The Best Shoes For Arthritis | DB Wider Fit Shoes (2024)

Discover the best boots and shoes for arthritis from our range of wide and extra wide fitting footwear that is packed with features.

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Arthritis is a very common condition that affects around 10 million people in the UK: that's around 1 in 6! Rather than being a single condition, there are several different types of arthritis, but they all cause pain, swelling and stiffness in one or more joints.

Of course, the condition affects people in different ways and to different degrees, even affecting the same person in different ways and to different degrees on different days or times of day, but arthritis can make life very difficult for sufferers by making even the simplest task very painful indeed, reduce mobility and make it difficult to get out and about.

There is currently no cure for arthritis, but it can be managed in a variety of ways.

The most common types of arthritis are Osteoarthritis and Rheumatoid Arthritis:
Osteoarthritis is a "roughening" or degradation of cartilage in a joint that can cause little bits of extra bone to grow, joint fluid to increase or a stretching of the joint capsule. These can cause a lot of pain and also damage the joint.

Rheumatoid Arthritis is an auto-immune condition that causes joints to swell by directing blood and fluid to a joint to fight infection - in this case where no infection exists. This swelling in the joints can make it difficult to move the joint, irritate nerve endings and again, cause damage to the joint and joint tissue.

Disclaimer: This information is of a general nature and should not be taken as a diagnosis. All questions and concerns should be directed to your Doctor, Podiatrist or other health advisor.

There are many suggested ways you can manage arthritis, such as - depending on the type of arthritis you suffer from - regular exercise, NSAIDS, dietary changes, painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs and many other things beside. You can find out more information about different types of arthritis and ways to manage it athttps://www.versusarthritis.org/about-arthritis/conditions/arthritis/.

Of course, whilst maintaining an active lifestyle and exercising can be a way to manage arthritis, if your feet hurt due to swollen joints and footwear is painful and too tight, then it will be increasingly more difficult to undertake the desired exercise. This is where wide-fitting footwear with the right features can be really important for maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

The best shoes for arthritis have enough room for swollen feet and joints, are flat and offer support in the right places to stabilise joints and avoid unnecessary joint pressure and are well-fitting. They also have soft cushioning to act as suspension for troubled joints, have enough space to reduce rubbing against sore areas and have good quality soft uppers.

The best shoes for arthritis sufferers also have ease of access to avoid forcing joints whilst putting shoes on but they might need features suitable for people that don't necessarily have arthritis in the feet or ankles, but in hands or wrists, such as simple, easy-touch fastening systems. And, of course, they also have to look great. Just because you have arthritis doesn't mean that you shouldn't have stylish shoes like everyone else. You need to feel confidence in the quality and comfort of your footwear, but also confidence to step out, knowing that you look great too!

I don’t know what I’d do without these shoes - I’ve got so many pairs. I have osteoarthritis in feet and just couldn’t get anything in my width in the shops.

Because arthritis causes swollen, painful joints, it is vitally important that your footwear has enough space for your feet and joints. Your condition may be prevalent in the toe joints, ankle joints, or both, amongst other areas.

That’s why wide-fitting shoes that have enough room for swollen feet can be a blessing, and where DB Wider Fit Shoes come in, with the widest and deepest footwear available on the market.

If your condition is in your toe joints, then a wide and deep toe box will be important to minimise pressure point contact and reduce rubbing in this area.

Our styles with round toe boxes – like smart loafer Nicolette, easy access ankle boot Badger, or ankle boots Unite - or square toe boxes – like mid-heel court shoe Atlantic, mid-heeled boot Winton or men’s casual shoe Benny (plus many more!) or our new "asymmetric toe", like zip entry ankle boots Deer, mid-calf Chelsea boots Wildcat or easy entry flat shoe Scott - could be just the thing for you, depending on your foot shape.

You may also find different levels of swelling on different days or at different times, meaning that you need adjustability in your fastenings. Our dual-fitting system means that you can adjust the internal space within each shoe independently of the other and, coupled with many different fastening systems, means that they have ultimate adjustability.

Finally, on this point, if your joints are sore then it is important that your shoes fit securely and are not loose, in order to avoid rubbing. This issue is twofold:

We would recommend having your feet measured professionally to ensure that you are buying the right size and width fitting that you require.

Choosing a shoe with the right fastening type for you. Laces offer the most secure fit and adjustability as they can be loosened or tightened as required, but they're not good for people with limited hand dexterity, so adjustable, touch-fastening straps may be more suitable for your needs.

It is vital that your footwear offers the right level of support in the right places to keep your joint in the right place and reduce further damage. Ouractiveleisure styles are designed for support and stability, with a flared sole that spreads weight and makes the sole more stable and a built-in heel cup for increased support and to cradle your foot to help stop it from rolling.

We also offer many boot and ankle boot styles, which offer additional support in stabilising the ankle joints for those suffering arthritis in this area. And if you need arch support, with our dual-width fitting system, our shoes enable you to create the extra depth to insert your own specialist insoles and ensure the support you need.

