Are Uggs hurting your feet?
On Yahoo’s fashion blog, they recently had an article about how the Ugg sheepskin (and their knock-offs) have very little support for the feet and could be contributing to the epidemic of ankle overpronation and flat feet. Although they may feel comfortable, the shoes are very “sloppy” and allow the foot to lose it’s natural shape that can lead to a variety of foot conditions including plantar fasciitis, bunions, heel spurs or even knee/hip/low back pain.
Many women that I see in my practice feel like their shoe choices are limited. Heels make low back pain worse. Uggs make your feet flat. Most dress flats offer no support for the arches either. The best type of shoe to wear is either a laced-up dress shoe or a laced athletic shoes. The design of a laced shoe automatically gives you more support than a sandal or loafer style. When you can’t wear a laced-up shoe, try wearing a loafer or Mary Jane style shoe that will allow you to put a custom orthotic in them to properly support the arch. Most women can even get away with wearing up to a 2″ heel with a properly fitting orthotic device.
If you have questions about shoes, foot injuries or if your feet could be causing your knee/hip/low back pain, feel free to ask me questions. I’m always happy to assist and even have many contacts in the footwear world to refer you for help!