Hi Alison. i was recommended Hotter shoes by my rheumy nurse. The do a wide range of 'normal' shoes but with a generous fittting. Google them and you can see their catalogue. They don't have many retail outlets - it will depend a lot on the area you live in. However, their online service is very good. (Even my daughter thought the shoes looked good)
Take care
Sue

I use theshoetailor.com and vivaladiva.com, for extra wide fittings. Read the blurb on the shoetailor on to see how to measure your feet. When I saw the podiatrist, I had to look at deeper fitting shoes, please don't baulk(lol) but I had to succumb to the comfies and got some from natureform.com. I must confess, they are fairly ugly but only ones I could fit my orthotic insoles into. I just wear them for work and because they are so good for my feet, I can still wear more decent shoes if I go out at the weekend as long as they are extra wide.

Good luck.

Julie

Thanks Julie and RedDog! I will check all these websites and look forward to comfortable walking in the near future. Alison

Hi,

I am lucky enough to have my shoes through the hospital. Maybe worth you asking the next time you see the hospital doctor. They are made to fit your feet which is good, not that nice to look at but I would not be without them.

Hope you find the right pair soon.

Good luck Gill x

Hi All!

I generally find my shoes at the Designer Outlets as they have the wider fittings and strange sizes! Its cheaper too.

My podiatrist suggested as small heel and support around my ankle, so its trainers and boots for me. In summer I only wear sandals - its bliss!!

Lxx

I've got inserts in my shoes. At the moment I have only one pair of shoes to accommodate them. They are fly flot ones, don't really like them, I use to live in high heels before. When I first got them was told to wear them most of the time and on the odd occasion I could wear normal shoes if I wanted to.

A few days ago I went to a designer village near where I live and saw some black patent shoes in Marks, they had a stiletto type heel, probably about 1 - 2 inches high. Low by my normal pre RA days standards, use to have them much higher. They were wide fitting and were comfort fit, daughter who was with me had some in red (tart shoes) and said how comfy there were. Tried them on in the shop, had a walk round in them, decided to buy them. Daughter is the same size as me so she said she would have them if I couldn't wear them.

Yesterday I decided to wear them to go shopping, had a skirt on and they are far more glamorous that the grannie type fly flot ones, (which I took with me just in case). Walked into the supermarket and hobbled back out to the car. Think my daughter is going to get a new pair of shoes!!!!!!!

A few weeks ago I stopped the night in an hotel in Manchester, was sitting in the bar when some ladies came down dressed to go out for the evening. They looked lovely in their dresses. I sat there abit envious because I've got dresses just like theirs but since being diagnosed with RA and pressing the self destruct button I have put on weight and they no longer fit. Thought to myself, I really must try to lose weight so I can get in them again. Then thought..........what's the point if I can't wear nice shoes to complete the outfit............so had another handful of peanuts.............I just give up!!!!!

Paula

Does anyone else have clawed toes with huge red bumps on the knuckle? I am too embarrassed to wear open toes now, though they are obviously more comfortable, because my toes look really awful. I had a podiatrist appointment this afternoon and he made some silicone supports for between my toes which rise higher than the bad toes and are designed to lift the pressure from my toes and stop the rubbing.

I will try for them for work tomorrow and let you know how I got on! My fave shoes at the mo are Clarks unstructured. I felt like Cinderella and not the ugly sister when I put them on!

Thanks again for all the really helpful and interesting responses. I am back to the Rheumatology Clinic on the 29th so will def ask for a referral to podiatry. I went to a shop in Glasgow on Saturday called Foot Solutions but the woman would not sell me anything (I am most impressed by such an ethical business) because my feet were so inflamed and because I have not see a podiatrist yet. They had very sensible shoes but many looked perfectly acceptable so I am greatly heartened that I will get sorted. Sore feet are no joke!

Thanks again for all the support.

Alison

Another website to look at Ailsa, is www.widerfitshoes.co.uk.
I find their shoes are wider than Hotter ones.

Karen