My Journey with Rheumatoid Arthritis + My 10 Favorite Shoes 

Hi, I’m Kirsten — the person behind Barking Dog Shoes. 

 Where It Started

Back in 1996, I was a young, newly married middle school Spanish teacher. Life was good — I loved my students, I loved my subject, and I spent most of my day on my feet in the classroom, which never bothered me… until it suddenly did.

The diagnosis came out of nowhere: rheumatoid arthritis. If you’re not familiar, RA is an autoimmune disease where your own immune system attacks the lining of your joints — and for me, it hit my feet hard, right from the start. One day I was a healthy 20-something teacher, and the next I was trying to figure out how I was going to survive a full day on my feet in front of a classroom.

The Struggle Was Real

Teaching doesn’t exactly come with a lot of sitting down. I was on my feet for hours, moving between rooms, standing at the front of the class — and every step became something I had to think about. Pain wasn’t occasional anymore; it was a daily companion.

On top of the physical pain, there was a style problem nobody warns you about: most “comfortable” shoes back then looked like something out of a nursing home. I wanted relief, but I also didn’t want to give up feeling like myself.

Desperate, I limped into a local shoe store and basically told the salesperson my whole story. She introduced me to a brand called Dansko — and, in a twist I still can’t quite believe, the exact clog style she handed me was called the “Kirsten.” I wore those clogs to school every single day after that. For the first time since my diagnosis, I could focus on my students again instead of counting down the minutes until I could sit down.

 A New Chapter

After my husband Chris and I adopted our second son, I made the decision to leave teaching and stay home with our boys. But once a teacher, always a teacher — I couldn’t shake the urge to share what I’d learned. In 2007, that urge became Barking Dog Shoes: a place to pass along everything my RA journey had taught me about finding shoes that actually work for painful, problem feet — without sacrificing style.

 How I’m Doing Now

Nearly three decades into living with RA, I’ve learned a lot — about my body, about pacing myself, and especially about shoes. What started as one desperate trip to a shoe store turned into thousands of reviews and recommendations for women dealing with bunions, plantar fasciitis, hallux rigidus, hammertoes, and all the other ways our feet can make life harder than it needs to be.

These days you’ll find me testing out new sneakers at Zumba, walking our Wheaten Terrier, Max, or diving into anything related to Spanish language and culture. I still deal with RA every day, but I’ve gotten pretty good at not letting it dictate what I wear or what I do.

If you’re navigating your own diagnosis — RA or otherwise — and searching for shoes that don’t ask you to choose between comfort and style, you’re exactly who I built this site for. I’m glad you’re here.

Have questions or just want to share your own story? Reach out any time at ki*****@*************es.com, or join our Facebook community where readers swap tips and support each other through the foot-and-shoe struggle together.

My Current 10 Favorite Shoes (By Occasion)

These are the pairs currently in my regular rotation — the ones I reach for again and again depending on what I’m doing that day. Here’s the story behind each, straight from my original reviews.

Sneaker: Topo Athletic Magnifly or Atmos (with custom orthotics)

The Atmos is my personal favorite fitness shoe, hands down — wide toe box, spot-on arch support, a snug heel, and a rocker sole that keeps me moving through Zumba and Les Mills Body Pump. I wear the Magnifly in the same rotation for everyday walks and fitness classes. Both models are roomy enough to work with my custom orthotics, which is a rare find in a supportive sneaker. I video-reviewed the Topo Athletic Atmos–check it out. 

 Fashion Sneaker: Frankie4 Levi

Podiatrist-designed and Australian-made, Frankie4 has become one of my go-to brands for shoes that don’t look orthopedic but still deliver real support. The Levi is my pick when I want a sneaker with a little more polish for everyday wear. See my video review here. 

Hiking Boot: Merrell Moab 3 (Mid Waterproof)

I called this my missing puzzle piece for winter footwear — The Merrell Moab 3 is lightweight yet warm and supportive, with excellent traction for the nature trail I regularly walk. It’s not built for serious technical hikes, but for non-technical outings it keeps my feet supported, dry, and secure. See my video review. 

Casual Loafer: Vionic Uptown

My personal favorite–the Vionic Uptown Loafer. It’s the one I recommend most often when someone wants a work-appropriate, put-together look without giving up arch support. Video reviewed here. 

 Casual Mary Jane: Naot Kirei / Ros Hommerson Naomi

The Naot Kirei is a personal favorite of mine — bunion-friendly, orthotic-friendly, and wide-foot friendly, with a refined silhouette that still feels as supportive as my Stegmann house shoes. The Ros Hommerson Naomi is my budget-friendlier alternative: less expensive than Rothy’s or Vivaia, but with noticeably better arch support and fun colors and patterns. See my video reviews for the Naot Kirei and Ros Hommerson Naomi. 

House Shoes: Stegmann Original 108 Wool Clogs

This is where a lot of my relief story began. A pair of Original 108s gave my aching feet tremendous relief soon after my RA diagnosis in the late ’90s, and I still live in them all winter — the arch support is perfect for my RA feet, and I don’t limp by the end of the day the way I do in other shoes.

Ankle Boot: Taos Crave and Mini Crave

The Crave is the boot all the other boots envy — gorgeous, supportive, gentle on the inside, and versatile enough for both errands and dressier outings. I’ve loved my trusty pair for years, and now there’s a Mini Crave version at true ankle-boot height for when I want the same comfort in a lower profile.

Sandals: Birkenstock Arizona (Soft Footbed) / Ugg Goldenstar

My soft-footbed Birkenstock Arizonas are my kick-around house sandal — I genuinely can’t function without my Birks, since they give me the support, alignment, and pronation control I need while letting my toes spread out. The Ugg Goldenstar earned its spot after a conference weekend spent walking all over downtown Indy; it supports my arches, cushions my heel, and wraps around my bunions comfortably while looking a bit nicer than a typical sport sandal.

Sports Sandal: Taos Super Side

When I need a sandal with a rigid sole to protect my forefoot joints, the Taos Super Side is my pick. It offers enhanced arch support, adjustable straps, and quick-dry fabric, making it my go-to all-purpose outdoor sandal. See my video review here. 

Dress Sandal: Kenneth Cole Reeva or Aerosoles Cosmos

I picked up the gold metallic Kenneth Cole Reeva platform for a summer full of weddings and loved it enough to keep reaching for it on date nights and special occasions. I’d actually tried the similar Aerosoles Cosmos block-heel platform first and had fit trouble across my forefoot, but it remains a favorite among readers in my Hallux Rigidus Support Group, several of whom find it comfy and supportive — so it’s worth trying for yourself, especially in a wide width.

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*Got a favorite that should be on this list? Let me know in the comments!