On November 14th, World Diabetes Day, we’ll be joining thousands of other health professionals and patients to help raise awareness of diabetes – from initial symptoms leading to diagnosis, to underlying causes and prevention, and treatment and care best practice.
We’ll be getting our best (meaning most comfortable and suitable) shoes on and encourage you to do the same. But we wanted to shed some light on what wearing appropriate shoes can look like for diabetics, as we know you’ve probably seen some off-putting medical shoes that involve foam, beige colours and Velcro – these are not your only choice so don’t panic!
The Best Men’s Shoes for Diabetics
We’ll start with the guys as the choices are pretty straight forward.
Sports Shoes
Providing they’re a good fit, it’s hard to go wrong with a good quality trainer or sports shoe, as they are typically designed to support your feet and knees and minimise pressure by absorbing shock.
Try to avoid Tennis style shoes and trendy baseball boots if you are going to be doing a lot of walking. They have flat, hard rubber soles that are not great for arch support, but if you absolutely must have the latest pair in fashion, then find a thick supportive insole.
Also be aware that the rubberised toe of tennis shoes and baseball boots can rub your toes causing bunions and blisters so be extremely careful to try before you buy and have a good walk around. You could try a similar style but without the rubber toes instead.
Running shoes are very supportive, so any of the styles found in most shops are good..
Smart Shoes
If you work in an office or prefer a smarter look, then there is a happy medium. Thin soled dress shoes are not recommended as they don’t provide any support. Choose real leather instead of plastics, as it is softer and more flexible, and over time with more wear will mould to the shape of your feet and be less likely to rub. You could consider boots with a thicker, softer sole.
A happy medium are some of the very nice looking smart trainers that are in darker colours such as brown and black, which provide all the comfort and support of a sports shoe but also look smart.
The Best Women’s Shoes for Diabetics
For the ladies, there’s plenty of choice. Again, try to choose real leather over synthetic materials. Avoid completely flat shoes, or at the very least wear insoles. Many of the fashion shops now stock a “wider fit” range, these are worth trying.
For the winter, boots with a slight wedge or chunky heel are ideal, but avoid anything that feels too heavy to wear as you’ll put stress on your joints and may even experience the terrible shin splints. For dressing up pretty, low heeled court shoes are ideal. Or to avoid heels completely, anything with a bit of sparkle in a flat shoe will also look fab for a night out.