Shoes for Osteoarthritis - What are the Best Shoes for Arthritic Feet? 

Felicity: Ivory & Black Leather - Flat Shoes for Osteoarthritis

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What is Osteoarthritis?

Are you looking for the best shoes for osteoarthritis? First it is important to understand what osteoarthritis is. If you are suffering with painful joints in your feet, you may be wondering what is arthritis and, specifically, osteoarthritis.

Arthritis is a disease which affects the joints. There are many types of arthritis but the most common is osteoarthritis. It is also known as degenerative arthritis or wear-and-tear arthritis

So what is osteoarthritis? When you have this type of arthritis, the cartilage (protective tissue) between the bones at your pivotal joints wears away. This causes your bones within the joint to rub together, causing pain, swelling and stiffness.

Osteoarthritis can occur in any of your joints, although the most common joints are in your feet, knees, hips, back, shoulders and fingers. When you have osteoarthritis in your feet, it often causes degeneration of the cartilage at the base of your big toe, which can cause big toe joint pain. If you suffer with osteoarthritis, it is fairly common to suffer with bunions too. 

This blog will focus on osteoarthritis in your feet and painful foot joints. We will provide more information on the best shoes for osteoarthritis, what to avoid when you are looking for shoes for arthritis, as well as other ways to relieve the pain of osteoarthritis.  

Terri: Black Leather - Loafer Shoes for Osteoarthritis

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Causes & Symptoms of Osteoarthritis

There are millions of people with osteoarthritis and painful foot joints. Osteoarthritis tends to occur over time and has a cumulative effect, which is why old age is one of its main causes. Osteoarthritis is most common when you are over 60 years old but can occur much earlier than that.

Arthritis can also be genetic so if your parents or siblings have osteoarthritis, you are more likely to suffer too. 

Other risk factors for osteoarthritis and painful foot joints include poor posture, obesity, past injury (including torn cartilage, ligament injuries,  dislocated joints or painful foot joints). Medical conditions such as diabetes and conditions which cause inflammation of foot joints may also lead to osteoarthritis. 

Women are also more likely to suffer with osteoarthritis than men. In some cases, menopause can be a cause of osteoarthritis. 

Hampton: Tan Leather - Sneakers for Osteoarthritis

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Ways to Relieve Osteoarthritis

If you are diagnosed with osteoarthritis and you are suffering with painful foot joints, you may want to know the best ways to relieve osteoarthritis. One of the easiest ways to soothe painful foot joints is to wear the right shoes for arthritic feet. The best arthritic shoes are sensitive to the inflammation of foot joints and will comfort and soothe your feet. 

In addition to wearing comfortable shoes for arthritis, there are other ways you can relieve the pain of osteoarthritis:

1. Massage your painful foot joints
2. Apply over the counter topical creams for arthritis
3. Regularly do foot and ankle exercises
4. Take non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
5. Keep active
6. Apply ice or heat (heat is helpful for joint stiffness, and cold compresses are best for joint pain)
7. Wear support devices, such as braces, a walking stick or knee tape
8. Consume natural remedies such as green tea, turmeric or ginger

Venus: Black Patent - Square Toe Shoes for Arthritis

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Shoes to Avoid and the Best Shoes for Osteoarthritis

Footwear plays an important part in looking after arthritic feet and painful foot joints. We will show you what to look out for and what to avoid when shopping for shoes for osteoarthritis and arthritic feet. 

Arthritis doesn't just cause foot pain in the joints; it also causes inflammation of the foot joints. Osteoarthritis also causes degeneration of the cartilage at the base of the big toe, which can lead to bunions. If you suffer with bunions, these bony lumps need to be accommodated in your choice of shoes too. Fortunately Sole Bliss specialises in the most comfortable and stylish shoes for bunion sufferers.

If you wear poorly-fitting shoes or tight shoes, you can make arthritis pain and pain in foot joints worse. Wearing comfortable shoes for bunions and arthritis can help reduce the pain in your foot joints and help with mobility. 

We would recommend avoiding very high heels. Pointy high heels may squeeze your feet and put excess pressure on the front of your foot. Heels which are too high for you can also damage the joints in your knee, back and hips, which is harmful for those with osteoarthritis in these joints. 

That's not to say you can no longer wear heels. Comfortable heels for arthritic joints do exist! Browse our full collection of heels for arthritis here. 

Sole Bliss is here to help you find the best shoes for osteoarthritis! There are a few key factors to look out for when shopping for arthritis shoes.

Firstly, look for shoes with a wide toe-box which accommodates your foot shape. Sufferers of osteoarthritis often suffer with conditions such as bunions, hammer toes and deformed joints which can accompany arthritis. Opt for shoes with a wider toe-box in order to give your room foot to breathe. 

Sole Bliss shoes also have an ingenious Bunion Bed stretch panel which stretches to accommodate these foot conditions, relieving the pressure from bunions and cushioning any difficult joints. The best shoes for arthritis will match the shape of your foot so that you do not have to twist or contort your foot to fit in the shoes. It is important that your arthritis shoes do not rub either. 

Star: Black Leather & Suede  - Sneakers for Bunions and Arthritis 

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Secondly, the best shoes for arthritis will offer plenty of cushioning. All Sole Bliss shoes feature our anatomically contoured and ultra-cushioned footbed. This signature footbed is designed to provide cloud-like comfort underneath your entire foot, contour to the shape of your foot, and provide shock absorption as you walk on hard surfaces.

Then you need to consider what are the best materials for your arthritis shoes. The best shoes are soft yet hard-wearing. We would recommend leather as it is durable, breathable and flexible. Leather shoes will also stop your feet from sweating. Sole Bliss shoes all have leather uppers and are fully leather lined to keep your feet cool and comfortable.

The best shoes for arthritis are often adjustable too. Look for arthritic shoes with shoe laces, zip fastenings or buckles. Adjustable shoes for arthritis are also helpful for when you have arthritis flare-ups and your foot changes shape. If you have osteoarthritis in your feet, you may have it in your hands too. If this is the case, it might be difficult to tie shoe laces. Sole Bliss Miracle Sneakers have a functional side zip so that you can slip them on and off with ease! All you need to do is adjust the shoe laces when you are first trying on your Miracle Sneakers to find the perfect fit. After that, you'll only need the zip! 

Hero: White Leather - Miracle Sneakers for Arthritis

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Another top tip for wearing the best shoes for arthritic feet is to really make sure you wear the correct shoe size. Shoes which are too small can cause foot pain in your joints so be careful not to squeeze your feet in this way. We always recommend trying on your shoes in the afternoon because this is when they are at their biggest. Feet tend to swell during the day so try your arthritic shoes in the afternoon as this will give you the best indication as to whether or not they are a good fit.

Now that we have discussed what to keep an eye out for and what to avoid when you are looking for shoes for osteoarthritis, we want to show you some of Sole Bliss' best shoes for arthritic feet. From heels to flats, sneakers to boots, Sole Bliss has the best collection of shoes for your feet! Here are just a few of our favourites...

  

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