Back pain is something that many people are acquainted with. While there are many reasons why a person can suffer from back pain, the use of inadequate shoes can also contribute to the challenge.
If the antidote to back pain is to keep moving, then you better do so in the right shoes. For several decades, people have become more informed and aware of the impact that their shoes have on them. If you’re dealing with back pain, a change in shoes can go a long way in providing relief.
How Back Pain Develops
To be absolutely sure about the exact cause of your back pain, we recommend that you see a doctor figure things out. Inadequate shoes are not the only reasons why back pain develops. Sometimes, it can be a result of more serious health problems. Equally, at many other times, your feet are the culprit.
The connection between the feet and the back is a fact that many people ignore. You shouldn’t join that train, because those two parts of your body are more connected than you may think.
There’s something called a kinetic chain where the movement of one of your body parts can have a tremendous impact on other parts. When you move your feet during movement, unsupportive shoes are able to allow the pain that will move from your legs, all the way up to your lower back.
Being on your feet all day can also put a strain on your legs enough to cause you lower back pain. Lifestyle changes that help to ease the effect of your work on your health are important, and one of them is buying the right shoes.
If you’re a person who over-pronates, having your weight concentrated on the inside of your foot instead of spreading evenly can give you serious discomfort. It’s not every pain the feet feel that your lower back also feels. But you can be sure that the first step to ensuring the absence of back pain is keeping your feet comfortable.
Hypersupination, which involves the concentration of your weight inside your foot can also cause back pain. Sometimes, even your shoulders and neck are not left out. This is why it’s crucial to treat your feet with care and buy good quality shoes.
Features of Best Athletic Shoes for Lower Back Pain
When buying athletic shoes for lower back pain, look out for the following features. If even one of these features is missing from your shoes, your back pain may worsen significantly.
Immense Cushioning: Expect that your athletic shoes have an immense amount of cushioning. In the absence of good cushioning to your feet, you may not receive enough support to keep your feet comfortable during walking and high impact activities.
Breathability: Breathable athletic shoes are the best. If your shoes will not permit adequate air circulation throughout your feet, you shouldn’t get them. Because your feet may sweat during walking, running, or even standing, you will require absorbent materials in the insides of your shoes along with breathability.
Appropriate Arch Support: Lack of arch support in shoes is one of the leading reasons for back pain. Wearing shoes that don’t hold up your arches properly will cause them to fall and give you a lot of pain. Eventually, the pain will go to your back.
Shock Absorption: The shock that comes to your feet as a result of impact requires proper distribution. Shoes with good shock absorption will make sure of this.
Roomy toe box: Enough room in your toe box will keep your toes from becoming seriously strained. Make sure that there is a space of at least one centimeter from your longest toe to the front end of your shoes.
When your feet curve too much or twist over one another because of limited room, you may suffer pain in your feet and your back.
Removable Insoles: Ensure that your athletic shoes have removable insoles. This is so that, in case you need to use a different kind of insole, you’ll be able to change it easily.
Strong Outsole: A strong outsole in your shoes will not just ensure durability, it’ll also give a good spring to your steps by adding traction to your shoes. Not having to distort your posture for fear of falling will help ease back pain.
Comfort for wide feet: If you have wide feet, your shoes for easing back pain must be wide enough to fit you. Under no circumstances should you resign to wearing tight shoes as they will only worsen the pain.
Review of Shoes that Help to Relieve Pain in the Lower Back
Now, we review the 10 best Athletic Shoes for Lower Back Pain Sufferers. All the information given below will provide in-depth details with their pros & cons and durability.
1. ASICS Men’s Gel-Kayano 26 Running Shoes
First on our list is this ASICS shoes. ASICS has been a brand of great athletic shoes and they remain reliable.
The synthetic and mesh upper style of this particular pair of shoes gives it a sleek look and breathable covering. The shoe is imported and has rubber soles for great traction when you walk.
The Impact Guidance System (I.G.S) of the shoes is a unique design from ASICS that helps to balance your posture as your heel strikes the ground. The posture balance needed for healing of lower back pain is supplied by these shoes.
You’ll also get top-notch cushioning and support for your feet from the SpevaFoam 45 Lasting.
The SpevaFoam material helps to create a soft platform for your feet. Its midsoles are lightweight, made with the FlyteFoam Lure Technology, but its lightness does not reduce the cushioning you get as it contains organic nano fibers.
Feel great when you walk and get over back pain quickly through the amazing functions of the DuoMax Support system. Your athletic activities don’t have to stop because of the back pain that you feel.
With the right shoes, you can perform exercises to help you heal up fast.
- The shoes are great for overpronation control.
