| Choosing the right shoes - not just for athletes | | | | which foot you have with be the deciding factor as |
| anymore! | | | | to which type of shoe you require. Along with the |
| When buying shoes the majority of the population | | | | foot types there are 3 basic types of shoes: Neutral |
| uses one criterion: which ones look the coolest! | | | | (Cushion), Stability and Motion Control. Everyone who |
| However these techniques will more than likely lead | | | | spends the majority of their day on their feet should |
| to wearing the wrong kind of shoe. Many individuals, | | | | be wearing proper shoes. |
| when approached about shoe wear respond in the | | | | It is around this time of the conversation when my |
| same way: I don't run and am not an athlete so why | | | | patients are full of questions. For example: what |
| would it matter which shoe I wear? Before I dive | | | | about my children and why haven't I been told about |
| into that topic let's briefly take a step back and talk | | | | these shoes before? The first question is easy to |
| about some of the occupations that these individuals | | | | answer. The most important ones to be wearing |
| have: plant managers, teachers, doctors and one of | | | | proper shoe wear are children. This is because |
| the most exhausting occupations - parents. All of the | | | | damaging feet at a young age can lead to lifelong |
| aforementioned occupations require these individuals | | | | problems. The child's foot is very pliable and very |
| to be on there feet all day long some teaching | | | | often can develop poor arches due to improper foot |
| kids...others trying to keep up with their kids. It is | | | | wear. At a young age it is much easier to develop |
| after this point is made that I have their undivided | | | | proper foot biomechanics and arches than when they |
| attention. Wearing the wrong type of shoes can lead | | | | are adults. As far as the second question my answer |
| to anything from foot pain to back pain and to even | | | | is simply "I don't know". |
| headaches. It is amazing how many times I have | | | | Wearing the proper shoes does not require the |
| heard my patients say that their unexplained pain | | | | person to be an athlete anymore. Parents are |
| began with the purchase of a new pair of shoes. | | | | perhaps some of the most active people during the |
| Choosing the right shoe depends on one very | | | | day. So to me it only makes sense to get them in a |
| important piece of information: what foot type do | | | | good pair of shoes so that foot, back and neck pain |
| you have. There are essentially 3 types of feet: High | | | | is one less thing that they have to worry about. |
| Arch, Medium Arch and Flat Foot. Depending upon | | | | Happiness begins from the feet up! |