Insights & Stories

You want your shoes to be comfortable. You want them to fit your feet well. And if you have trouble with swelling in your feet, you absolutely want to find the best shoes for edema. Too often, however, we struggle with finding the right shoes for edema feet. It can be challenge to find shoes that are comfortable, fit well and meet the right tone for various occasions. This is why we settle on shoes that might not be totally comfortable all of the time. Or we risk embarrassment by wearing comfortable shoes that are not appropriate for various events or activities. Nobody wants to wear shoes that don’t fit. And nobody wants to waste money and time on returning shoes. That’s why it is important to try to find the right edema shoes when you are looking for the best shoes in your situation. It’s easy to understand how you might wind up with the wrong shoes, of course. We all make mistakes. Here are the most common mistakes everyone makes when buying edema shoes. 1. You bought the wrong size Many of us don’t actually know our own shoe size. You might have an idea in your mind about what size shoe you wear, but that doesn’t mean it is actually the correct size. Buying shoes in the wrong size isn’t just a problem with shoes for edema patients. It’s a universal problem. What is most important to note is that you will never wear a single shoe size. Shoe manufacturers have different size guidelines and different styles of shoes fit your feet differently. You might wear a 7 in dress shoes, but need a 6.5 in sandals to keep them on your feet and even an 8 in athletic shoes. This can make shoe shopping a challenge, even before you add in the swelling that creates problems finding shoes for edematous feet. Your best bet is to first get measured for shoe sizes on a regular basis. Feet grow and spread over time. Your feet can change shape. Get measured every six months to a year to be sure you’re wearing the right size shoe. Then, try on your shoes as best you can before you buy them. If you know that in one brand you wear a larger size than in another brand, you can use that information as you shop online for shoes. Or, even better, skip the sizing issues all together and simply buy adjustable shoes for edema. 2. You didn’t read reviews Shopping online has tremendous benefits over shopping in stores, specially for shoes for people with edema. You have greater options in footwear. You have expanded sizes. You also have specifically made shoes for edematous feet. But what makes online shopping even better is that you have access to reviews as well. If you are looking at edema footwear, but want to know more about how the shoe fits, what other customers are experiencing with the shoe or simply what the material feels like, you can read the reviews. There are multiple websites dedicated to reviews on footwear and to the companies that make it. If you don’t read the reviews, you may not know what to expect in terms of delivery and returns, or if the shoes tend to run big or small. Read what others have said, and write up your own experience in turn to help those shopping later. 3. You didn’t fit the widest part of your foot Edema footwear needs to fit the widest part of your foot. If you suffer from edema and also have high arches or a bunion, you should take that into account when you’re shopping. Just like you should buy clothes for the widest part of your body, you should be buying shoes for the widest part of your foot. If you realize that your shoes are too loose in other ways once you fit the widest part, it may be that you need to shop for another brand of shoe, another style or perhaps just find a pair of adjustable shoes for edema. 4. You chose fashion over comfort We all want to look and feel good in our shoes. But looking good shouldn’t matter more than feeling good. If you choose fashion over function, you might get away with it for a little while. But eventually you’re going to have problems. Fashionable shoes often are made without much consideration for comfort, and they are certainly not designed to accommodate wider feet or those with feet that swell during the day. Even if you absolutely love a pair of shoes because they are so stylish, forcing your feet into those shoes can lead to long-term foot damage and short term pain. Buy shoes that fit comfortably instead. 5. You didn’t leave room for growth Buying shoes for children requires leaving a bit of room in the toe for feet to grow. Buying the best shoes for edema means almost the same thing. You need to buy shoes that have some wiggle room or give to accommodate your feet and ankles throughout the day. Adjustable shoes for edema offer plenty of ways to make room as your feet swell, especially if your feet swell a great deal during the day and then come down in size overnight. But even without adjustable shoes for edema, choose your shoes carefully to be sure they have room at the sides and the top of the shoe to accommodate swelling. 