Shoe Tying and Arthritis

According to the Mayo Clinic, "Arthritis is inflammation of one or more of your joints." When the joints in the hands or fingers become afflicted with arthritis, shoe tying becomes painful and frustrating.

Symptoms

• Arthritis symptoms include pain, stiffness and swelling in the affected joint. As a result, the joint also experiences a reduced range of motion.

Effects

• Due to this reduced range of motion, the fingers can no longer move as easily as they once could. The simple task of tying shoelaces becomes too complicated for stiff fingers.

Significance

• Attempting to tie the shoes with arthritic hands can be both painful and frustrating. However, continuing to overuse the affected joints may cause the joints to degenerate further, making the arthritic condition worse over time.

Solutions

• A variety of products are available to help arthritis sufferers avoid the pain of shoe tying. For example, ShoeLaceLock.com offers a small plastic lock that is placed on a tied shoelace to keep it from untying.

Considerations

• People suffering from arthritis in the hands might also consider stretchy shoelaces, such as the ones offered by BruceMedical.com. The stretchable shoelaces allow the shoes to be slipped on and off without untying and retying the shoes.