You may not see her feet from 500 miles away, but her shoes show how she walks and stands long before she mentions a change. Use each visit, and each video call, to check the pairs she wears most.
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What to look at
Ask her to hold up the pair she wears most around the house and the pair she wears outside. Look at the heel and the outer edge of the sole. Wear that sits on one side, or a sole worn down at the outside edge, is worth noting. Look at the backs of her shoes. A crushed heel counter means she is stepping on the back of the shoe, often because it is too loose or she is in a hurry to get her foot in. Check the laces. Laces left loose, or tied in a way that lets the shoe slide off, can mean bending down has become harder.
Notice what is missing. A pair she used to wear now sits by the door, unworn. Slippers appear in places where she used to wear shoes. A new pair stays in the box for months.
What it may mean
Shoe wear does not tell you what is wrong. It tells you that the way she moves may have shifted. Sometimes the cause is simple, such as a pair she dislikes or a sore foot she has learned to live with. Sometimes it means she is dragging a foot, shuffling, or avoiding a step she used to take without thinking. Your job from far away is to notice the pattern, not to explain it. The public sources behind this guide are listed on the Sources page.
How to check from far away
Keep a short running note of which pairs she wears and what you see when she shows them. Compare each note with the last one. A single mark means little. The same wear on the same side across two calls is a pattern.
Ask plain questions on the phone: Which pair did you wear to the store? Does one shoe feel different from the other? Have you had to hold on to something to get them on? Let her answer without leading her toward a yes.
What to do tonight
Ask her to show you her two most-worn pairs on the next call, with the heels and soles turned toward the camera. Take a screenshot if she agrees. If she is not up for a call, ask a neighbor or a local helper to look at the shoes by the door and text you what they see. Local help for a St. Louis parent lists the kinds of people who can do that look.
What to leave with the doctor
Bring the plain facts, not a theory. Write down which shoes are worn and where, when you first noticed, whether she has mentioned pain or trouble bending or standing, and whether she has stopped wearing a pair she used to use. Ask whether the change in her walk or her feet needs an examination. The doctor decides what it means. Your note gives the doctor a clear picture to start from.