6. You bought a shoe designed for men If you’re a man looking at men’s shoes for edema, this is a mistake that doesn’t apply to you. However, if you’re looking for shoes for women with edema, you might be tempted to check out the selection for men. This might be a mistake, however, because women’s footwear is not the same as men’s. While some shoes are interchangeable between men and women – slides, for example – others are not as versatile. If you are looking for professional shoes tailored to a woman’s smaller foot, you can’t just buy men’s shoes and expect them to fit the bill. The best shoes for women with edema are shoes that incorporate feminine styles but include options for growth and stretch during the day. Men’s shoes are often bulkier, heavier and might not be much wider than traditional women’s shoes. 7. You bought shoes too quickly If you grab the first pair of shoes that comes in your size, you may be buying your shoes too quickly. Shoes fit differently and they can vary in fit even in the same manufacturer. Don’t just grab the first pair you try on that seem tolerable. Instead, try on a few different pairs or buy multiple pairs online with plans to return the ones that don’t fit well. Just be sure you research the return policies first! Trying on multiple shoes before committing to a purchase allows you to test different brands and different styles. Grab and go footwear purchases might leave you a pair that fits, but you might have missed an opportunity to get something much better. At the very least, you’ll have a better idea of sizes and fit across multiple brands and shoe styles by trying on a large selection. 8. You think all shoes are naturally a bit uncomfortable If you’ve been wearing regular shoes instead of edema shoes, you have likely experienced some of the discomfort that comes from poorly fitted footwear. But if you’ve been jamming your feet into poorly fitted shoes for a long period of time, you may not even recognize how accustomed you’ve become to discomfort. It is not normal for your shoes to be uncomfortable. Your feet should not hurt every time you have to wear your shoes. If you can’t find comfortable edema shoes, then consider new brands or special adjustable shoes for edema that you can customize to your liking.   9. You didn’t buy shoes with enough support One thing that has been known to happen when looking for edema shoes, is trading too much comfort for a lack of support. Not having a solid shoe supporting your arches and heels can result in foot and even hip pain over time. You need plenty of give and room in your edema footwear, but wearing slippers all of time can be dangerous to your ongoing foot health. Find shoes that are soft like slippers around your feet, but blend that softness and comfort with a study sole that includes proper arch support and some give for when you walk to protect your feet, especially if you are on your feet for long stretches of time on a daily basis. 10. You didn’t try your shoes on with socks If you are used to wearing slippers or slides on a regular basis, you might have gotten in the habit of wearing your shoes without socks. But when you go to try on your shoes for edema feet, you need to be sure that you are trying on shoes the way you’re going to wear them on a regular basis. That means if you are trying on shoes for work, then you need to be trying on your shoes with socks. Shoes fit differently over bare feet than they do over socks. Different socks also can make a difference as well in how shoes fit as well. Thicker socks can help protect your feet, especially as feet adjust in size throughout the day. Thinner socks can help shoes fit more smoothly over your feet. Be sure that you try on shoes with the socks you plan on wearing with them on the daily basis. 11. You shopped for shoes in the morning All feet grow in size over the course of the day. This is especially true for those suffering from edema. Edema shoes should take this natural growth into account, but we don’t always remember how much our feet can swell if we shop for shoes in the morning. The best time to shop for new shoes for people with edema is when your feet are most swollen, likely at the end of the day. This ensures that you have shoes that fit comfortably when your feet and ankles are at their least comfortable. Even if you are shopping online for new shoes for edema patients, be sure to measure your feet at the end of the day and use those measurements as you are finding the proper size. Remember that adjustable shoes for edema will have the most grace in sizes, often allowing you to change the size of the overall shoe as the day progresses so that the time of day doesn’t matter as much for shoe shopping purposes. 