For many women, flip flops are the standard casual footwear around the home or for the outdoors during the summer. However, like many other flat footwear, your flip flop can bring some physiological and physical problems for you.
Dr. Dmitriy Buyanov M.D. at Buyanov.com says, “Wearing flip flops as a woman means hitting the floor with your heel. This means that force is transmitted to your lower back. Over a period of time your sacroiliac joint and lower facets will be affected leading to low back pain for you.”
You may be wondering why flip flops are problem for women when it is worn by men as well. Dr Buyanov says the pressure is worse in women because of the unique physiology. “Women have a unique curvature which pushes the spine and pelvis more outward, leading to more intense pressure, in comparison to men”.
When you start feeling pain in your lower back, it is the first sign of injury from wearing flat footwear excessively. If you ignore the pain, you could end up doing damage to your ankles, knees or hips. This is why you should consider ditching your flip flop and other flat footwear as soon as you notice the first signs of pain.
“Change from flat footwear to shoes with a higher heel,” says Dr Buyanov. “However, this doesn’t mean you should go all out on stilettoes. You simply need average heels that will move the pressure from your back, onto your knee.”
When you wear shoes with a bit of a heel, the body is pitched forward. This will make the knee to take on the role of a shock absorber, ensuring that the impact will not go to your lower back. When you ditch your flip flops for some heels to alleviate lower back pain, introduce some changes to your exercise routines and watch for improvements. If there are no noticeable changes with three months, you may be dealing with more severe changes to your anatomy, hence requiring a visit to your doctor.
Other Recommended Remedies for Lower Back Pain in Women
- Be mindful or you standing posture or sitting posture especially when you have to hold the position for extended periods. You can avoid the muscle related changes that is responsible for back pain.
- Do not slouch or hunch when you are sitting down.
- Change up your exercise routine to cover your back extensions, your rear-shoulder muscles, neck muscles, buttock muscles and core muscles. This will improve your posture and is great for your musculoskeletal health.
- As you recover from your back pain, avoid strenuous exercises like weight lifting and replace them with back-pain-friendly routines such as reverse curl ups, swimming, stretches while lying on your side, swimming and similar.
- Avoid leaning on one leg when standing. Balance your weight properly across both legs, ensure proper relaxation of your back and shoulders and don’t angle your head in one direction either.
- If you do house chores regularly, avoid tasks that will including lifting or pulling items that are heavy.
As you enjoy your summer, avoid flip flops and other foot wear that will lead to undue strain on your skeletal structure. Most importantly, don’t hesitate to speak to your doctor if the pain in your lower back exceeds beyond three months.