Best Shoes for Osteoarthritis in Feet

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Causes & Symptoms of Osteoarthritis
Ways to Relieve Osteoarthritis
Shoes to Avoid and the Best Shoes for Osteoarthritis
Finding the Best Shoes for Osteoarthritis

If you have any questions about finding the best shoes for your feet, please contact our Customer Care team who are highly knowledgeable and here to help!

Email Us:

customercare@solebliss.com

Call Us:

+44 (0) 1923 227400

Monday to Friday 9am - 5pm UK time.

get in TOUCH

Jump to contents

Causes & Symptoms of Osteoarthritis
Ways to Relieve Osteoarthritis
Shoes to Avoid and the Best Shoes for Osteoarthritis
Finding the Best Shoes for Osteoarthritis

If you have any questions about finding the best shoes for your feet, please contact our Customer Care team who are highly knowledgeable and here to help!

Email Us:

customercare@solebliss.com

Call Us:

+44 (0) 1923 227400

Monday to Friday 9am - 5pm UK time.

get in TOUCH

Shoes for Osteoarthritis - What are the Best Shoes for Arthritic Feet?

What is Osteoarthritis?

Are you looking for the best shoes for osteoarthritis? First it is important to understand what osteoarthritis is. If you are suffering with painful joints in your feet, you may be wondering what is arthritis and, specifically, osteoarthritis.

Arthritis is a disease which affects the joints. There are many types of arthritis but the most common is osteoarthritis. It is also known as degenerative arthritis or wear-and-tear arthritis

So what is osteoarthritis? When you have this type of arthritis, the cartilage (protective tissue) between the bones at your pivotal joints wears away. This causes your bones within the joint to rub together, causing pain, swelling and stiffness.

Osteoarthritis can occur in any of your joints, although the most common joints are in your feet, knees, hips, back, shoulders and fingers. When you have osteoarthritis in your feet, it often causes degeneration of the cartilage at the base of your big toe, which can cause big toe joint pain. If you suffer with osteoarthritis, it is fairly common to suffer with bunions too.

This blog will focus on osteoarthritis in your feet and painful foot joints. We will provide more information on the best shoes for osteoarthritis, what to avoid when you are looking for shoes for arthritis, as well as other ways to relieve the pain of osteoarthritis.

Hero: Black Leather - Best Shoes for Osteoarthritis

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Causes & Symptoms of Osteoarthritis

There are millions of people with osteoarthritis and painful foot joints. Osteoarthritis tends to occur over time and has a cumulative effect, which is why old age is one of its main causes. Osteoarthritis is most common when you are over 60 years old but can occur much earlier than that.

Arthritis can also be genetic so if your parents or siblings have osteoarthritis, you are more likely to suffer too.

Other risk factors for osteoarthritis and painful foot joints include poor posture, obesity, past injury (including torn cartilage, ligament injuries, dislocated joints or painful foot joints). Medical conditions such as diabetes and conditions which cause inflammation of foot joints may also lead to osteoarthritis.

Women are also more likely to suffer with osteoarthritis than men. In some cases, menopause can be a cause of osteoarthritis.

Pixie: Black Leather & Suede - Trainers for Osteoarthritis

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Ways to Relieve Osteoarthritis

If you are diagnosed with osteoarthritis and you are suffering with painful foot joints, you may want to know the best ways to relieve osteoarthritis. One of the easiest ways to soothe painful foot joints is to wear the right shoes for arthritic feet. The best arthritic shoes are sensitive to the inflammation of foot joints and will comfort and soothe your feet.

In addition to wearing comfortable shoes for arthritis, there are other ways you can relieve the pain of osteoarthritis:

Massage your painful foot joints
Apply over the counter topical creams for arthritis
Regularly do foot and ankle exercises
Take non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
Keep active
Apply ice or heat (heat is helpful for joint stiffness, and cold compresses are best for joint pain)
Wear support devices, such as braces, a walking stick or knee tape
Consume natural remedies such as green tea, turmeric or ginger.

Hero: Navy Leather - Slip-On Shoes for Arthritis

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Shoes to Avoid and the Best Shoes for Osteoarthritis

Footwear plays an important part in looking after arthritic feet and painful foot joints. We will show you what to look out for and what to avoid when shopping for shoes for osteoarthritis and arthritic feet.

Arthritis doesn't just cause foot pain in the joints; it also causes inflammation of the foot joints. Osteoarthritis also causes degeneration of the cartilage at the base of the big toe, which can lead to bunions. If you suffer with bunions, these bony lumps need to be accommodated in your choice of shoes too. Fortunately Sole Bliss specialises in the most comfortable and stylish shoes for bunion sufferers.

If you wear poorly-fitting shoes or tight shoes, you can make arthritis pain and pain in foot joints worse. Wearing comfortable shoes for bunions and arthritis can help reduce the pain in your foot joints and help with mobility.