- Comes with a highly breathable mesh upper.
- Has contoured midsoles features that help control torsion.
- There aren’t too many colors available.
Fit As Expected: 86%
Durability:The shoes are highly durable with rubber soles and synthetic construction materials.
2. Mizuno Men’s Wave Inspire 14 Running Shoe
The Mizuno running shoes is another athletic shoe that’s great for lower back pain. It is made 100% with synthetic materials.
The heels are well balanced and the shoes come with a Cloudwave technology that gives you soft stability when you wear them. This, coupled with the lightweight of the shoes will help you enjoy walking with the shoes.
With the burden of back pain, you don’t need any additional pain and these shoes will make sure you don’t eat any. They’re perfectly comfortable and allow air to circulate in your feet through its air mesh upper.
You’ll get flexible support for optimized motion whether you’re going on a jog or just a walk at the park. The soft anatomical sock liner makes for extra provision of support for your arches as well as cushioning.
- These shoes are highly supportive.
- They have sizes that are suitable for wide feet.
- It comes with built-in arch support.
- Some color variations may be pricey.
- They’re more suited for walking, rather than running.
Fit As Expected: 91%
Durability: The 100% synthetic material that they are made of confers high durability on them. The shoes are imported.
3. Saucony Men’s Zealot Iso 3 Running Shoe
This shoe is another brand to ease up any back or knee pain you may be suffering from.
The 3mm EVERUN topsole gives you a highly comfortable and energized ride.
One of the best features of the shoes is the engineered mesh upper. The mesh upper helps your feet to adapt quickly to the shoes and over time, the shoes will assume the shape of your feet.
Its TRI-FLEX outsole helps to provide a great deal of blending in flexibility and protection for your feet.
- They’re great for heavy people.
- They quickly get adapted to your feet.
- They may run small.
Fit As Expected: 75%
Durability: Highly durable shoes that are constructed with textile and synthetic materials.
4. Nike Men’s Air Zoom Vomero 12 Running Shoes
Nike doesn’t disappoint, and that’s no cliché. This brand of Nike comes with Flywire cables that give the shoe an adaptive fit.
To get your energy returning to you in full force every time you walk or run, Zoom air units have been incorporated in the heels of the shoes to achieve this.
There is also an effective cushion carrier foam that helps to protect your feet and distribute traction throughout your soles as you hit the ground. You can now walk fast or slow with shoes that firmly lock down your feet without irritating or hurting you.
The rubber crash rail in the midsole helps to provide great shock absorption during movement. Enjoy midsoles that are lightweight and at the same time, sturdy and supportive.
Stand right and protect your feet with these shoes to help make back pain a thing of the past.
- They are lightweight shoes.
- They provide lockdown support for your feet.
- They may be a little pricey.
Fit As Expected: 85%
Durability:The lightweight foam and Lunarlon midsole increases the shoes’ durability.
5. New Balance Men’s 1080v8 Fresh Foam Running Shoe
These shoes are not just practical, they’re super trendy. They come with Fresh Foam innovative midsole that helps to give you an all-encompassing natural ride feeling.
That’s because when you wear them, you’ll feel like they’re made for you.
The construction is bootie-type and you can wear these around town, not just during athletic activities.
It comes with engineered mesh and no-sew material design. The midfoot saddle will help your feet settle into the shoes snugly while protecting them as you walk.
- They come with removable orthotics.
- They are super great for high arches.
- They are marking shoes.
Fit As Expected: 87%
Durability: The outsole is made with blown rubber. They are highly durable shoes.
6. HOKA ONE ONE Mens Clifton 3 Running Shoe
These shoes also feature a no-sew Speed frame design. What this does is to give you an interior where there are no seams. Imagine that!
If what you want is a pair of shoes to help with your back pain and at the same time remove the irritation of dealing with seams in the insides, then this is for you. The toe box is roomy and prevents your toes from twisting over one another.
This pair of shoes is all about your speedy recovery and comfort. The air meat upper also ensures breathability to keep your wet well ventilated all day long.
More amazing is its early-stage meta-rocker that guides your movement and discourages over pronation or over supination alike.
- The shoes have a roomy toe box.
- The midsole is highly cushioned.
- The shoes help to relieve shin splints.
- They’re not great for wide feet.
Fit As Expected: 79%.
Durability: The rubber soles help to increase the life span of the shoes.
7. Brooks Men’s Addiction Walker Walking Shoes
Surely, you didn’t think we were going to leave Brooks out of this. These shoes are made with 100% leather for increased durability and it comes in a wide range of sizes including that for wide feet.
You’ll enjoy maximum support with the Extended Progressive Diagonal Rollbar that has been added in to provide top arch support.
