Are Your Shoes to Blame for Your Knee Pain?

Dr. John S. Michels is an award-winning pain management specialist with a busy practice in the Dallas-Fort Worth area of Texas. 

He’s also an NFL Super Bowl champion with a unique perspective on the life-altering effects of chronic pain. That experience drew him to his medical specialty and dedication to providing minimally invasive therapies for painful conditions like persistent knee pain.

Read what Dr. Michels says about your shoes’ role in knee pain and why choosing the right type for your daily routine is essential.

What do my shoes have to do with knee pain?

Whether you’re standing still, walking, or running, the wrong shoes affect your stride and stance, altering the alignment of your knees, hips, and back. Over time, this strains muscles, ligaments, and tendons that support the knee joint.

High heels, for instance, increase pressure on the front of the foot and toes. This forces a shortened stride that affects the health of your patellar tendon and other structures in the knee joint. 

The problem increases if you’re already experiencing cartilage erosion, inflammation, and other changes related to osteoarthritis in the joint, which is a common wear-and-tear type of arthritis.

What shoes should I choose to protect my knees?

Several factors matter when choosing shoes, including your activity or sport. For instance, walking shoes should have a flexible sole and only a subtle increase in heel height because higher heels place pressure on the knee.

Any shoe should fit well with plenty of room for your toes and have soles wide enough to prevent the sides of your feet from hanging over the edge. 

Some shoes are specific to a sport, such as soccer cleats or court shoes. Runners typically require extra cushioning or shock absorption compared to walkers.

But generally, Dr. Michels recommends footwear based on your joint health. He encourages individuals, especially those experiencing knee pain, to schedule an evaluation with a footwear specialist to get help selecting the shoes best suited for their needs.

How do you treat knee pain?

Dr. Michels personalizes treatment for knee pain based on the results of a physical evaluation and careful review of your symptoms. Your strategy may include:

• Physical therapy to increase strength and flexibility in the muscles supporting your knees.
• Intraarticular steroid injections. 
• Genicular nerve blocks.
• Radiofrequency ablation of the genicular nerves. 

Schedule an evaluation with Dr. Michels today for knee pain or other painful conditions affecting your mobility and quality of life. Call the office or request an appointment online.