Best Shoes For Back Pain
If you experience occasional or chronic back pain, you’re not alone. One in five Americans say they suffer from an episode of back pain in the course of a year. Back pain can interfere with work, hobbies and even normal daily activities.
Even if you don’t have the stereotypical “bad back,” back aches and pains can creep up on anyone when you put your body through a rigorous day. The good news is the right shoes can provide the foundation your body needs to support healthy posture, reduce impact on your body, and help you find lasting relief from back pain.
Your spine is your body’s central support system. The S-shape of your spine supports your body weight and helps you stay balanced when you are upright. It also absorbs the shock that is generated when you walk and move around.
Back pain can have a variety of causes, including strained muscles, problems with a disc, osteoarthritis, a pinched nerve, or poor posture. Pain can range from an isolated achy muscle to shooting, burning pain from the lower back into the legs.
Non-invasive approaches to relieving back pain (such as supporting the feet, ankles, knees and spine with well-designed shoes for back pain) are generally the first step in finding a solution. For many people, it’s all they need to experience relief from irritating back pain.
Stretching and massage can provide relief as well. A simple yoga pose, like Dandasana staff pose, can help strengthen the muscles in your back and alleviate pain. Check out our video below to learn how to perform this pose and relieve your back pain.
Causes & Symptoms
Chronic back pain can take a toll on more than just your body. Your emotions and self-esteem can also take a hit when back pain interferes with normal work or your favorite hobbies. When pain interferes with your ability to enjoy life, finding a solution becomes a priority!
Nearly 580 million people worldwide suffer from low back pain, with tens of millions more dealing with middle back pain. The spine has five sections: cervical, thoracic, lumbar, sacrum, and coccyx. Lower back pain typically involves the lumbar spine, which is designed for a greater range of motion than the higher parts of the back—making it more prone to injury.
Middle back pain occurs in the upper and lower portions of the thoracic spine, which is more resistant to movement and therefore less likely to be injured.
Your middle back protects your vital organs and stabilizes the rest of your body. Causes of middle back pain include:
- Muscle strain
- A bad mattress or sleeping position
- Spinal disc degeneration
- Scoliosis
- Lack of exercise
- Poor posture
- Wearing the wrong shoes
Middle back pain may also be caused by an autoimmune condition, gallbladder disease, malignancy, or kidney infection. It’s critical to find the source of your midback pain. After ruling out internal organs, the next step is to have firm support under your feet with proper shoes. KURU’s unique design provides unequaled support for patients with degenerative disc disease, scoliosis, and muscle strain.
Some common causes of low back pain include mechanical issues of the soft tissue, such as:
- A sprained ligament or a strained muscle
- Damage to the intervertebral discs
- Compression of your nerve roots
- Incorrect movement of spinal joints
Low back pain affects tens of millions of people every year, but for most people, it goes away after a few weeks. If your back pain lasts longer than three months, it moves into the category of chronic back pain. Wearing shoes for lower back pain becomes especially important if you find yourself in this group.
Back Pain Facts and Stats
- Almost 65 million Americans experience occasional back pain
- Around 16 million Americans suffer from chronic back pain
- In the United States, back pain is a leading cause for lost days of work
- The sixth most costly condition in the U.S., back pain costs around $12 billion per year
- People who suffer from back pain are more likely to experience poor overall health
If you live with back pain, you know how difficult it can be to find solutions. In many cases, simple lifestyle changes can go a long way to finding relief.
Here are a few things you can do in your everyday life to provide relief from back pain:
- Consistent exercisePhysical activity (walking, swimming, cycling) can help reduce back discomfort and improve spine health. Consistent exercise develops the muscles and ligaments that support the skeletal structure. Exercises for the abdomen and back might help relieve back pain by supporting the spine. Try partial crunches, pelvic tilts, and knees to chest. Also, wear supportive shoes for back pain when exercising.Consistent exercise
- Regular stretchingStretching improves flexibility, which helps reduce injury. Because hamstring tightness can cause back discomfort, stretching them daily with one leg on a low chair and the other standing can help prevent low back pain. This also stimulates blood flow, which is necessary for healing. In addition to yoga poses like bird-dog, child’s pose, and the cat-cow stretch, there are other exercises that can help relieve back discomfort.Regular stretching
- Proper postureMaintain good posture while sitting, standing, or walking throughout the day. Posture is important in avoiding back pain. Good posture relieves stress on your ankles, knees, hips, and back.Proper posture
- Quality footwearWearing supportive shoes with enough arch support and impact-reducing cushioning can help relieve back discomfort and make regular strengthening exercises and stretches easier. It can also help you keep good alignment and posture all day. The best shoes for lower and middle back discomfort give focused support.Quality footwear
- I just received a pair of your shoes and my feet are sore/hurt after wearing them. Why is that?
