Shoes for arthritis

Fastenings, when hands are affected

Rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis in the hands make laces genuinely difficult, and the standard workaround — leaving laces tied and forcing the foot in — ruins both the shoe and the fit. There are no laces on any of these four styles. Hook-and-loop can be opened and closed with a flat hand, a hook, or by someone helping, and it lets you set the shoe differently on a bad day without re-lacing anything.

DW-006 Twin-Strap Wide Fit Trainer gives you two independent straps, which is the most control: forefoot and instep are set separately, so a swollen midfoot does not force you to loosen the toes as well. DW-015 and DW-019 use one broad strap instead, which is less to fasten when hands are the limiting factor.

Room for joints that change shape

Inflammatory arthritis brings swelling that varies, sometimes hour to hour, and long-standing disease changes the shape of the forefoot altogether — subluxed toe joints, a splayed forefoot, prominent metatarsal heads. A shoe you can let out is worth more than a shoe that fits perfectly on a good day.

There is no width fitting to choose. Every style comes in one extra-wide adjustable fitting per size, UK 3–12 (EU 36–46), whole sizes only, £49.99 on every style and every size. You choose the size, then set the width on your foot with the strap. "Opens to" is the gap the shoe makes across the instep with the strap fully released — the number that decides whether a foot, a dressing or a bandage can actually get in.

Start with DW-015 Extra Wide Wrap Trainer if the joints are swollen or the forefoot has spread: the wrap strap covers the whole forefoot rather than pressing on one line of it, and the toe box is deep enough for toes that no longer lie flat. Go to DW-019 Full-Wrap Extra Wide Trainer if swelling is significant, if there are rheumatoid changes across the whole forefoot, or if someone else fastens your shoes. If your feet are comfortable in the morning and only mildly stiff, DW-006 Twin-Strap Wide Fit Trainer is the more structured, more shoe-like option.

Getting the shoe on without a fight

The reason the opening matters as much as the width is that arthritic feet do not slide. On DW-019 Full-Wrap Extra Wide Trainer the whole forefoot flap folds down and out of the way, so the foot is placed into the shoe from above rather than pushed forward into it. Seated, with a long-handled shoehorn, most people manage without reaching their feet at all.

There is more on this on the easy-on shoes page, which covers the same ground for anyone who cannot bend down.

Cushioning is not always the answer

Soft is not automatically comfortable. A very soft midsole lets an unstable foot move more, and more movement through an arthritic joint means more pain. What helps is a firm, supportive EVA base with cushioning on top of it — which is what the removable multi-layer insole is doing, blue gel over 5 mm and 3 mm EVA. If a shoe feels like walking on a mattress, it is probably working against you.

If a stiff, painful forefoot is your main problem, it is worth reading what sole shape does and does not do before you spend money on a claim.

When to involve a clinician

New joint swelling with heat, morning stiffness lasting more than an hour, or several joints affected at once should be assessed rather than managed with footwear. Inflammatory arthritis responds to treatment, and early treatment changes long-term outcomes. If you already have a diagnosis and your feet are changing shape, ask your rheumatology team for a podiatry referral — you may be eligible for prescribed footwear or custom insoles.

Common questions

Where to go next