‘A good fit?’
extraordinary implications for transforming
identities [11, 13, 15] .
Whilst sociological insights into shoes, identity
and transition have been hugely useful, there has
traditionally remained something of a separation
between sociological perspectives and
research in healthcare settings. Much previous
sociological research in this field has utilized a
more qualitative, in-depth approach and tended
to focus on the general population [11, 13, 15] , rather
than those with specific foot conditions. In
contrast, healthcare research on patient shoe
choice has traditionally taken a more positivist
perspective and tended to use quantitative
methods [16]. Such research has also focused
largely on practitioner perspectives [17] , meaning
the voices and experiences of patients may
remain silenced or excluded. However, there are
some notable exceptions to these trends, and
a growing body of research is bringing more
qualitative, social-science perspectives and
methodologies to clinical contexts or settings.
Widening understandings of ‘fit’: social
science in healthcare contexts
Over the past decade or so, a number of key
studies in healthcare settings have utilized
methods, theories and approaches drawing on
the social sciences to provide a richer and more
in-depth insight into patients’ relationships with
their feet and shoes.
Williams et al. [17] carried out qualitative
research interviews with patients with
Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) to explore their
experiences of orthopaedic footwear. In a
recognition of the links between shoes, identity
and femininity, they found that female patients
often felt that their sense of feeling feminine
or ‘sexy’ was being eroded when they were
required to abandon their fashion shoes. For
several participan