12. You only tried on one shoe We’ve all done it. You’re in a hurry or trying on lots of pairs of shoes, so you simply try on one shoe in the pair to get an idea of how they fit. This can be a mistake. Everyone’s feet are different sizes. And when your feet swell due to edema, they are going to be even less evenly matched. To decide if a shoe fits comfortably, you should be trying on both shoes in a set. It is very possible that a shoe may fit your right foot differently than it fits the left. To find the best shoes for edema, you need to try on the full set – don’t buy a pair of shoes when you’ve only tried on half of the purchase. 13. You assume a shoe will stretch over time In the case of leather shoes and boots, you can expect a bit of stretch over time. Some people still buy shoes a bit snug anticipating some stretch over time. After all, if a shoe stretches too much, it will wind up too big. This is not the right advice for edema footwear, however. You can count on your feet growing over the course of the day and possibly the week. Modern shoes are often not constructed of leather, which means they aren’t going to do any stretching. If they do, it will be minimal and it will come at the expense of your feet. Buy shoes that fit the first time you try them on. Don’t assume the shoes will stretch to accommodate your feet, because they probably won’t. 14. You bought one pair of shoes for all occasions Edema shoes can be a challenge to find, and when you find a pair that is comfortable and fits well, it’s natural to want to wear that shoe as often as possible. After all, isn’t a comfortable set of edema shoes the goal? It is absolutely true that you want your edema shoes to be comfortable. But you don’t want a single pair of shoes for all occasion. Don’t fall into the trap of buying a single pair of shoes and then trying to make that pair work for every single thing you do over the course of the day or week. You can’t jog in your work shoes. You can’t work in an office in the same shoes you use to cut the grass. Find a brand of edema shoes that works for you and fits well. Then invest in multiple pairs to help you cover the range of activities you can expect in your daily life. 

Nobody likes to end the day throbbing feet. But if you have feet that tend to swell with pregnancy, edema or other conditions like diabetes, you already know how shoes that feel comfortable in the morning can be painful by the time you’re able to take them off in the evening. Finding wide shoes for swollen feet is a challenge for many, especially if you are looking for stylish footwear that is also comfortable and practical.   Buying wide shoes for swollen feet If you know your feet swell during the day, you want to find shoes that fit comfortably. A shoe that pinches or squeezes your feet can cause more irritation and lead to blisters and other foot related injuries. Your feet take a beating every day, even without pinching them into shoes that are too small or that don’t support your feet properly.  To try and fit their feet well, many individuals look for wide shoes for swollen feet. They shop traditional styles from traditional brands and look for extra wide men’s shoes for swollen feet. Or perhaps extra wide women’s shoes for swollen feet. Anyone who has walked into a traditional shoe shop and asked about ultra wide shoes swollen feet that can be worn comfortably already knows how futile this search can be.  Sure, manufacturers make wide widths in many of their shoes. But sometimes wide isn’t wide enough, especially if you’re specifically looking for shoes for swollen feet versus shoes for a traditional wide foot.   Wide feet versus swollen feet A wide foot is a foot where the bones within the foot, coupled with the muscle and tendons and other layers, have come together to be wider than the industry norm. While all feet swell over the course of the day, a wide foot starts out wide in the morning and remains wide all day, perhaps swelling a quarter or a half size over the course of a long day. A swollen foot, on the other hand, doesn’t have a width determined by the bone structure within the foot. In a swollen foot, the width of the foot is actually determined by fluids in the foot. Fluids pool in the feet over the course of the day and feet can grow in volume between the morning and the night. If you lose fluids again or in some cases, prop your feet up for an extended period of time, the swelling in your feet can go down again, bringing your foot back to a more traditional width. In short, a wide foot will stay wide. A swollen foot is not always swollen to the same size and width on a daily basis.  This is why trying to buy extra wide women’s shoes for swollen feet or extra wide men’s shoes for swollen feet doesn’t work as well as we would like. Sure, they look good and might even feel good when you try them on, but what happens when your foot swells more or loses some of the accumulated fluid? Suddenly that wide shoe is too narrow or perhaps even too big. That is a very awkward problem to be facing while at work or on the go.   