What shoes do your recommend for Arthritis?
Classic, Mary Jane & Classic Max
Arthritis and Pedors Shoes
Arthritis is a term that refers to many different diseases, some of which have a predilection to affect the foot and ankle and knee. What follows is some information on how to treat arthritis and natural remedies for arthritis as they relate to arthritis in the foot, ankle and knee.
What is Osteoarthritis?
The most common form of arthritis, osteoarthritis is a chronic condition characterized by the breakdown of the cartilage that cushions the ends of the bones where they meet to form joints. This breakdown causes the bones to rub against each other, causing stiffness, pain and loss of movement in the joint. In the foot, osteoarthritis most commonly affects the big toe, but as part of a chain of events it also affects the mid foot, back foot, ankle joints, knees and hips.
Osteoarthritis of the knee is often triggered by being overweight even when a knee joint is completely healthy. By being overweight the knee is under constant stress. Because most overweight people fail to take enough exercise, the joints are literally “skinny” as the cartilages are chronically under nourished because nutrients from the synovial fluid are not being “kneaded” into them, which occurs during exercise. The only way the cartilage can feed itself well is after it’s been thoroughly kneaded and this is why exercise is critically important to healthy knees.
Appropriate footwear with arch support or footwear that can accommodate orthotics or inserts to provide precisely adjusted arch support and evenly distribute weight in the foot will reduce pain and hopefully encourage exercise.
What is Rheumatoid Arthritis?
Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic inflammatory disease of the joints that occurs when the body’s immune system – which normally protects us from infection – mistakenly attacks the synovium, the thin membrane that lines the joints. The result can be joint damage, pain, swelling, inflammation, loss of function and disability. Rheumatoid arthritis commonly affects the small joints of the feet, often causing symptoms in several joints of both feet. This can lead to the development of corns and bunions, and the curling and stiffening of the toes into positions such as claw toe or hammer toe.
Each arthritic patient’s footwear needs are unique and the ability of a shoe to accommodate the demands of the patients foot are the driving factors for patients being able to wear comfortable footwear and being mobile.
Increasingly, doctors recommend activity or exercise for their arthritic patients, to maintain flexibility and cardiovascular fitness.
Orthotics, shoe insets, arch supports, and insoles for shoes
Accommodation is the key shoe design consideration when dealing with arthritis in the feet.
Pedors are designed to accommodate the most demanding foot. Forefoot deformities caused by arthritis can result in considerable discomfort for someone if a shoe is not fitted correctly. A correctly fitted shoe can accommodate an orthotic to more evenly distribute weight, provide adequate arch support and in some cases off load weight where necessary. Orthotics, shoe inserts, shoe insoles and arch support offer varying degrees of support and provide an arthritis treatment for foot pain.
Shoes for Arthritis? The Pedors 600 Classic:
Pedoprene is a seamless stretch material that incorporates elEVAte technology and is used in the construction of the forefoot part of the Pedors Classic. . For most arthritic patients, the stretch component of Pedoprene is enough to provide relief from pain caused by an ill fitting shoe. However, where necessary, Pedoprene can be spot heat molded to accommodate a severe forefoot deformity like a bunion, corn or hammertoe.