New style touch strap trainer Riley and other trainers have a flared sole whilst boot styles like ankle boots Fieldfare or Birmingham (mentioned above) can offer additional ankle support.

To avoid unnecessary rubbing against sore joints, soft uppers are a must. Be it a soft leather with a little give or a light material.

Many of our shoes, like our Everyday Shoes range such as easy access flat shoes Rory, cut to fit straps Gull or new for '23 style smart loafer style Steph are made from beautifully soft sheep or cow leather that feels stunning to the touch and offers that little give required.

But if you need more then our Stretch shoe range is just the thing. Soft, lightweight stretch materials, like those found on touch strap flat shoe Winnipeg, cut-to-fit strap Winnipeg, touch strap trainers Fox, or sporty ankle boot Stoke or mid-heel court shoes Atlantic or mid-heel court shoes Badminton - and many more - mould to the shape of your foot for unbelievable comfort and reduced rubbing.

These are just perfect for bunions, hammer toes, sore joints and swollen feet.

WOW! What more can I say? I ordered these shoes for my husband, who has really severe arthritis in his feet & ankles and due to his size feet has been having difficulty in obtaining comfortable shoes. My husband tried them on and wonder of wonders is still wearing them as he says they are so comfortable. We will certainly be using your company again in the future. Many, many thanks for good product & fast service. Yours sincerely, a very grateful customer.
Mrs Z

Great cushioning is really important for arthritis sufferers to absorb the impact of everyday activities and prevent joint abrasion. Soft cushioning and shock absorption are therefore key and our shoes, with our Air Comfort Insoles and Air-bubble technology soles have you covered on both fronts. Air Comfort insoles add extra-soft cushioning underfoot and Air-Bubble Technology soles are great shock absorbers that make you feel as though you're walking on air!

Look out for the icons in our brochure or the text on product pages on our site to see if your chosen style comes with these features.

Our wide and extra wide fitting slippers and House Shoes are a great way to ensure you have the cushioning and support you need around the home. They're like regular slippers but with lots of features that make them ideal for arthritis sufferers. Cosy and comfy, with shoe-stiffeners for the right level of support and hard-wearing soles that can be worn indoors or outdoors.

You’ll still want to look for many of the features we’ve outlined above, but most of our house shoes fit the bill, making it difficult to choose just a few! A selection of great house shoes for people with arthritis include our best-selling house shoe touch strap Caroline 2, super comfy ankle style Duck, cute flower motif easy entry slipper Savannah, polka dot style elasticated strap Pitsford and many more for the ladies, alongside easy entry touch strap Tartan, stretch fabric Chandler and many more for the discerning gentleman.

Viewwomen's wide-fitting slippersor do you needwide-fitting slippers for men?

You might think that, once you have arthritic joints, your days of stylish “going out shoes” are numbered. Think again! Due to our clever design features, even many of our smarter styles and dress shoes are perfectly suitable for people with arthritis.

There’s out and out style like mid-heeled boot Winton, classic sleek Paris, mid-heel court shoe Atlantic and block heel Seville.

For something a little different or those preferring a flat style, there are styles like smart loafer Nicolette, Diana, Partridge, smart loafer style Steph, Carlisle or Kemble too.

Did you know, if you need 6E, 6V or 8E fitting footwear and have a qualifying condition, that you might be eligible for VAT relief?

This means that you could essentially benefit from a discount of 20%. And what's more, our promotional discount codes still apply, meaning you can gain further savings.

We make it easy to claim your VAT relief by clearly listing the VAT exempt price against qualifying products, and provide a very short form to fill out as part of the checkout process when ordering your 6E, 8E or 6V fitting shoes.

Qualifying conditions for VAT free purchases include physical or mental impairment that affects your ability to carry out everyday activities, for example, blindness; conditions treated as chronic sickness, such as diabetes, arthritis or lymphedema; and long-term illnesses.

Look out for the link underneath our available fittings on each product page to claim your VAT exemption.

If you're unsure about anything at all to do with our styles, features or fittings and whether they're right for you, please do contact us on +44 (0)1933 311 077, Monday to Friday, 9-5 to speak with one of our friendly, knowledgeable UK based customer services team, who will be delighted to help.

Thank you for making it so easy and possible to try on shoes at home during these unprecedented times and for your amazingly helpful website. I have arthritis in my feet and have struggled for years to find nice shoes for special occasions which I can walk in. Your website is a wonderful discovery!
Dr F

We know that it's really difficult to order footwear online and find the perfect fit, but we want to make it as easy, risk-free and stress-free as possible. That's why we offer free returns and exchanges on all UK orders so that, if you're in the UK and have ordered from us and the shoes aren't right for whatever reason, you can give us a call to discuss the problem and return them to us, unworn except for trying on to exchange for a different size, style or fitting without paying a penny more in postage.

Once you've found your perfect fit, you'll never look back! We hope that you agree that our wide-fitting shoes and boots are the best shoes for arthritic feet!

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Disclaimer: This information is of a general nature and should not be taken as a diagnosis. All questions and concerns should be directed to your Doctor, Podiatrist or other health advisor.

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