I almost hate to talk about shoes in the midst of all of this Sex and the City hyperhype. If I hear the words ‘Manolo Blahnik’ one more time, I may need therapy. But the truth is, high heels get somewhat of a bad rap in discussions about back pain. You always hear about how wearing these shoes or those shoes caused back pain, but there are some things you can do to prevent this from happening to you. When you are considering how shoes might affect you, there are a few things to consider:
-If you need to wear heels for work, or an occasion- try to keep them no higher than 1 to 1.5 inches in height. Higher than this, and you will alter your pelvic tilt, and compromise your body mechanics.
-If you must wear heels higher than that, try to stick with ones that have a wider, more supportive heel (mules for example.) These will provide lateral support and put you at less risk than stiletto types.
-There are no dress shoes (for women or men) that are particularly supportive, so really try to wear them only when you need to. Good shock absorption and arch support can to a lot to protect your back from harm. I love when I see folks walking to work in a suit wearing sneakers, and changing into their shoes when they get where they are going.
As a guy who wears cowboy boots most of the time, I take my footwear seriously!
Just a few thoughts. Be Well!
-Andy
Honestly- these shoes are HEINOUS!
Tags: Andrew Kirschner, andy kirschner, Back Pain, back together, backtogether, blahnik, kirschner, Low Back Pain, manolo, Neck Pain, sex and the city, shoe, shoes, tip, tip of the day, Tips