Swelling in the feet, ankles and legs If you’ve ever faced edema, perhaps as a side effect of your diabetes or during pregnancy you know that edema, or swelling caused by fluids, does not confine itself to the sides of your feet. Edema does not simply make your feet wider. It makes them fuller all around, particularly on the top and around the ankles Your feet essentially expand in all directions. This means even a comfortable wide shoe might squeeze your feet in a different direction. Your foot may become too tall as fluid builds up in your arches. You might not be able to lace your shoes or even get your foot in or out of the shoe easily. And swelling doesn’t confine itself to your feet. If you are suffering from swelling in your feet, you are likely also suffering from fluid build up and swelling in your ankles and calves. Shoes aren’t a one dimensional product. The fit of your shoes can be affected by your foot changing sizes in every direction, but your shoes can also be affected by the shape and size of your ankles and caves as well.  A swollen ankle can rub across the top of your shoes and create blisters and sore spots. Boots, even those with wide calves or laces often do not fit over swollen calves or cause restrictions in circulation over the course of the day as the leg grows inside the boot, and the boot doesn’t conform to your calf’s new shape.  It might seem like the best solution to finding shoes for swollen feet is to simply wear flip flops or slippers every day, all day. Or perhaps to fill your closet with wide shoes that fit some of the time. Flip flops and slippers do not provide much needed support. Making do with shoes that have zero support or simply surviving the day in unprofessional footwear isn’t a real solution to the problem. Buying wide shoes, even soft ones or shoes with plenty of extra room just creates a different problem. Your shoes are too big in the morning and possibly too small by the time you get home and can take them off. Shoes that are too big and shoes that are too small can cause any number of serious problems for your feet.   Dangers from wearing the wrong shoes for swollen feet Wearing the wrong size shoes, either too big or too small, can lead to serious consequences for both men and women. This isn’t just a “fashion is painful” argument – this is a matter of health and safety. If you wear the wrong shoe size, you’re facing some serious potential issues including the following common risks.       Blisters A shoe that is too tight or too loose will rub incorrectly on your foot and can cause blisters. Blisters can also be caused by a shoe that is too stiff and lays incorrectly against your foot. Sometimes you can prevent blisters with socks, but wearing a thick sock with your shoes can lead to even tighter, more uncomfortably footwear.       Fall risks Wearing a shoe that is too long can create a tripping hazard. Many people who have swelling have had to settle for sizing up by 1 or 2 sizes to get their feet in. Poorly fitting shoes can make you shuffle your feet instead of walking normally. This can be a problem if you’ve taken to wearing slippers or flip flops  most of the time instead of traditional footwear to try to find comfortable shoes for swollen feet. A loose shoe also fails to provide support and can become at tripping hazard in its own right. If your foot shifts inside your shoe, you can easily trip yourself or even fall off of your own shoe, hurting yourself in the process.       Foot ulcers If you have diabetes you may be more prone to foot ulcers that are caused by ill fitting shoes on swollen feet. Any abrasions or skin disruptions can be very serious for diabetics. The shoes press in on the increasing swollen feet and rub, creating sores that eventually become open wounds, or ulcers. Wear the shoes longer or over multiple days and the foot ulcers can worsen, creating significant pain and making it hard to walk at all. Peripheral neuropathy is a common complication of diabetes and can result in numbness of feet. This can accelerate other problems like frequent tripping.        Infection Any open wound is subject to bacteria, especially when the wound is near sources or bacteria like dirt. Having open wounds on your feet caused by blisters or foot ulcers serve as an invitation for bacteria and subsequent infections.   If you tried shoes for swollen feet that still didn’t fit correctly, you may wind up with open sores. To prevent infection, keep these sores clean and covered so that they can heal. This can be difficult if your shoes are creating additional sores. Open wounds require medical attention. Please see a doctor.        Claw and hammer toes Remember that it is not just the width of your foot that swells, it’s all of the foot, including your toes. Cramming your foot into a wide shoe might force your toes into an uncomfortable vice as they swell throughout the day. Scrunched up toes are not good for you, and over time they can take on an unnatural appearance and become painful claw or hammer toes. Your toes need room to spread out in your shoes, especially since they spread naturally when you walk and help maintain balance.       