”I could cry, the amount of shoes I can't get into”:A qualitative exploration of the factors that influence retail footwear selection in women with rheumatoid arthritis

Abstract

BackgroundStudies have reported that women with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are not wearing NHS supplied therapeutic footwear; therefore it is likely they are wearing footwear sourced through retailers. Previous research gives limited information (largely associated with cosmesis) on people's perceptions on the relationships that exist between retail footwear, well-being and quality of life. This study aimed to explore the perceptions of women with RA regarding their choice of retail footwear and identify the factors influencing retail footwear selection.MethodsEleven women with RA wearing normal retail footwear were recruited from an out-patient podiatry clinic in the south east of England. Semi-structured interviews were carried out and an interpretative phenomenological approach was adopted for data collection and transcript analysis.ResultsSix key themes were revealed from the analysis: (1) the nature of foot complaints and deformities, (2) aesthetic appearance and design of footwear, (3) body image, (4) psychosocial aspects, (5) Perceptions of footwear and (6) the therapeutic value of retail shoes. These contributed to an overarching concept of loss of choice associated with retail footwear. In particular, the areas discussed most frequently throughout were themes (2), (3) and (4), which were notably more 'emotional' in nature.ConclusionsLimitations in retail footwear for these women have impacted on their individuality, linking significantly with their body image. The loss of choice in footwear as a consequence of the disease impacts negatively on emotions, wellbeing and was identified in reduced self-perceived quality of life.

Foot Problems in a Group of Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis: An Unmet Need for Foot Care

“…The appearance and design of the footwear was of considerable consequence for non compliance. Difficulties with the fit of the orthoses to their retail shoes were also emphasized in some previous studies [6, 28, 32]. The non-adherence of the prescription of foot orthoses may also be related to the lack of regular follow-ups and/or poor education of the patients and physicians.…”

“…Rome et al indicated only 24% of patients that have used podiatry service and highlighted the problems of footwear [15]. Also Naidoo et al explored the perceptions of women with RA regarding their choice of retail footwear and the factors influencing foot wear selection [28]. We have evaluated the foot involvement as clinical, radiological and from the view of subjects in a group of patients suffering from RA.…”

“…But this was not surprising as previous studies indicated the limited and conflicted evidence of the foot orthoses in improvement of foot pain and functional disability among patients with RA [32, 33]. The orthoses were reported to decrease forefoot pain and rearfoot pain in patients with early-onset RA but were not shown to improve pain levels in advanced disease [28, 33]. Also the cost-effectiveness of foot orthoses in RA patients was suggested to be furtherly clarified [6, 28].…”

“…The orthoses were reported to decrease forefoot pain and rearfoot pain in patients with early-onset RA but were not shown to improve pain levels in advanced disease [28, 33]. Also the cost-effectiveness of foot orthoses in RA patients was suggested to be furtherly clarified [6, 28]. Many people with RA do not wear the prescribed therapeutic footwear, often due to poor fit or unacceptable cosmetic appearances.…”

Foot and ankle impairments affect balance and mobility in stroke (FAiMiS): the views and experiences of people with stroke

“…Feelings regarding footwear and the use of an AFO tended to be stronger in the female participants who reported feeling self-conscious because of both the appearance of the AFO and the resultant loss of footwear choice because of the need to accommodate an AFO. The impact of footwear or lack of footwear choice has been established in other non-stroke populations [54] yet despite its importance, footwear advice following stroke is minimal [55]. All of these factors contributed to people feeling self-conscious about their physical appearance which has shown to be a strong predictor of general self-esteem [56].…”