Are you taking a trip to Disneyland? The Grand Canyon? Even if you are just trying to get your 30 minutes of walking in each day, it is important to think about your feet! Long summer days and exciting vacations often mean more time walking, standing, and exploring. The high temperatures also mean you might be wearing sandals or flip flops more than any other type of shoe.

While these shoes are stylish and comfortable in the heat, they are often lacking in support – putting you at risk for injury including plantar fasciitis, knee pain, and even back pain. Yes, even your footwear can affect your spine!

Let’s break it down – there are three main types of feet (primarily looking at the arch of your foot). If you want to get an idea of what kind of arch you have, get your foot wet and step onto something that will show the mark – dry pavement if you’re lounging by the pool or even a paper bag works well. Now look at your foot print – you should see all your toes, the ball of your foot, a curve that is about half as wide as the ball of your foot (arch), and then your heel.

• If this is what your foot looks like – you have a normal arch. Look for a shoe in the “neutral” category – it will give you a little cushion, a little arch support but nothing extreme.



• If you barely see any curve or arch – you have a high arch (supinated) foot. This means you need to look for a shoe that gives you some more cushioning. The arch of the foot is designed to be a shock absorber and if you have a high arch, you lose some the natural shock absorption and need to make up for it with your shoe. Pick a shoe from the “cushioned” category. You may have “shin splints” or low back pain when walking or running if you aren’t wearing a cushioned shoe.
• If you see a very wide arch or a flat foot – you have a low arch, flat (pronated) foot. This means that you need more support from you shoe, because you aren’t getting it from your foot. Look for a shoe in the “stability” category. If you are wearing the wrong shoes, you may have hip or knee pain when walking or running.

If you love hiking or walking in sandals, make sure you purchase a pair with some support! There are many different kinds of “sport sandals” that are designed for those of us who want to get out and walk without sneakers. If you do plan on doing a lot of walking or hiking, avoid flip flops! Yes, they are perfect for the pool but often are lacking the kind of arch support you need for more sustained physical activity.

Not sure what shoes or sandals are best suited for your needs? Have you been having foot or back pain? Our physical therapists are trained to evaluate your posture and feet to determine what type of sneaker or sandal will give you the best support for all your summer fun!

References:

https://biosynchronistics.com/how-to-choose-right-fitting-sneakers-and-running-shoes/

At Corvallis Sport and Spine Physical Therapy and Albany Sport and Spine, our names means more than it may seem at first glance. We believe that “Sport” and “Spine” are foundational to every person’s enjoyment of life and their ability to maximize their movement capabilities and overall quality of life. For us, these words extend well beyond their superficial meanings.
When most people think of the word “sport”, they think of a game involving a ball, puck, or at least some running with a winner and probably a few losers. Well that may be one kind of sport, but the dictionary defines sport as, “to play in a happy and lively way”(1). That’s exactly how we define “sport” at CSSPT. Everyone has a sport. Whether it’s kicking the soccer ball around, running, or just enjoying walking and gardening, here at CSSPT we view everyone as an athlete. Every athlete has their own sport, their own activity in which they “play in a happy and lively way”. Our goal is to help people move and feel better so that they can live, work, and play again in their sport – whatever that may be.
One of the main ways we help patients get back to their sport is by treating the spine. The spine is defined as, “a row of connected bones down the middle of the back”. To most people, this definition sounds just right. To us, this definition does the term, “spine”, very little justice. At CSSPT, we view the spine as the keystone to the human body. Just as a keystone can give an archway its strength and stability, the spine can be the link to the human body allowing it to move how it’s intended with decreased risk for injury. A keystone has to be the perfect size and shape for the archway to be architecturally sound. The spine also has to have the appropriate mobility and strength for the rest of the human body to be mechanically and functionally sound.
So if your wrist or ankle hurts and you seek treatment at Corvallis Sport and Spine, you can bet we’ll be taking a look at your spine. The reason those extremities may hurt could be a result of poor posture or movement from abnormal spine mechanics! It could also be referral from the nerves coming from your spine, but that’s a topic for a different day. We won’t just give you stretches for your back and not treat where it hurts, but we will probably address some issues at your spine that are contributing to the pain in your extremities.
So there it is. The Physical Therapists at CSSPT do much more than just treat “a row of connected bones in your back” to help you “play in a happy and lively way”. We look at you as a whole person, including your spine, in order for us to improve your mobility and strength. This approach will help you move and feel better so that you can live, work, and play again, whether that’s walking, gardening, or hitting a game winning home run!
Dane Happeney, PT, DPT, Doctor of Physical Therapy
References
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sport
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spine