Finding the right shoe got a lot tougher when my daughter was fitted with new orthotics. Her orthotics have two-pieces which make them much wider than her previous pair. Extra depth is needed to accommodate a lift on the right and the slight “rocker bottom” shape of her left foot. Additionally, extra room is needed for a condition she has called lymphedema that causes swelling on the top of her feet.
The orthotist recommended to enlist the help of a local specialty shoe store. I prefer the convenience of on-line shopping but in this case, we really needed the help of an expert to work through these issues. The staff at Footwear Footcare are very knowledgeable and were helpful in finding a shoe that met my daughter’s needs. They had knowledge of brands and styles that I had not heard of. I highly recommend working with a local specialty shoe store if you have trouble finding shoes to fit orthotics.
They recommended an orthopedic shoe, the DREW “Victoria” . We ordered it in an 8 WW. An 8 is a little long for Caitlin but it gave just a little more width without being too long. This shoe is also available in Men’s sizes and is called DREW “Victor”.
*NOTE* my daughter’s shoes have modifications so they are slightly different than the actual shoe. The pictures to follow have modifications and are different than the actual shoe.
There are many features that make this shoe a good fit for my daughter:
- Wide enough to accommodate her two-piece orthotic and straps.
- Deep enough to accommodate the lift on the right and rounded shape of the left orthotic.
- Insoles are removable to increase the depth of the shoe
- Opening is wide and cut low close to the toe. This allows her to easily step into the shoe.
- Velcro on the front flap is uncomplicated to open and fasten
- The leather is soft and sole is flexible.
The shoe was a good fit right out of the box. The leather is very high quality and has a smooth, clean look. They are versatile and match most outfits from casual to dressy. The sole is stable but easy to bend reducing effort when walking.
After wearing them for a few weeks, there were still a couple issues needing to be addressed. First, the top flap of the right shoe was just a little bit too short to fit over the swelling plus the height from the lift. Because there was not enough slack, the flap would come unfastened as she walked. Second, she tends to drag the toes of her feet and this was starting to wear down the soles.
Footwear Footcare recommended Clawson Shoe Repair to help with these concerns. Clawson Shoe Repair was able to add an additional piece to the right top flap making it longer so that it would stay fastened. They also replaced part of the soles with leather. This helps the toe to glide (similar to a bowling shoe) rather than catch and drag which was contributing to the sole wearing down. I also highly recommend finding a good shoe repair shop. Shoe modifications can be well worth the money to improve the fit and to lengthen the life of the shoe.
*NOTE* The actual soles of the shoes are all black. The following picture is with leather modifications that I had done later.
This helps the toe to glide and reduces wearing down of the sole at the toes.
Overall, the DREW Victoria is a really good shoe for my daughter!
Do you have a shoe recommendation that works well with orthotics? What features do you look for when searching for the perfect shoe?
JoAnn’s journey as a parent and caregiver to an individual with disabilities started when her daughter was born pre-maturely with multiple health issues resulting in cognitive, physical and speech disabilities. Over the years, JoAnn discovered that recreation, travel and social experiences can bring happiness and relief to a life that is often stressful and frustrating. She loves to seek out adaptive, accessible and fun activities for her daughter and the whole family to enjoy. She started the blog www.OurSpecialFunOasis.com to share her uplifting stories and positive ideas to help and to inspire others.