Top 10 Comfortable Slippers!
Podiatrist Recommended
For those of you who dress for Zoom, wearing professional clothing from the waist up and yoga pants hidden below, this one is for you! These are my top 10 recommendations for comfortable all-day house slippers and I hope that you find the one that works best for you.
Please remember that if you are wearing one of these slippers and still having foot pain, I recommend that you bump up to wearing more supportive walking or running shoes, such as the New Balance 928 or 1540. If you do this and are still having foot pain, I recommend that you follow up with your local podiatrist for evaluation to ensure that you don't have a more severe problem that needs treatment.
Crocs
This is my top choice for 90% of people seeking a more comfortable bedroom slipper. They work so well that we actually carry them in our office for our patients to try on as a bedroom slipper option. When you purchase these, make sure that your toes do not touch the front of the shoe. The correct sizing should feel "too big" and it should feel like your feet have plenty of room. You should wear the strap to the back which helps prevent knee, hip, and lower back strain. If you purchase them and they are too tight (toes or bunions rubbing on the inside of the shoe) then you will most likely develop painful blisters. If you order these online, order one-half to one-whole size up from what you normally wear. If you live in a cold climate, you can also order fleece-lined Crocs which are ridiculously comfortable and toasty warm.
Vionic Relax Slippers
If you know that you like a lot of arch support, then the Vionic Relax slipper is a great choice as it offers the best arch support of all of these bedroom slippers. If you know that you can't tolerate arch support, then stay away from these slippers as the arch support will probably be too much for your foot comfort. This is also a good choice if you have narrow heels or a narrow foot because the strap can be adjusted tighter for a better fit.
Women's Charlotte Orthofeet slippers
This is another amazing choice for a bedroom slipper. It works particularly well for older patients as it has a stable base and it is still relatively lightweight. It also has an adjustable velcro top to accommodate anyone who has a more narrow foot. If you purchase these, be aware that you need a new pair at least once a year.
Men's Orthofeet Ashville slippers
This bedroom slipper is so good that we carry this in our office (along with the Crocs) and they work great for anyone who needs an easy slide-in bedroom slipper with lots of stability and is also still relatively lightweight.
Men's Orthofeet Tuscany Moccasins
The Orthofeet Ashville slipper (previous option) is great, but if I know that a patient needs more rearfoot control (such as a patient with Parkinson's disease who tend to shuffle), I like to put them in the Tuscany Moccasin. It's always best to have rearfoot control, but I think it's better to have a slipper that someone can slip into to get quickly from the bed to the bathroom if needed, but if you know that you feel more secure with rearfoot control - this is the slipper for you.
Birkenstocks
This is my recommendation for people who prefer a more open slipper so that their feet can 'breath.' This option works well for anyone with a history of athlete's foot infections, hyperhidrosis (sweaty feet), the sensation of claustrophobic feet, or the sensation of having 'hot' feet (hello menopause!). I recommend you find a shoe store that is an official dealer for Birkenstocks, so you can go to the store and get a proper fit. If you purchase these sandals online and you get a poor fit then it will significantly decrease the chance of having all the comfort your feet deserve. Do yourself a favor and go to the store and make sure they fit well and feel great.
Birkenstock Boston Shearling
This is for anyone who loves their Birkenstocks but wants more warmth. It greatly helps to go to the store and get a proper fit on these (versus purchasing them online).
Fit Flop Women's The Cuddler
Oh la la! Warm and comfortable and an easy on and easy off. It's hard to beat these for all-day comfort around the house!
Fit Flop Mukluk Shorty
This is a wonderful choice for anyone who needs more ankle support, such as anyone with mild hypermobility or ligament laxity issues. If you have more severe hypermobility, I recommend that you get into a better, more supportive walking shoe or high top boot during the bulk of the day and keep these for 'puttering around.'
Fit Flop Lulu
Got bunions? I am normally not a fan of flip flops of any kind, but when you have large bunions - this is a perfect choice for getting support and no pressure on your bunions.
For more information, check out my article:
I hope that this was helpful!
Dr. Cathleen A. McCarthy
:)