Ingrown toenails Another condition caused by squeezing your toes into shoes that wind up too small by the end of the day are ingrown toenails. Your toenail is under pressure inside your shoe as well, and this can cause the toenails to grow incorrectly. Often ingrown toenails require surgical or at least medical intervention that can be extremely painful as the doctor must “dig out” the toenail to remedy the problem. You can prevent ingrown toenails by cutting your toenails straight across, and by – of course – wearing shoes that fit properly.        Corns and calluses Calluses and corns, the hard build up of skin on your feet, are caused by shoes that create friction. You can easily build up a corn or callus wherever your shoe rubs in a repetitive way. You might develop corns on the sides of your feet and calluses can develop on the soles of your feet. While not painful in their own right, they can create additional fit issues with shoes for swollen feet.       Bunions A bunion is a bone deformity that is either hereditary or can also be caused by wearing shoes that are too tight. When shoes are too tight, it can exacerbate this problem. The bones in the foot are squashed together and eventually the big toe is pushed toward the other toes. When this happens, the bone at the base of the big toe is forced outward and a bump is created.  This bump of bone, or bunion, protrudes into the side of your shoe making your foot even wider and making shoes even more uncomfortable. Bunions can become painful and can sometimes require surgery to correct.        Lack of mobility Staying active, even moderately active, is required to remain healthy. If you can’t find shoes for swollen feet that are comfortable, you won’t be able to leave your home safely to get to work, to walk the dog, to drive to the store or take care of any of your responsibilities.   Finding the Right Shoes for Swollen Feet So if buying wide shoes for swollen feet isn’t the right solution, what is?  Feet need space to grow during the day, especially if you are dealing with edema and significant swelling in your legs, ankles and feet. Even if you buy ultra wide shoes, swollen feet can still wind up constrained and you can risk long-term damage.  Wide shoes for swollen feet aren’t the answer. Adjustable shoes are. You may be thinking that almost every athletic shoe or lace-up boot is an adjustable shoe, but those are not the right shoes for swollen feet. You can lace your tennis shoes more loosely, but that is only going to give the tops of your room more room – it doesn’t give you more room in the right places. Feet that swell throughout the day are most comfortable in a shoe specifically designed to accommodate edema. These specialized shoes are not just wide shoes for swollen feet, they are made from stretch fabrics and contain adjustable features that can widen the shoe as needed throughout the day. Adjustable stretch shoes for swollen feet are created to grow with your feet throughout the day. A combination of adjustable straps and laces coupled with discrete Velcro adjustment options allows you to enlarge your shoes with your feet as the day goes on. In the morning, when your feet have lost the swelling again, you can adjust the shoes down a size or two to fit again comfortably.   Stylish shoes for swollen feet Slippers or house shoes might feel like comfortable shoes for swollen feet, but they aren’t an option you can wear to work or out socially. Some adjustable or stretch shoes resemble house shoes, but they don’t provide support.. There are stylish adjustable shoes for swollen feet as well. With neutral colors and stylish designs, you can buy adjustable, extra wide women’s shoes for swollen feet that are well constructed, high-quality and indistinguishable from other trendy shoe designs. The same is true for adjustable extra wide men’s shoes for swollen feet as well. Unlike slippers or house shoes, a professionally designed and crafted adjustable shoe will fit correctly, protect your feet even as they swell throughout the day and offer you the necessary support to cushion your feet but remain solid for walking outside or inside hard-floored buildings. After all, walking without adequate support can lead to physical problems even greater than foot pain and blisters.  If you’ve been settling for ill-fitting wide shoes for swollen feet, know that you aren’t limited by traditional styles and designs. Swollen feet aren’t just wide feet. You need proper shoes for swollen feet, and that means shopping from companies that specialize in innovative designs created to protect sensitive feet and ankles while providing the flexibility and support you need to stay active all day long. 

