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Orthopedic shoes in the treatment of foot diseases
Last reviewed: 04.07.2025
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In rheumatoid arthritis, 90% of patients have involvement of the feet in the pathological process, and clinical manifestations - in 15-20%. In many ways, the development and progression of foot lesions in rheumatoid arthritis is associated with the use of irrational footwear. Sufficient data has been accumulated confirming that orthopedic footwear reduces pain and improves walking parameters in patients with ankle joint damage in rheumatological diseases. According to some researchers, advice to choose suitable orthopedic footwear may be the most useful of those that a doctor can give to a patient with arthritic foot damage.
[ What are orthopedic shoes for?
Orthopedic footwear reduces pain and compensates for walking disorders in patients with ankle joint damage. Slows down the progression of deformations, increases the duration of conservative treatment.
Indications: deformation of the forefoot in patients with rheumatoid arthritis; metatarsalgia; plantar fasciitis; arthritis of the subtalar and ankle joints; heel pain.
Contraindication: fixed foot deformities.
Preparation. In cases of complex ankle joint deformation, orthopedic footwear is made individually (using a plaster model).
What should orthopedic shoes be like?
Basic requirements: sufficient width and height of the toe area (prevention of pinching of the toes); soft sole and shock-absorbing insole (reduction of the load on the heads of the metatarsal bones when walking); transverse arch layout and sufficiently rigid inner edge of the shoe (reduction of excessive pronation and valgus deformity in the subtalar and ankle joints); rigid back (stability of the back of the foot when walking). Heel height - no more than 2-3 cm. If possible, avoid wearing shoes with high heels, tapered toes and no back.
The effect of use is a reliable reduction in pain and improvement in walking parameters.
Factors influencing efficiency: manufacturing quality and accuracy of shoe parameters matching the characteristics of the deformation and the nature of functional disorders in a particular patient.
Alternative methods. Surgical treatment - reconstructive arthroplastic operations on the forefoot and midfoot.