We would recommend avoiding very high heels. Pointy high heels may squeeze your feet and put excess pressure on the front of your foot. Heels which are too high for you can also damage the joints in your knee, back and hips, which is harmful for those with osteoarthritis in these joints.

That's not to say you can no longer wear heels. Comfortable heels for arthritic joints do exist! Browse our full collection of heels for arthritis here.

Ingrid: Cream Leather - Heeled Shoes for Arthritis

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Finding the Best Shoes for Osteoarthritis

Sole Bliss is here to help you find the best shoes for osteoarthritis! There are a few key factors to look out for when shopping for arthritis shoes.

Firstly, look for shoes with a wide toe-box which accommodates your foot shape. Sufferers of osteoarthritis often suffer with conditions such as bunions, hammer toes and deformed joints which can accompany arthritis. Opt for shoes with a wider toe-box in order to give your foot room to breathe.

Sole Bliss shoes also have an ingenious Bunion Bed stretch panel which stretches to accommodate these foot conditions, relieving the pressure from bunions and cushioning any difficult joints. The best shoes for arthritis will match the shape of your foot so that you do not have to twist or contort your foot to fit in the shoes. It is important that your arthritis shoes do not rub either.

Orla: Black Leather - Shoes for Bunions and Arthritis

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Secondly, the best shoes for arthritis will offer plenty of cushioning. All Sole Bliss shoes feature our anatomically contoured and ultra-cushioned footbed. This signature footbed is designed to provide cloud-like comfort underneath your entire foot, contour to the shape of your foot, and provide shock absorption as you walk on hard surfaces.

Then you need to consider what are the best materials for your arthritis shoes. The best shoes are soft yet hard-wearing. We would recommend leather as it is durable, breathable and flexible. Leather shoes will also stop your feet from sweating. Sole Bliss shoes all have leather uppers and are fully leather lined to keep your feet cool and comfortable.

The best shoes for arthritis are often adjustable too. Look for arthritic shoes with shoe laces, zip fastenings or buckles. Adjustable shoes for arthritis are also helpful for when you have arthritis flare-ups and your foot changes shape. If you have osteoarthritis in your feet, you may have it in your hands too.

If this is the case, it might be difficult to tie shoe laces.Sole Bliss Miracle Trainershave a functional side zip so that you can slip them on and off with ease! All you need to do is adjust the shoe laces when you are first trying on your Miracle Trainers to find the perfect fit. After that, you only need the zip!

Another top tip for wearing the best shoes for arthritic feet is to really make sure you wear the correct shoe size. Shoes which are too small can cause foot pain in your joints so be careful not to squeeze your feet in this way. We always recommend trying on your shoes in the afternoon because this is when they are at their biggest. Feet tend to swell during the day, so try your arthritic shoes in the afternoon as this will give you the best indication as to whether or not they are a good fit.

Sole Bliss' Best Shoes for Arthritis

Now that we have discussed what to keep an eye out for and what to avoid when you are looking for shoes for osteoarthritis, we want to show you some of Sole Bliss' best shoes for arthritic feet. From heels to flats, trainers to boots, Sole Bliss has the best collection of shoes for your feet!

Our Best Shoes for Arthritis

Diva: White Leather & Turquoise Multi Shoes Sole Bliss

Dash: Black Suede

£189

Dash: Navy Suede

£189

Feather: Pale Blue Leather Shoes Sole Bliss

Pixie: Silver Leather

£189

+ 6 More

Feather: Mint Green Leather Shoes Sole Bliss

Pixie: Gold Leather

£189

+ 6 More

Luna: Bronze Snake Print Leather Shoes Sole Bliss

Luna: White Weave Leather Shoes Sole Bliss

NEW IN

Luna: Bronze Snake Print Leather

£149

+ 14 More

Posted

Nov 13, 2025

Author

Lisa Kay

When it comes to comfort, Lisa Kay knows it all! Lisa has been a Shoe Designer for over 20 years. She has used her own experience dealing with bunions to create Sole Bliss - the shoe brand dedicated to women with bunions, wide feet and sensitive soles. Lisa has worked with Italian and Spanish artisans and the world’s leading podiatrists to create the best shoes for women with bunions and wide feet. Every pair of Sole Bliss shoes contains an award-winning, podiatrist-approved Comfort Technology.

Contributor

Dr Brad Schaeffer

Dr Brad Schaeffer is a Certified Foot Surgeon with the American Board of Foot and Ankle Surgery. He trained at Hoboken University Medical Center with a 3 Year Comprehensive Foot and Ankle Reconstructive Surgical Residency.

After residency, Dr Schaeffer has continued training and crafting his skillset in cutting edge surgical techniques and regenerative medicine.

Dr Schaeffer was also discovered for the hit TV show, My Feet Are Killing Me. He is known for bringing his eye of aesthetic medicine and attention to detail to every patient that he treats.