What is adaptive footwear?
Adaptive footwear is designed to make shoes easier to put on, remove or adjust while still providing a secure fit.
Who might find adaptive footwear useful?
It may help people with reduced hand dexterity, limited bending or mobility, swelling, foot deformity or orthotic devices that make standard footwear difficult to manage.
What features make footwear adaptive?
Common features include wide-opening uppers, adjustable straps, accessible closures, pull tabs, removable insoles and extra internal space.
Why does a wide opening help?
A generous opening reduces the need to force the foot into the shoe and can make it easier to accommodate swelling or an orthosis.
Which fastenings are easiest to manage?
Hook-and-loop straps, large tabs, elastic laces and other simple closures can be easier to use than small buckles or conventional laces.
Can elastic laces help?
Elastic laces can reduce the need to repeatedly tie and untie shoes, but the shoe must still hold the foot securely.
What are pull tabs for?
Pull tabs can make it easier to open the shoe or guide the heel into position.
Why are removable insoles useful?
Removing the original insole can create additional depth for an orthotic or a higher-volume foot, provided the footwear still fits safely.
What does a shoehorn do?
A shoehorn guides the heel into the shoe and helps reduce the need to crush or pull hard against the heel counter.
Who might find a long shoehorn useful?
A longer shoehorn can reduce the amount of bending needed to reach the foot and may be useful for people with limited hip, knee or back movement.
How should a shoehorn be used?
Place it behind the heel and allow the foot to slide into the shoe without forcing. Remove it once the heel is fully seated.
Can a shoehorn solve a shoe that is too tight?
No. If significant force is needed to get the foot into the shoe, the footwear may not provide enough opening, width or depth.
Do slip-on shoes always make dressing easier?
They can, but they may offer less adjustability. A wide-opening adjustable shoe is often easier to fit securely.
Can adaptive footwear accommodate AFOs or SMOs?
Some styles can, but devices often need footwear specifically designed with sufficient opening, width and depth.
Ease of use matters, but fit still comes first: footwear should be straightforward to put on without becoming loose or unstable once fastened.
When might other dressing support be useful?
If bending, hand function or balance makes dressing difficult, an occupational therapist may be able to suggest footwear features or dressing aids suited to the individual.
