You may have noticed that wearing certain shoes leaves you with aching feet, but did you know that it can also cause significant changes throughout your body? If you have pain in your knees, hips or back, it is possible that this is due to the shoes you are wearing, and this is an easy problem to resolve.
At Foot Solutions, we have an excellent range of comfortable shoes that look and feel great, enabling you to make better choices for your general well-being. Our foot health experts can help you identify problems and potential issues with your feet and find the best solutions to alleviate foot pain and pain in the body due to poor footwear. You may be surprised by how much difference your footwear can make to your daily life!
How your shoes affect your posture
Maintaining good posture is essential to your general health, and this is the best way to avoid skeletal imbalances and pain. The way you move as you walk and run has a big impact on your wellbeing, and choosing footwear that is well-suited to your activities and has a good amount of support and cushioning can help to support your joints and encourage good posture.
Your footwear can affect your posture in many ways, including:
- Changing your gait. Your gait is the way you move your feet and legs as you walk or run, and this can change significantly when you change your footwear. For instance, shoes that fit badly or do not provide enough support can alter your gait and cause pressure in certain areas of the body, including the back, the hips and the knees. Good footwear can have the opposite effect, supporting a gait that protects the body more effectively.
- Causing overpronation. Overpronation is when the feet roll in, towards each other, and this can cause poor alignment and pressure throughout the legs and hips and significantly affect the posture. The same is true of the opposite condition, supination, in which the feet roll away from each other. Good quality footwear that has correct arch support will prevent the feet from rolling, and this will help to maintain good alignment throughout the body.
- Creating stress on the joints. Shoes that do not provide enough cushioning can cause or worsen pain in the joints, especially the knees, ankles and hips, because the joints have to bear a greater impact as a result. Good footwear will contain adequate cushioning to absorb the shock when you walk or run, reducing the pressure on your joints.
- Causing imbalances in the body. If the shoes you wear do not provide good shock absorption and support good alignment, some of the muscles will have to work harder than others, and this will create imbalances in the body. This will have a significant effect on alignment, which can lead to aches and pains throughout the body. High-heeled shoes, for instance, cause an imbalance by shifting the body weight to the front of the foot, which often leads to lower back pain and foot pain caused by misalignment conditions such as bunions and hammertoes.
What to look for in your footwear
When you are choosing new shoes, you should consider the health of your feet first and foremost. You should be looking for:
- Correct fit. When you are looking for footwear, the fit should be your first consideration. Your shoes should fit the shape of your foot, without pinching, to allow for comfortable movement and to enable the toes to spread. If your shoes are too loose, you may find that they rub against your skin, and this can lead to corns and calluses. Having your shoes fitted by a professional fitter can make all the difference.
- Good arch support. Good arch support is essential to maintain the natural shape and alignment of your feet and can also help to remedy conditions such as flat feet. Some people are born with flat feet as a hereditary condition, and this will not normally cause problems, although you may need some additional support in your shoes as you age. If, however, the arches of your feet ‘drop’ later in life, you may require arch support to keep you comfortable and protect your body from pain.
- Supportive cushioning. Having a good amount of cushioning in your shoes is very important to protect the feet and to absorb the shock as you walk and run. Cushioning in your shoes will help to reduce the impact on your joints and prevent common injuries, as well as maintain the correct alignment for your feet and your lower body.
- Suitability for your activities. You should change your shoes to suit your activities, particularly if you are exercising or training. Road running shoes, for instance, will have increased amounts of support and cushioning to protect the feet from the heavy impact of running on roads, while walking shoes will protect the feet and help to maintain good alignment while walking long distances.
- Practical heel height. High heels are the enemy of good foot health, as they shift the weight forward in the shoes and put pressure on the knees, hips and lower back. Lower heel heights can offer more support for your feet and maintain a more natural foot position. However, flat shoes with no support are also bad news for your feet, as they do not provide the support and cushioning you need. Options such as flip flops and sandals with very thin soles can lead to painful foot conditions such as plantar fasciitis and Morton’s Neuroma, so do not be tempted to wear them for anything more than walking around the swimming pool on your holidays.
Finding good shoes can transform the way your feet feel and improve your posture, benefiting your general health in many ways. This is great news for your body, as better posture means you will be able to stay mobile and active for longer, making the most of your mobility as you age.
Find Great Footwear at Foot Solutions in Ireland
At Foot Solutions, we know that your foot health matters, and we can help you keep your feet in great condition. We have an excellent range of sandals, boots, work shoes and running shoes, and we can help you to find the very best options for your feet. We only stock shoes that are comfortable, practical and breathable – and you won’t need to compromise on style because they look great, too!
Our friendly team of professionals can support you in finding shoes that enable you to lead an active lifestyle without foot pain. We can help to identify the cause of the existing pain and work with you to find the best solutions. We can also offer you gait analysis and foot scans, as well as custom-made orthotics that can help to improve alignment and relieve pain. Come in and visit us in your local store or make an appointment online to benefit from a free foot assessment.
