Shoe choice matters if you have osteoarthritis in your knees. Find out which styles can help control osteoarthritis pain. If you...
Shoe choice matters if you have osteoarthritis in your knees. Find out which styles can help control osteoarthritis pain.
If you're one of the millions of Americans living with the pain of knee osteoarthritis, the wear-and-tear form of arthritis, the shoes you choose can make a big difference in how you feel and how well you function.
Marked by progressive damage to cartilage and other joint tissues, osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis. The joints most affected are those in the hands, knees, and hips, according to the Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.
Some shoes affect knee osteoarthritis symptoms, pain, and progression more than others. Try these expert recommendations.
The Worst Shoes for Knee Osteoarthritis
- Clogs. “Clogs aren’t good for people with osteoarthritis because they place high loads on the knee,” says Najia Shakoor, MD, a rheumatologist and a professor of medicine at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago. Joint load refers to the force put on a weight-bearing or load-bearing joint during activity, she says. “You want to decrease the load on the knee, not increase it.”
- Pumps, stilettos, and other high-heeled shoes. “In general, heels are a no-no if you have knee osteoarthritis,” Dr. Shakoor says. These types of shoes may even increase the risk of developing osteoarthritis, according to a study published in March 2015 in the Journal of Orthopaedic Research. This analysis of the walking patterns of 14 women found that walking in high heels puts the knees under additional strain, which can set the stage for knee osteoarthritis. “All heels will increase load on the knee,” Shakoor says. “Even a wedge that’s built for comfort will increase load.” Her advice for women with osteoarthritis who won’t give up their heels? Wear them only on special occasions, but not on a daily basis. “Damage to the knee is cumulative,” she says.
- Supportive sneakers. Believe it or not, a very supportive shoe may not be the best way to go for knee osteoarthritis. "You don’t want too much arch support,” Shakoor says. “You need to pronate, and arch support prevents this." Pronation, she explains, is the inward movement of the foot as it rolls to distribute the force of impact so as not to overtax any joints.
The Best Shoes for Knee Osteoarthritis
- Soft, flexible sneakers. Look for soft, flat, flexible sneakers or walking shoes designed to mimic the biomechanics of walking barefoot. This was the main finding from a study done by Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, published in May 2013 in the journal Arthritis & Rheumatism. In the study, 16 people who had knee osteoarthritis wore specially made mobility shoes, which mimic walking barefoot, for six hours a day, six days a week. Participants changed how they walked, which improved load on the knee, even when the mobility shoes were no longer worn, the researchers found.
- Ballet flats. “These shoes are a pretty good choice for osteoarthritis,” Shakoor says. “They don’t increase load on the knees.”
- Soft, flexible men’s dress shoes. “If you’re a man with knee osteoarthritis, look for dress shoes that are flexible and soft that will expand and not constrict the foot and cause foot pain or other problems,” Shakoor says. Steer clear of stiff dress shoes, she says.
- Flip-flops. These are good for knee osteoarthritis, but there's a caveat: “Mechanically, they’re not bad, but they can lead to falls,” Shakoor says. This is especially true for older people with knee osteoarthritis.
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