A Comprehensive Guide to Choosing the Right Shoes for Optimal Joint Health

Why is Choosing Proper Footwear Essential for Joint Health?

What are the most effective treatment options or management strategies that pop up in your mind when you hear about joint health? A healthy diet and a balanced lifestyle, right? However, choosing the proper footwear is as important as choosing a healthy diet and lifestyle. Choosing comfortable footwear that enhances your comfort can also be a game-changer here. You need not sacrifice your comfort for fashion. After all, it is also part of a healthy lifestyle!

So, how does the choice help? Your feet are the foundation of your body, and when adequately supported, they help your lower limb joints to be in better alignment. Choosing the proper footwear can also help you decrease the risk of falling, slipping or even getting a foot sore.

Did you also know that wearing the wrong footwear can worsen your joint problems in hips and knees, not just those in feet and ankles? Since all the joints of your lower limbs are connected, the hip-thigh-knee-feet any stress on your feet adversely affects the whole chain of joints. And end up causing various complications like inflammation and pain. 

Do Your Shoe's Features Help with Joint Pain Relief?

Now, let us explore some of the shoe features you must look for while shopping. Various types of footwear claim to be the best shoes for hip joint pain,   

Sandals for hip and knee pain and sneakers for knee pain are available in the market, assuring various therapeutic benefits. But is that just what you must look for while shopping for shoes? Here are tips to help you buy the right shoes for joint pain.

Natural Foot-Shaped Shoes V/S Traditional Shoes

Nowadays, natural foot-shaped shoes are available in the market, designed keeping the natural foot shape in mind. They provide more comfort, better balance, and efficiency of feet. Traditional shoes tend to increase the chances of causing the following deformities: 

• Hammer toes and bunions.
• Weakened muscles.
• Injuries to the tendons and ligaments of your feet.

Natural foot-shaped shoes can help you reduce injuries and promote more natural forefoot strikes by reducing pressure and increasing the stability of your feet.

Choosing Shoes for Joint Health Wisely - Mistakes to Avoid

The common mistakes to avoid while choosing the proper footwear include:

Shopping for Shoes in the Morning

Doing so can make you buy smaller shoes, causing pain and discomfort.

Wearing the Same Shoes Every Day

This practice can lead to overuse syndrome, where your foot is stressed. Why? Because this forces it to touch the ground in a certain way.

Choosing High Heels and Sacrificing Comfort for Fashion

High heels can cause increased stress on pressure points, reducing the ability to absorb shock and compromising the stability of the foot.

Buying Sandals Without Proper Supportive Straps

Always buy sandals with supportive straps that cover the back of your ankle. Flip-flop sandals are also known to be effective in reducing the stress on knees in Osteoarthritis patients.

Buying High-Heeled Boots Without Proper Arch Support

Look for Low-heeled options or rubber-soled wedge heels that provide enough stability and flexibility.

Misconception of Switching to Flats is Better for Joint Health

Avoid rigid flats as they can make conditions like arthritis worse than good. Make sure to buy flats with proper arch support and flexibility and offer good shock absorption.

How is Shopping for a Walking Shoe Different From a Running Shoe?

While choosing a walking shoe, it is always better to select lightweight shoes, preferably with rounded bottoms that offer good shock absorption and easy weight transfer from heel to toe, enabling comfortable walking.

On the other hand, running shoes that have good torsional strength and shock absorption features can help with better experience and benefits.

Osteoarthritis in Knees and Other Joint Conditions: Providing Essential Support

Now let's check out a few shoe supports that can improve conditions like osteoarthritis in the knee and other joint conditions,

Spot These Red Flags While Shopping for Joint-Friendly-Shoes

Clogs

They can increase your knee stress. However, people who do not have arthritis may opt for clogs with rubberised soles and low heels.

Hiking Boots

Hiking boots are found to be rigid and can restrict normal motion, which in turn increases pain and inflammation. We advise you to choose boots with low heels that provide better stability for arthritic patients.

Foot Gloves

Even though they claim to protect your feet from injuries, the shock absorption factor could be more suitable for arthritic patients.

Flats With Straps

Flats with multiple straps causing pressure on sensitive areas can cause restricted blood flow, pain and swelling in your feet. 

To Conclude

It is vital to wear supportive and comfortable shoes to alleviate pain and swelling and maintain joint pain. Also, feel free to seek professional help whenever the symptoms do not alleviate even after choosing comfortable footwear. Also, consult a qualified healthcare expert for personalised advice and customised shoe support. Book your appointment now to get tips from Nirva Health's experts and make your joint health journey even more beautiful!