This feature also keeps your feet moving in the natural path and helps to preserve your posture to enhance pain relief.
The outsole has an innovative construction that works with the forefoot MC pod to give you an anti-slip and stable fit. Enjoy BioMoGo DNA for great cushioning and comfort.
- The shoes come with MoGo midsole cushioning.
- The soles are antislip.
- They may be pricey.
Fit As Expected: 85%
Durability: 100% leather and full grain leather upper materials make the shoes durable for use.
8.Vionic Men’s Walker
With these Vionic men’s walker, you can be assured of a combination of durability, arch support, stability and sleekness.
It has a removable textile EVA footbed and a long-lasting outsole made of rubber. The shoes have the Americans Podiatrist Medical Association (APMA) seal of acceptance. That is something you can trust to do what it says it will!
The suede upper is breathable and its EVA technology gives you incredible support and stability.
You can trust the durability of the shoes as well as its accompanying Active Motion System (AMS) technology for lightweight shoes which you can easily lift during motion and exercise sessions.
It has a well-cushioned collar and padded tongue for increased support for your feet. The deep heel cups also give you stable fit and balance throughout your feet.
- The soles are non-marking.
- The fabric linings in the inside of the shoes help to absorb sweat.
- They may run small in size.
Fit As Expected: 58%
Durability: The durable rubber outsole, leather materials and suede upper make for excellence in durability.
9. Mizuno Men’s Wave Rider 20 Running Shoe
This is another variation of the Mizuno shoes and this time, you’ll get something even more irresistible. The shoes are great for running and other athletic activities.
With its triple-zone engineered mesh upper, you’re assured of supportive shoes that will last super long.
Enjoy the optimized midsoles, strong rubber outsoles for improved traction, and cloud wave sole.
These shoes will not fail to keep your posture balanced while you exercise away from the back pain.
- They’re great for running.
- Sizes for wide feet are available.
- They may run tight.
- They come quite pricey.
Fit As Expected: 90%
Durability: The shoes have U4IC midsole foam and 100% mesh with rubber outsole.
10. New Balance Women’s W1340v2 Optimum Control Running Shoe
And finally on our list of best Athletic shoes for lower back pain, another Nike makes it in.
The heel is about 1.5″, and optimized for giving you support under your feet.
The pop-color accents of the shoes and excellent inbuilt technology for motion control is an amazing part of the pair. It has Abzorb cushioning in the forefoot.
These shoes are made for people looking for the best kind of support they can find around without compromising durability. They’re your perfect bet!
- The shoes have excellent forefoot cushioning.
- The toe box may be narrow if you have wide feet.
Fit As Expected: 78%
Durability: The shoes are strong and remain in good shape for a long time. They have blown rubber outsoles.
How Shoes Worsen Lower Back Pain
Bad shoes can worsen your back pain. Generally, when shoes force you to assume an unnatural position or gait, you can develop back pain due to the strain on your muscles.
Shoes with bad arch support can also cause your feet to splay and therefore cause stress on your ligament and tendons. Flat shoes are notorious for this and it’s advisable to avoid them if you have lower back pain problems.
In the same vein, shoes with insufficient shock-absorbing ability will not evenly distribute the impact of walking. Rather, it’ll send the shock waves through your legs and its accumulation may result in foot and back pain.
The trick when you’re dealing with foot and backache problems is to avoid those ones that cause you discomfort or impair your gait in any way.
FAQs About Best Athletic Shoes for Lower Back Pain
Can Shoes Mess up Your Lower Back?
If your shoes are not well-fitted, they can definitely mess up your lower back. Flat shoes that lack good arch support also cause lower back problems. Pain in your feet can travel all the way up to cause strain in the muscles of your back, shoulders, and even neck.
Can regular walking improve back pain problems?
Yes. Regular athletic activities and walking can help to improve lower back pain. You can maintain your body weight, improve the flexibility of your spinal ligaments and your general blood circulation by engaging in regular walking activities.
What shoes help with back pain problems?
Shoes with excellent cushioning, arch support, and most importantly, shock absorption are the best for easing back pain.
All the shoes we have reviewed above are helpful in giving you relief. Ensure you buy the right sizes for maximum experience.
Rock Your Healthy Shoes
Supportive shoes can be a huge blessing when you’re dealing with back pain. Simple lifestyle adjustments like changing your shoes can provide the relief you need to enjoy stress-free days.
You should consult your doctor to ensure a more thorough treatment for back pain. To speed up your recovery, you may need to do some additional things which your doctor will recommend. In all, don’t neglect your shoes. They’re your number one friends during such challenges.
