i have to wear orthoses but would love to wear sexy shoes!! anyone know of anywhere in the uk where i can get nice shoes for orthoses???
anna
Wish I could help you, but unfortunately (for me anyway), sexy shoes and RA don't equate. I've had MULTIPLE foot surgeries, including forefoot fusions and triple arthrodesis, and the only thing I can wear are ugly Dansko clogs. :(
Try going to Zappos.com. They have a HUGE selection, even a comfort section with some nice/dressy/sexy shoes. The nice thing about Zappos is that they don't charge for shipping, and they even pay for return shipping if you decide you don't like them. Can't beat that!
thanks gale, i'll give them a go.Not terribly sexy, but I would say that these are good looking and fairly reasonably priced:
http://www.hottershoes.com/hottersite/category/Womens_Shoes_ BestSellers.htm
I dread the day I have to wear comfy/old lady shoes, LOL. I live in my sandals. I don't ever really wear heels and love the comfort of my flat flip flop sandals. Divine. I fear orthopedic shoes. I know the day will come though...I find the most comfortable shoes for me are a wedge,just make sure it's not sort of tilted in any way, just the shape of a boat if you can imagine it. My feet sit on top and they can be about two inches in the front part and about two and a half in the back. This gives you also a feeling of having a wearing a heel. You will have to look around for them cos a lot of the wedges this year place a lot of weight on the sole of your feet and that hurts. Also, I think it's a good idea to change your shoes a few times a day, that way your feet are not in the same position all the time, sounds a little crazy but it works for me. Good luck. GillThey're not sexy, but better than old lady shoes (although they do them too!) - Ecco have been my compromise solution - I usually have to take out their own inner sole to fit in my orthotic one, and sometimes go up one size. I live in London and they have a good store in Oxford Street, but you can get them elsewhere too.Hi, I remember the day I stopped wearing 'nice heels' and it was so hard, but I found some low heeled, 'old lady' shoes at walmart , in white and black. I've had them forever, not elegant but with nylons and pants (I never wear skirts), they look okay. I had to cut a hole in the sole of the left insert, to relieve the pressure. I mostly wear 'Dr Sholls type shoes', ugly but comfy, my reeboks for tennis and some flat but 'okay looking' shoes with laces for 'dressier' outings.(KMart Cuddlers, I think they are called) I mostly wear white shoes and buy them in different sizes. Some larger. I bought some neat black boots but they killed my feet.(they are sitting in the closet) I also have some open toed, wedges (PINK!!) that I wear now and then for fun shoes. I take along my old faithful Reebocks just in case. It is a shoe struggle, it is a hair loss struggle, a pain in the butt, struggle we have with everything. My foot has stopped hurting when I play golf, but I'm riding in a cart for 9 holes, now. Walking the front nine gives me exercise and then I rest on the back. At least I'm out side!!Take care all, LyndaDon't wear anything but sandals. We're in either the tropics or warm climates and I can wear sandals year round. I have some sexy ones and some Eccos, Fly Flot, Flexies, and Dansko. I also use Zappos to order my shoes. I have to have soft, flexible, shoes to be comfortable. LindyI actually have worn orthotics since I was about 7 years old, I'm 36 currently. This has been a huge problem all my life. My chiropractor has a company that makes sandals with the orthotic built into the foot bed, not terribly sexy, they look like a regular Birkenstock sandal but they work for Capri pants. I resigned myself to old lady shoes many years ago.Hi Anna
There is a mail order catalogue here in the UK that a podiatrist recommended me quite recently. The company is Cosifeet but some of the shoes were a bit "dated" and not really cute/sexy! However, a few pairs are nice and smart - but not exactly sexy! If you have to wear specialist orthotics/supports all the time this does limit the types of styles.
They are never going to be as precise a fit as those shoes custom made, but we girls like to have something nice on our feet from time to time if we can! If you can alternate your usual specialist footwear with other sensible, more regular shoes, there is another company (the name escapes me at the mo, but I promise to try and search out my brochure in the next couple of days or try find the company on the Net for you) which has some really attractive styles, with soft leathers/fabrics in a variety of colours They are based both in the Lake District and in the South of England. Just two shops at the moment I understand. If only I could remember the name! On average the price in both catalogues is about £40 for ladies shoes. I will get back to you, Anna. I was thinking of getting some of these for myself. Both companies offered mail order and return free of charge.
On a lighter note, I won't part with a pair of Clarks old black leather loafers which are the comfiest things I have known for years, to wear on better days. Unfortunatley they have decayed quite a lot inside and have got wet in the rain several times and despite my attempts to "sweeten" them, my partner says they could "drive rats from ships" !!!! My Podiatrist says don't throw away what is comfy!
Joolie
I wear Aerosoles quite alot,they seem to be comfortable for me at the moment.