Remember when choosing shoes was the fun part?

For a lot of people with arthritis, that stopped quietly. First the heels went. Then anything with a buckle. Then the laces, because your thumbs could no longer do the pinch.

The pretty pairs moved to the back of the closet, and the front filled up with whatever you could still get on. You have plenty of company: 47.3% of US adults 65 and older have been diagnosed with arthritis (CDC), and among adults 70 and older, hand osteoarthritis with symptoms is about twice as common in women (26.2%) as in men (13.4%) (Framingham study).

If you have ever stood in a shoe store thinking "I feel like a little old lady," this is for you. The problem is the shoe, not you.

Why laces hurt

Hand arthritis often settles in the joints you use most for fine work. The Arthritis Foundation lists "the base of the thumb, where the thumb and wrist join," as one of the most common places, and that is the joint you pinch with.

Tying a bow asks that joint to pinch, twist and pull, twice per shoe. The UK's National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society puts it simply: "Lace-up shoes can be difficult to fasten if you have arthritis in your hands."

And it is usually worst first thing. "Morning pain and stiffness are typical," says the Arthritis Foundation, which is exactly when you are trying to get out the door.

"Arthritic fingers may be more disabling and affect your life more than bent toes." Arthritis Foundation

Your feet changed too

Hands are only half of it. In rheumatoid arthritis, studies suggest about 90% of people develop foot problems at some point: bunions, wider toes, toes that curl.

The Arthritis Foundation's advice is clear: "roomy, wide, comfortable shoes are key." Most shoes are not built that way. They are built narrow, then sold "wide" one size up.

The trap: fits your toes, falls off your heel

Here is the one that frustrates people most. You buy wide so your toes fit, and the shoe slips off your heel. NRAS describes it exactly: "Some shoes that are wide enough at the front are too wide at the heel and may slip off."

Size up and the heel slips. Stay narrow and your toes are squeezed. Add laces your hands cannot tie, and most shoe stores have nothing left for you.

Meet the EasyWrap, built around that list

The EasyWrap is an everyday sneaker with one wide hook-and-loop strap instead of laces: three straps joined into one wide panel. Point for point:

• A Velcro-style fastening you can close with one hand. No laces, no buckle, no zipper pull to pinch.
• Room over the top. Lift the strap and the opening gets up to 2x wider, and there is room over the instep, so your foot goes in without a fight.
• Room for your toes. A deep, extra-wide toe box, with space for toes that curl, built into one roomy wide fit.
• A low, broad heel. Firm at the back, nothing like a kitten heel.
• Lightweight. About 450g for the pair.
• Held from the top, not just the heel. Keep your usual size, close the strap over the top of your foot as snug as you need. The heel is not the only thing keeping the shoe on.

How it goes on

Sit down first. Then three steps, with no pinching, no tying, no threading.

1. 1Lift the strap. It folds all the way back and the opening gets up to 2x wider.
2. 2Step in flat. The whole top is open and there is depth over the instep, so you are not forcing your foot down into a narrow shoe. (NRAS: "There should be sufficient depth over the instep for you to easily get your foot inside the shoe.")
3. 3Press the strap closed with one flat hand. Your palm does the work, not your fingertips. It closes only as far as you set it: zero compression, and a custom fit every time.

Feet swell through the day. The strap keeps up.

NRAS notes that "feet tend to swell during the day." A laced shoe that fit at 9am can pinch by 3pm, and retying is the last thing your hands want to do.

With one strap you just ease it a notch. Same shoe, same size, a little more room.

It looks like a shoe you would choose

Most easy shoes are designed to be easy first and shoes second. You can tell from across the room.

The EasyWrap is a clean everyday sneaker in solid black or deep maroon, with a strap that reads as a design detail. It goes with jeans, slacks, a skirt for lunch. Nobody has to know why you chose it.

Underneath: a breathable upper, a thick foam sole, and a reflective panel on the strap for walks at dusk.

Why the usual fixes fall short

Each common fix solves one problem and leaves you another.

• No: Elastic laces: they still have to be threaded through every eyelet, by hand, before they help.
• No: Zip-side shoes: a small zipper pull still needs a pinch grip, the exact move that hurts.
• No: Velcro "comfort" shoes: easy, but they tend to look medical, and narrow straps can slip.
• No: A long shoehorn: one more thing to carry. Some people keep one in every room and another in their purse.

The EasyWrap skips all four: one wide strap, a top that opens all the way, and a roomy wide fit. And it is $89.99, sold only on this website, where specialist wide-fit shoes typically cost around $119.

One roomy wide fit, in your usual size

This EasyWrap comes in one roomy wide fit, so there is no width to work out: 11 sizes, US women's 5 to 14 and US men's 4 to 14, each labelled in US women's, US men's and EU.

NRAS suggests having your feet measured "if they've become wider over the years." Then order your usual length. Do not size up: a bigger size only adds length, and the heel slips. The deep, extra-wide toe box and the strap do the rest.

Bring a nice pair back to the front of the closet.

EasyWrap Wide Fit in black or maroon. Wear them on the stiff mornings and the good days. If they are not the easiest shoes you own, send them back within 50 days for a full refund. Shipping in the US is free and takes 3 to 5 business days.

Want both colors? Tick the box by the button and a second pair comes in the other color, same size.

P.S. You should not have to choose between shoes you can get on and shoes you like. Start with one strap.