By: Lauren Hammond, Copy/Opinion Editor 

It goes without saying that foot fashion at CSUSM comes in a multitude of varieties and styles, but have students considered how their shoes may be affecting their health?

With the amount of walking CSUSM students do across campus, it is wise for them to consider how issues with their shoes and feet can contribute to joint issues as well as hip and back pain. Shoes with even the slightest heal can affect the way men and women walk.

Heeled shoes cause feet to point in a downward position, putting unnecessary pressure on the forefoot. When pressure is placed on the forefoot, people tend to lean backward, contradicting the lower half of the body’s inclined, forward position. Heels also cause abnormalities in the way people walk as it limits the foot’s natural function to push against the ground when stepping.

These walking irregularities have a critical impact on a person’s posture, causing their spine to flatten: contradicting the spine’s natural s-curvature. Stresses to the spine further displace the body’s hips by putting too much pressure on the lower back. Chronic overuse of the hip-flexors then leads to excessive force on knee joints.  To alleviate some of the excess pressure on the knees, the body tends to react by adjusting the shin inward.

Aside from daily discomfort, continual unnatural walking habits can even lead to osteoarthritis in joints. In all honesty, barefoot is the best and most natural way to go. However, due to health and comfort concerns, many students are not open to the idea of going barefoot. If that is the case, it is imperative that students begin to look at what kind of shoes they are wearing in order to prevent long term issues with back, hip and knee abnormalities.

It is best to avoid or limit use of heeled and pointed shoes as well as flip-flops; pointed shoes and flip-flops can cause abnormalities in toe grip, displacing natural foot rhythms. Instead, students should take the time to consider shoes that are comfortable and that aid in stabilizing the foot before conquering “Cal State Stair Master.”