Trendy sports sandals can lead to serious back injuries, as experts warn. So be cautious with the promises of the manufacturers.
Recently, sports sandals that imitate walking barefoot on the damp ground have become extremely popular. The sales of FitFlop, MBT and Skechers Tone-Up brands are growing all the time, people are buying millions of pairs. It’s no wonder, since they are very easy to wear and look stylish. Moreover, manufacturers promise that these sports sandals help correct posture, improve body fitness indicators, reduce back pain and increase muscle tone.
However, these sandals are suitable only for certain people, as experts stress. Most of these shoes have the heel area lower than the toe. This creates an unstable, swinging sole, which creates load on the buttocks, calves, and thigh muscles. Other sandals have a flatter sole, designed to create the effect of “bare feet”, which supposedly makes the process of walking close to natural. In both cases, it should reduce back pain and other pains caused by improper posture.
Dr. Lucy McDonald, a physiotherapist from the Octopus Clinic in London says these sandals are suitable for a small number of young, strong, and athletic people. However, if you are not fit, have a poor posture, as well as hips or knees problems, you’d better not wear these shoes or they can cause pain and stretching in the back and knees. Yes, the sandals help to stretch the muscles of the lower leg, but it is not always good. Walking in these shoes all the time is the same as constantly climbing uphill, which causes additional and unnecessary strain on the muscles and tendons of the feet. It results in pain and injury.
