Mobility shoes show benefits for knee osteoarthritis

A new study has highlighted the potential benefits that flat and flexible mobility shoes can offer to knee osteoarthritis patients.

The Rush University Medical Center study revealed that the specialised footwear – which helps patients to adopt a gait that is more akin to barefoot walking – can deliver a significant reduction in the amount of weight placed on the inflamed joint.

With these shoes, patients were able to enjoy more natural foot mobility and greater support for the foot, while it was also suggested that the shoes can help to re-train the foot to a more comfortable gait even after they have stopped wearing the footwear.

Dr Najia Shakoor, a rheumatologist at Rush University Medical Center, said: "Patients with osteoarthritis who use flat, flexible footwear may experience a significant reduction in knee loading with continued use. Our investigation provides evidence that footwear choice may be an important consideration in managing knee osteoarthritis."

The most common type of arthritis in the UK, it is estimated that around one million people see their GP about osteoarthritis every year.