– I have worn flat shoes almost all my life, says Malin Kristiansen Børjesson. And she is not alone in that. Many young people walk around in flat shoes today, and a lot of this type of shoe is sold in shops. But is it actually wrong to use them? What characterizes flat shoes is that they have a thin and hard sole, are completely flat without any special cushioning and no bend in the shoe. So you walk completely flat. Flat shoes like this are popular. But perhaps few people know that they can pose health challenges. Photo: Simon Elias Bogen / news Can have a negative effect The choice of shoes is something that not many people think about on a daily basis. Nevertheless, the wrong choice can have consequences for the body. For: – If you wear flat shoes often, you can, among other things, get back problems. That’s according to chiropractor at Chiropractic Clinic Stavanger, Hans Georg Jelstad. – First the ankles, then the back – We are not made to walk in flat shoes, he says. Hans Georg Jelstad is a chiropractor at the Chiropractic Clinic in Stavanger. He says we don’t get the usual hip swing by wearing flat shoes. Photo: Simon Elias Bogen / news When we wear flat shoes, we don’t use the small muscles in the sole of the foot as much, he says. Over time, this will create follow-up errors. – Many notice that it first goes beyond the ankles, then upwards to the knees and lower back. You may also experience pain in the neck. I don’t think flat shoes are to blame Børjesson has heard this before from both chiropractors and physiotherapists, because she has a slightly bad back. But Børjesson herself does not think her shoes are the main reason why she has back pain. Her chiropractor and physiotherapist have also concluded that, she claims. – Back problems can be caused by so many things. I’m not going to say anything against them, but now I’ve worn flat shoes practically my whole life. My back problems are for other reasons. Børjesson knows that the flat shoes suit her feet well and that she herself gets better balance by wearing such shoes. Photo: Simon Elias Bogen / news – Little shock absorption Chiropractor Jelstad is supported by podiatrist Mona Wallin. – Most of the problems people have with me are usually related to shoes. When people wear shoes that are too flat with thin and hard soles, there is little shock absorption. This lack of shock absorption, she says, can damage the back. – Having too thin and too hard soles is absolutely not something to recommend. Especially if you have a bad back before. Wallin has been an independent podiatrist for over 20 years. She advises everyone to wear shoes with a good shock-absorbing sole. – It is better not to take any chances with this. I can’t walk with flat shoes, for example. Then my back hurts, she says. Mona Wallin treats her daughter Tomine Hetland here. Tomine says she almost only walks in flat shoes. Photo: Simon Elias Bogen / news 100 pairs of shoes at home Like Børjesson, Fidel Briceno has also worn flat shoes almost all his life. – I am fully aware that it can be harmful. But I have so much love for these shoes here, he says. Fidel Briceno in front of the shoe shelf in his own shop at Kvadrat in Sandnes. Photo: Simon Elias Bogen / news Briceno owns the shoe store Legit at Kvadrat in Sandnes. At home, he has over 100 pairs of shoes, and almost all of them are flat. – I’ve gotten used to walking in these shoes. But I have to admit that I notice it if I walk a lot in flat shoes one day, he says. He also has a back problem, and does not think that flat shoes help to make his back any better. Nevertheless, he swears allegiance to the shoes he has always worn: – I will wear these shoes until I am an old man or when the doctor says I have to give up, says Briceno. Here, Briceno is holding one of the shoes he sells a lot in his shop. He says these types of shoes sell very well among young people. Photo: Simon Elias Bogen / news – Very popular shoes Session in Stavanger sells a lot of shoes. What most of the shoes have in common is that they are flat. According to store employee Kristoffer Hovland, these shoes sell well. – They are very popular. But we have many flat shoes that also have good cushioning, Hovland points out. Because it’s not like all flat shoes are bad for you. Some have good damping, and are thus not as bad for joints. – I have worn flat shoes most of my life. Some of the shoes we sell look flat, but the inner sole means that there may be a small bow in the shoe, says Hovland. Does not apply to everyone Chiropractor Jelstad says it varies from person to person how much strain the body tolerates. – Some people don’t notice anything because they are active and use their legs. Others notice a lot. Jelstad shows where in the back one can get hurt by wearing flat shoes. The lower back is particularly vulnerable to strain injuries. Photo: Simon Elias Bogen / news But wearing flat shoes in a more active everyday life is not a good idea, he says. – It’s a bit about how much you walk every day. If you sit in an office all day, there is no problem wearing flat shoes. Style over comfort Although Børjesson sees that flat shoes can cause problems for the body, she has not personally noticed that wearing flat shoes has affected her. – Genetics and a congenital bend in my feet mean that flat shoes are actually the most comfortable for me, she says. Børjesson wears flat shoes because they are stylish, but also because she thinks they suit her feet very well. Photo: Simon Elias Bogen / news But for Briceno, style is more important than comfort: – This is style, and I use them as everyday shoes. But of course I don’t use them on mountain trips, he concludes.
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Warnings about wearing flat shoes – news Rogaland – Local news, TV and radio
