14 Shoe Design Principles for People with Chronic Tissue Swelling
Channel: Orthopedic Shoe Making
Date: 2019-05-01

Bill Bird discusses orthopedic footwear design for people with Chronic Tissue Swelling. Frequently this presents change in foot size at different times of the day.

The shoe design needs to be supportive and kind to the foot and also able to change shape as the foot changes shape.

Support Strategy Solutions
Solutions include creating a cradle made to the cast of the foot so that it evenly supports the weight, and attention to the bottom shape of the last to allow the foot bed to be fully supported.

The Uppers
The swelling usually does not occur around the toe area, so women’s court shoes can often accommodate the swelling.

For enclosed shoes there are a variety of design solutions which allow the uppers to adjust as required. Also soft tongues and cushion collars can be useful. 

The Shoe Materials
Bill discusses the range of suitable leathers