Shopping for shoes online when you have hard-to-fit feet can be a huge challenge - with no salesperson to talk to and no shoe to try on before you buy, the purchase may be a gamble that results in an extra trip to the post office to return an ill-fitting shoe. Enter the Pandere Fit Specialist. We know first-hand how challenging it is to find shoes that fit well, whether you’re shopping online or in person. That’s why Pandere offers Fit Specialists whose passion it is to find the right shoe for your foot. Here are 5 reasons why you should chat with a Pandere Fit Specialist. 1. Fit Specialists are real peopleThere’s nothing worse than needing answers and trying to communicate with a bot. Our Fit Specialists are real, living humans sipping coffee at their desks and wearing Pandere shoes, of course. They are part of our core team here at Pandere and are passionate about matching you with the right shoe. 2. Fit Specialists guide you to the right shoe for your footEveryone’s feet are different and Pandere is dedicated to finding the right shoes for your unique feet. Each of Pandere’s styles are engineered to accommodate a variety of foot conditions, including but not limited to swelling, bunions, hammertoe, plantar fasciitis and extra wide feet. Whether you have a medical condition or two differently sized feet, are pregnant, work on your feet all day, have extra wide feet, or are just looking for the ultimate comfort shoe, our knowledgeable Fit Specialists know our shoes inside and out and can help guide you to the right shoe. 3. Fit Specialists provide more in-depth information about our stylesBecause no two feet are alike, our Fit Specialists have an in-depth knowledge of Pandere’s styles and can answer questions and provide information customized to your unique needs. Swelling in only one foot? Plantar Fasciitis? High instep or arches? Our Fit Specialists can help. 4. Fit Specialists steer you away from the wrong style You may already have a shoe picked out and added to your cart, but is it the perfect shoe for your foot? Our Fit Specialists are trained to know how your unique foot needs can best be accommodated by one of Pandere’s styles. Returns at Pandere are easy, but we want to help you get it right the first time! 5. Fit Specialists have insider knowledge We always have a few surprises up our sleeve! Whether it’s a new style or size slated for release, an exclusive discount, or a shoe in production designed to accommodate a specific foot need, our Fit Specialists have the inside scoop and may end up guiding you to a forthcoming style or exclusive discount you didn’t know about.  CONNECT WITH A FIT SPECIALIST We have fit specialists that are experts in helping you pick the right shoe. TALK TO A FIT SPECIALIST

Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, or even Festivus, the holidays are almost here and chances are you’re already searching for the perfect gift for your family and friends. If you’ve landed here, you – or someone you love – struggles to find the perfect shoes. For loved ones with foot swelling, wide feet, bunions or those who are always on the go like nurses or travelers, the holidays are a perfect time to receive the thoughtful gift of comfort, style and renewed freedom. Here’s our guide for how to surprise them with the perfect shoes this holiday season.

Now that you have finally reached the long-awaited milestone of retirement, nothing stands between you and everything you never had enough free time for – travel, golf, gardening, maybe even ballroom dancing. Nothing, that is, except your tired, aching feet. Foot problems are a common complaint among retirees. Like every other part of the body, our feet suffer from the effects of aging too:

Do you feel like you’re trying to force a round peg into a triangular-shaped hole when you slip your shoes on every morning? Are your feet discolored or do they have indentations from your shoes when you finally take them off at the end of a long day? Even if you don’t think of your feet as wide, you might need wide shoes.

Finding comfort during pregnancy isn’t always easy, but soothing tired feet is. Here are 7 ways to treat those tired feet - because a relaxed mama means a relaxed baby!

It’s important for anyone to wear shoes that fit well, but for those of us with wide feet, this can be a tall order. If you have wide feet, we’ve got you covered. Here are five shoe features to look for when shopping for shoes:

"If you have swollen feet, these will be the last shoes you'll ever need!"