 2 inches tall.

If you need to wear shoes that have a heel, the best women’s dress shoes for arthritis have a wide, sturdy heel with rubber soles. Avoid pointed toes as well. Our Balance style of Mary Jane shoes have the low heel and Curves & Pods® comfortable, removable footbed for a look you can wear from day into evening.

4. Proper Fit

Shoes for arthritis sufferers should never be too big or too small. You certainly don’t want them putting excess pressure on any part of your foot, especially your toes. Make sure your toes have room to wiggle and your arthritis shoes aren’t too tight on the sides. Taos has an excellent selection of wide widths (check out Ta Dah Mary Jane) so you can find the perfect pair of stylish shoes for your arthritis feet.

5. No Laces

Many people with arthritis in their feet also have it in their hands, which makes tying laces difficult. Opt for shoes for rheumatoid arthritis that you don’t have to struggle with getting on, like slip-ons or velcro styles.The Taos Rubber Soul shoe is a lightweight slip-on shoe perfect for arthritis feet. It comes in a wide array of colors and prints so you never sacrifice how you look as you enjoy the support of the Curves & Pods® premium removable footbed.