Some customers experience tenderness when they first start wearing a new pair of KURUs.That’s ok! Your body may need time to adjust to the new levels of anatomical support you experience with our patented KURUSOLE technology.
Our shoes are also designed to mold to your unique foot shape, which takes a bit of a break-in period.
To help mitigate this, we suggest you follow our break-in procedure, including wearing your KURUs for a couple hours perday around the house in the first couple of weeks as they break in and form to your foot.
- Can I use custom orthotics with KURU shoes?
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Due to the anatomical shape of the KURUSOLE, custom orthotics with a rounded heel fit best inside our shoes.
If the underside of the custom orthotic (the part that sits on the footbed) is squared off, then it may not fit into our deep heel cup—which is rounded like your foot.
That said, many of our customers tell us the KURUSOLE technology offers better support and stability than they expected, and they don’t need to wear their custom orthotics with KURU shoes.
- Are your shoes considered orthopedic shoes?
Even though KURU shoes were not initially intended to be orthopedic shoes, thousands of our customers say they experience relief from various foot conditions—including bunions!
While our shoes are not currently considered orthopedic by a medical standard, we have received thousands of positive reviews from customers who say their KURUs helped reduce or eliminate their pain.
- How do I know which shoes to buy? Which is best for me?
KURU shoes are engineered with revolutionary technology to cradle your feet and provide distributed support from your toes to your heels and up through your ankles, knees and hips. The synergy of KURUSOLE, KURUCLOUD and ULTIMATE INSOLES provides support with cushioning that gives your back a foundation for healing.
Whether you’re looking for shoes for degenerative disc disease that’s bothering your middle back, or the best women’s shoes for lower back pain, or for great work shoes that keep your back pain at bay hour after hour: You’ll find what you need in a KURU shoe.
To help mitigate this, we suggest you follow our break-in procedure, including wearing your KURUs for a couple hours per day around the house in the first couple of weeks as they break in and form to your foot.
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Why You Don’t Need Orthotics with KURU
At KURU, we pride ourselves on our unique approach to shoe design. We believe that shoes should be shaped to fit the natural contours of your feet, which is why we create every pair in three distinct support layers, not just an insole.
Our revolutionary ergonomic design starts with a curved footbed and adds unparalleled triple-layer support that includes shock-absorbing KURUCLOUD, heel-cupping KURUSOLE, and arch-supporting ULTIMATE INSOLES. The result? Shoes that are so comfortable you’ll stop thinking about your feet.
KURUSOLE
The solution to back pain often starts with your feet. KURUSOLE provides unequaled cushioning and support—dynamically hugging your …Show More
The solution to back pain often starts with your feet. KURUSOLE provides unequaled cushioning and support—dynamically hugging your heels with each step to protect you from impact. KURUSOLE provides a solid foundation to support your body and relieve your back pain, reflecting our obsession with keeping your body stronger and healthier.
…Show lessKURUCLOUD
When you’re dealing with back pain, you need cushioning that reduces stress on your back. KURUCLOUD features precision geometry and a …Show More
When you’re dealing with back pain, you need cushioning that reduces stress on your back. KURUCLOUD features precision geometry and a uniquely engineered blend of lightweight, performance EVA foam that absorbs impact—protecting you from jarring that contributes to back pain.
…Show lessULTIMATE INSOLE
Providing proper support for your feet is key to relieving back pain. Our ULTIMATE INSOLES apply cutting edge technology to alleviate back pain. These …Show More
Providing proper support for your feet is key to relieving back pain. Our ULTIMATE INSOLES apply cutting edge technology to alleviate back pain. These insoles use a specialized foam that harnesses body heat to mold to your heel, arch and forefoot—providing the ultimate in cushioned support.
…Show less
KURUSOLE
The solution to back pain often starts with your feet. KURUSOLE provides unequaled cushioning and support—dynamically hugging your heels with each step to protect you from impact. KURUSOLE provides a solid foundation to support your body and relieve your back pain, reflecting our obsession with keeping your body stronger and healthier.
Fine, We’ll Tell You Our Secret
What makes KURU different? Every KURU shoe comes with built-in patented KURUSOLE tech—a foot health game changer.
While other shoes are flat on the inside, KURUSOLE is shaped like your foot to hug and prevent fatigue and pain.
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