Shoes for Diabetes

Choosing between them comes down to three things: how much room you need across the forefoot, how much your feet change between morning and evening, and how easily you can reach your feet to fasten a shoe. Touch-fasten straps open widest and are the easiest to manage seated. Laces give the finest adjustment if you can reach comfortably. The 6E fittings are for feet that measure wider than a standard extra-wide last.

Diabetic shoes in wide and extra wide fittings

We make four fittings — EE, EEE, 4E and 6E — on our own lasts. A wider fitting is not a larger size: the length stays the same and the shoe is built wider and deeper across the forefoot, so the toes are not squeezed inwards to make room.

Shoes that take a prescribed orthotic

The insole lifts out of every pair here. Removing it releases the depth underneath, which is what a prescribed orthotic needs — an insole dropped into a shallow shoe raises the foot and takes the room away from the toes instead.

Soft leather uppers, made in our own factory

Selected models use natural calf leather uppers with cushioned, smooth linings. Other models use stretch or mesh panels to provide additional accommodation across the forefoot; check each product page for its exact upper material. We have made orthopaedic footwear in our own factory since 2005, and our own-manufactured footwear is registered as Class I medical devices.

Questions we are asked

Are diabetic shoes and orthopaedic shoes the same thing?

They overlap. What people call a diabetic shoe is usually an orthopaedic shoe chosen for particular features: a seam-free lining, extra depth, a soft upper and a closed back. Every shoe in this collection is an orthopaedic shoe first.

Can I get these on the NHS?

Not directly from us. Our footwear is supplied to NHS-contracted orthotic providers and dispensed to NHS patients on prescription. If you have been referred, your orthotist will fit you. If you would rather buy privately, or you want more choice of style, you can order here.

Will they still fit if my feet swell by the evening?

Adjustable straps and laces can be reset as foot volume changes, but the shoe still needs enough usable room at the largest point of the day. Do not force a fastening over swelling; reassess the size or model if pressure develops.

Footwear is one part of foot care. Ask your GP or diabetes care team about your annual foot check, and see a podiatrist about any new redness, hard skin, break in the skin or change in sensation.