Casual shoes provide no real support!
I wrote before about cheap shoes and how they lead to back problems and other health issues. I was chagrined to find myself falling victim to this trap myself! In these summer months of intense heat, it is temping to wear sandals as a means of keeping cool. But of course, you end up getting a "sandal tan" if you are not careful. Myself, my feet break out in red splotches after too much sun exposure.
At the beach, you quickly figure out why they are called SANDals - as the sand gets in between your feet and the sole. Even when tightened down hard, they move around a bit, causing you to walk like a duck. Flip-flops (as the name implies) are even worse.
Loose shoes in general are bad. We bought some "Sketchers" slip-ons at the wholesale club for $30 a pair. At first, they seemed comfortable and Mark called them "house shoes" - and he was right. They are OK for padding around the house, but on a longer walk, their loose fit causes you to walk funny and this ends up causing hip, knee, and lower back pain.
We recently went to a costume party where everyone wore uniforms of a sort. We bought "combat boots" for the party online for $30 a pair or so. They are probably not as well-made as the real deal, but lacing them up was an experience. I found myself walking better and it was easier to walk uphill or on slippery surfaces. The ankle and arch support really made a difference. Even low-ride sneakers have less support than these boots.
Maybe that is why our ancestors wore such boots - even the ladies - that went halfway up the ankles. The support was more than just below the feet, but the fact that the boot and foot became one, with no movement between them. The "upper" held the ankle in place and provided support as well. It took some getting used to, at first, but once you had them on, they were quite comfortable.
Again, this goes back to the idea that the things we think are comfortable are often not. Big, overstuffed chairs are a backache. Big, fluffy pillows hurt your neck. Big "tractor seats" on bicycles with lambs-wool covers look appealing but are a pain in the butt - quite literally. And the same goes for slip-on shoes ("so easy to put on!") and sandals and flip-flops. You are trading momentary convenience for a lifetime of pains and aches.
I am not saying combat boots are the answer to everything, but we did buy some "mid-rise" hiking sneakers and damn, if they aren't more comfortable than the low-riders. Maybe we are being sold a bill of goods with all these slip-on comfort shoes and low-rider sneakers.
Maybe. Just a thought!
