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Shoes and the Spine: How Are They Related?

shoes for back pain

If you’ve ever worn a pair of high heels for too long, or if you have run with an old pair of beat-up tennis shoes, you may have noticed that what you wore on your feet had an impact on not just your feet but the rest of your body as well. This is because of the lower limb kinetic chain.

This chain relates to the flow of your joints in your lower lumbar spine and how they interact with each other, which can all be impacted by the positioning of your feet, ankles, knees and hips. Footwear has a direct impact on the rest of the chain because it determines how all of those joints are positioned and directly relate to one another. In addition, the type of footwear we are wearing can also change the way we walk, which can impact the spine and other surrounding joints from moving in ways they are not used to.

Here are some of the worst shoes for back pain, followed by the best that you can replace those with!

Worst Shoes for Back Pain

What are the worst types of shoes for back pain?

Flat shoes and Flip Flops- surprisingly, flat shoes and flip flops are among the most problematic shoes to wear for your back. This is because they provide no support to the arches of your feet which causes increased pressure up the chain from your feet to your hips to your lower back. The lack of support in the arches will also cause the ligaments and tendons to overstretch, and cause pain and other issues. As for flip flops, it is almost impossible to walk in them without bunching up your toes to prevent the sandals from falling off, which causes other muscles to work harder.

High Heels - This is a no-brainer and as most women know, the back pain can be unreal after a night out in high heels. Even a small heel in men’s dress shoes or cowboy boots can cause an unnatural positioning of the foot, therefore increasing pressure up the chain. It can cause the quads to work overtime to compensate, shift your posture and the muscles of the spine in ways that aren’t natural, and increase overall pain and muscle tension.

Old Shoes - Unfortunately, shoes wear out overtime and some of them wear out more quickly than others, so be sure to change your shoes once they lose their support. Even just an old pair of shoes can lead to back problems in the long run.

Best Shoes for Your Back

And what about the best shoes for your back?

Tennis Shoes - Right off the bat, running shoes (especially ones that are properly fitted to you based on your arch and overall gait) are some of the best shoes for back pain. They provide good support to the arches and ankles and allow for more natural foot and ankle movements.

Birkenstocks – This type of shoes offer a soft foot bed that helps with back pain. They are known to be comfortable and also fashionable with their wide range of choices!

Ergonomic Shoes - Many companies offer ergonomic shoes which are designed for proper support. You can’t get any better than that!

Prescription Orthotics - Prescription orthotics are supports that are molded to a person’s foot to provide a custom-made fit. Although more expensive that off-the-shelf insoles and inserts, they are made with higher quality material and are made specifically for you, which can be important considering not everybody’s feet are made equal.

Before picking out a shoe, talking to a professional at a shoe store where they can fit you for the right type of shoe can be incredibly helpful in guiding you through the process of choosing the best support for your feet.

And if your back pain has gotten really bad, call your doctor for an appointment to make sure nothing more is wrong that you should be concerned about. Your chiropractor can also help assess the alignment of your spine and pelvis to determine if chiropractic adjustments and shoe lifts can be helpful.