From High Heels to Good Health: How to Shop for the Right Footwear

By Sara Butler

One of the things that chiropractors at The Joint Chiropractic will tell you is that your body was made to move. You need to do this to keep your joints healthy -- and this includes your spine! Many things can make motion easier, but one of the biggest choices you make that impacts your ability to move in a healthy way is your footwear.

Enhancing your overall health is the name of the game and wearing the right footwear is crucial. But if you’ve ever looked at the shoe choices around you, then you know some people tend to go for fashion over function and wear shoes that make the feet and back hurt just looking at them. It’s not necessary to ask your grandmother for recommendations for good orthopedic shoes, but looking for a few key things can help your shoes take you further in your journey toward good health.

Here are a few tips from the chiropractors at The Joint to help you make the best choice in footwear for your overall health and wellness.

The Impact of Shoes on Your Spine

Your central nervous system controls everything in your body. In order for your body to work optimally, your central nervous system has to be free to communicate with the other systems of the body. If you have joint restrictions in your spine, then this can impact that communication and your overall health in the process. This is why caring for your spine is essential to your health and wellness.

Although there are many causes for back pain, one that is often overlooked is shoe choice. It’s not necessarily true that high heels or flip-flops are the only contributors to back pain. Shoes that fit well but are otherwise too soft or too hard can lead to issues as well. When it comes to shoes and spinal health, you have to find a shoe with the right fit, the right shock absorption, and the right size heel to help support your spine. One of the best ways to protect your spine? Make good footwear choices!

What Type of Shoes Do You Need?

The right type of shoe for one person may not be the right choice for another. People are individuals, and that includes their feet. The first step in determining the type of shoe you need is to understand the type of feet you have from one of these categories:

• Balanced feet - Some people have feet that are well balanced, which means that they have a normal arch in their foot and when they walk, their foot lands on the outside of the heel, rolling inward slightly to help absorb the shock. You can tell if your feet fall into this category if your footprint shows your heel connected to your forefoot by a wide band. The best shoes for this type of foot include shoes that create stability with a slightly curved shape to help support the foot and the rest of the body.
• Feet with high arches - Feet with high arches normally don’t absorb shock very well. You can tell you have a high arch if your footprint shows no band or a very narrow band connecting the heel to the forefoot. With this type of arch, you need shoes that are well cushioned to help absorb shock and have a lot of flexibility to allow your foot to move fluidly through each step.
• Flat feet - You’ve likely heard the term “flat feet” before, which simply refers to feet that have a low arch. This is also called overpronation because the foot rolls inward too much when walking. You can tell your feet may be flat by leaving behind a footprint that looks like the whole sole of your foot. If you have this type of foot, then you need shoes that help to control the motion of the foot with firm midsoles and a lot of stability.

What Can You Do?

The first step to ensuring that your feet are well taken care of is to talk with your chiropractor. They can help you to determine how your feet strike the ground and the issues that may be caused by not addressing your foot type with the right kind of shoe.

Another important step you can take to find the right shoe is to go to a specialty shoe store to have your feet measured. They can help determine what size shoe will work best for you and lead you to shoes that address concerns you may have about the way your foot strikes the ground.

Also, avoid wearing high heels, dress shoes without proper support, or flip-flops for more than walking around the pool. These types of shoes won’t be able to support your foot or your body properly, which can lead to big problems if you wear them frequently.

Have questions? The chiropractors at The Joint Chiropractic are great resources for all things related to your health and wellness -- even the type of shoes you should be shopping for!

The information, including but not limited to, text, graphics, images and other material contained on this page are for informational purposes only. The purpose of this post is to promote broad consumer understanding and knowledge of various health topics, including but not limited to the benefits of chiropractic care, exercise and nutrition. It is not intended to provide or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your chiropractor, physician or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment and before undertaking a new health care regimen, and never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this page.