Handmade Shoes and Lymphedema in Dalyan
2020-10-01 16:42:49
The Dalyan, Turkey shoemaker and cobbler next to Bistro Blue made some made to measure shoes for my mother with lymphedema whilst we were on holiday and she could not be happier
You may not have heard the word before, but you have probably seen the condition in other people. Lymphedema is the name given to the condition that sees swelling in arms, legs, and feet. It is uncomfortable and certainly inconvenient. Its cause is regularly because of damage to your lymph nodes, or removal of those nodes, often due to cancer treatment, but not exclusively so. If you have had surgery on your blood vessels, lymphedema can be a secondary side effect. The condition may not develop immediately and can take several months to manifest itself. It is more likely to develop in old age, and among those who are overweight or suffering from arthritis.
Among the problems that can cause you is finding shoes which are suitable for feet that are wider than the norm. What a good reason for getting handmade shoes, ‘’made to measure’’, but that is not always possible.
Standard fits may not be suitable. Perhaps you have small feet, 38 say, but your feet are wide and more suitable for shoes of 42 or more? With fluid building up, your feet will swell as the mechanism for draining lymph fluid breaks down.
There is no real complete cure for this so your answer may be to find a shoe manufacturer and marketer that has a range of shoes that identify the problem, i.e. someone with a range of width fittings for each size. Shoes crafted to your exact measures is also a great solution to the problem.
You can probably measure your feet yourself, length and width so you do not actually need to visit a bespoke cobbler yourself, and you can also give those dimensions to a preferred shoe distributor who can give you a choice of styles and colours with a range of width fittings.
You may not notice the onset of lymphedema with your feet slowly swelling until you find a pair of shoes in your wardrobe initially much tighter than they were, and ultimately impossible to put on at all. It is likely that most, if not all, your shoes will be the same. It is not the end of the world, but you will have to go shopping because you do not want to walk around barefoot. That would only increase the problem you are developing anyway.
You can talk to your doctor if you wish and he or she will give you advice and a prescription for pain relief if you need it but ultimately you will be faced with a footwear problem if the main area of concern is your feet (if you have lymphedema in your legs and arms, looser clothing will certainly be more comfortable.)
Summary
Lymphedema is uncomfortable and it is essential that you ease any pain as much as possible. When it comes to your shoes, get something that fits and avoid trying to squeeze your feet into shoes that you wore before the condition arose. They are not suitable anymore and will merely add to your problems
You may not have heard the word before, but you have probably seen the condition in other people. Lymphedema is the name given to the condition that sees swelling in arms, legs, and feet. It is uncomfortable and certainly inconvenient. Its cause is regularly because of damage to your lymph nodes, or removal of those nodes, often due to cancer treatment, but not exclusively so. If you have had surgery on your blood vessels, lymphedema can be a secondary side effect. The condition may not develop immediately and can take several months to manifest itself. It is more likely to develop in old age, and among those who are overweight or suffering from arthritis.
Among the problems that can cause you is finding shoes which are suitable for feet that are wider than the norm. What a good reason for getting handmade shoes, ‘’made to measure’’, but that is not always possible.
Standard fits may not be suitable. Perhaps you have small feet, 38 say, but your feet are wide and more suitable for shoes of 42 or more? With fluid building up, your feet will swell as the mechanism for draining lymph fluid breaks down.
There is no real complete cure for this so your answer may be to find a shoe manufacturer and marketer that has a range of shoes that identify the problem, i.e. someone with a range of width fittings for each size. Shoes crafted to your exact measures is also a great solution to the problem.
You can probably measure your feet yourself, length and width so you do not actually need to visit a bespoke cobbler yourself, and you can also give those dimensions to a preferred shoe distributor who can give you a choice of styles and colours with a range of width fittings.
You may not notice the onset of lymphedema with your feet slowly swelling until you find a pair of shoes in your wardrobe initially much tighter than they were, and ultimately impossible to put on at all. It is likely that most, if not all, your shoes will be the same. It is not the end of the world, but you will have to go shopping because you do not want to walk around barefoot. That would only increase the problem you are developing anyway.
You can talk to your doctor if you wish and he or she will give you advice and a prescription for pain relief if you need it but ultimately you will be faced with a footwear problem if the main area of concern is your feet (if you have lymphedema in your legs and arms, looser clothing will certainly be more comfortable.)
Summary
Lymphedema is uncomfortable and it is essential that you ease any pain as much as possible. When it comes to your shoes, get something that fits and avoid trying to squeeze your feet into shoes that you wore before the condition arose. They are not suitable anymore and will merely add to your problems