Everyday Health: 8 Steps to Find the Best Shoes for Multiple Sclerosis
Everyday Health recently interviewed Glenn Pfeffer, MD, director of the Foot and Ankle Surgery Program at Cedars-Sinai Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine, about how people with multiple sclerosis (MS), a chronic disease that can affect movement and balance, can find comfortable footwear that keeps them stable and safe on their feet.
Pfeffer told Everyday Health the three biggest footwear concerns for people with MS are sensory issues, balance issues and motor weakness. The right selection depends on how the disease affects an individual.
“There are as many different shoes for people with MS as there are variations of MS,” Pfeffer said, adding that comfort and fit, not fashion trends, should be the priority when purchasing shoes.
“If someone is not comfortable in their shoes,” he said, “they’re going to be miserable.”
Pfeffer also emphasized the importance of proper traction, explaining that the tread on the bottom of the shoe should resemble a tire, with cushioning and corrugation to help prevent slipping.
The ideal sole thickness, he told Everyday Health, depends on the person.
“If someone is having sensory loss, they often complain of not being able to feel the ground well,” he said. “They may want to have a thinner-soled shoe so they can have a better sense of feedback.”
Pfeffer cautioned against heels taller than two inches, as well as backless shoes, such as mules, slip-ons or flip-flops, which can be dangerous “because they can just fly off, and they add very little support.”
He also recommended shopping for shoes at the end of the day, when feet tend to swell, and choosing a shoe that is about half an inch longer than the longest toe when standing.
Read the complete article from Everyday Health.