Alright, so I’m kind of addicted to shoes that aren’t always the best for someone with RA to want to wear all the time – mostly flip flops and ballet flats… and high heels. When I was in high school, I alternated between wearing flip-flops and high heels every day.
Flip flops are terrible shoes because they don’t provide a lot of support. For someone with RA, this is terrible. You need the right amount of support; otherwise, everything starts to hurt. They’re fine for quick trips places where you aren’t walking a ton though.
I used to love high heels. I’d basically wear a pair until they were beyond done for and then get a completely different pair, with different heights. They helped take the pressure and pain out of my most troubling joints – my knees. They also forced me to slow down my walking pace, resulting in the same effect. Unfortunately, my feet just can’t handle the odd configurations and pressure caused by these shoes anymore.
Ballet flats aren’t too bad. The problem is finding some with adequate cushioning or buying the right kind of inserts. My favorite pair finally had to get tossed yesterday (about two months late). I was able to find, though, two very nice-looking pairs of flats at Sears for a nice low price. Unlike my last pair, both of these have a nice amount of support and cushioning. I’m not even experiencing a difficult time breaking in either of these.
Rash: small amount in the knee region this morning
Pain: headache lasting about two hours
Inflammation: able to feel some in the left knee
Meds: two Advil for headache
Stress level: fantastic, in a non-sarcastic way today even
Other notes: it was Jackie Robinson day today so I got really confused watching the Brewers/Cubs game earlier