There are a lot of reasons for bad knees, including injuries such as patellofemoral pain syndrome, arthritis, injury to ligaments, cartilage tears, tendonitis and bursitis.
Abnormal foot function can contribute to some – but by no means all – knee problems. So before you try to treat knee pain please be sure ot get an accurate diagnosis and treatment plan from an orthopedist who specializes in knees.
How Does Foot Function Contribute to Knee Pain?
The most common foot issue that can lead to knee pain is over-pronation. When the foot rolls inward (pronates) the kneecap rolls inward—and this leads to increased stress on the knee.
If you have bad knees, supportive footwear can help reduce pain by reducing pronation of the feet. The best choice for footwear is to wear shoes on our recommended shoe list. But if you dislike wearing shoes in the summer there are healthy flip flop choices available.
What are the Best Flip-Flop Sandals for Knee Pain?
In order to prevent the rolling in educe painful stress on the knee the orthotic portion of the sandal must support the foot in such a way as it stops the knee from rotating inward excessively (as shown in the right hand figure). The goal is to keep the knee functioning straight ahead when you walk. To accomplish this the sandals MUST include these two features:
- Conform very close to the arch of the foot. By conforming close to the arch the flip-flop or sandal will stop excessive pronation that leads to collapse of the arch, rolling in of the heel and rotation of the lower leg. This rotation is what causes the knee to go out of alignment and can be seen in the figure.
- Have a Deep heel cup. A deep heel cups help limit excessive rolling in of the heel. It is when the heel rolls in that the knee rotates to the inside and goes out of line.
Our top choice for bad knees is the Orthaheel Arch Support Flip-Flops. These stylish and functional flip-flops provide great arch support to prevent the foot from flattening and straining the knee area. They are perfect for people who have knee pain and anyone prone to foot problems such as heel pain, ball-of-foot pain, big toe joint pain, tendonitis and overall tired feet.
To browse all of the Orthaheel Arch Support Flip-Flops click here.
Flip flop choices for people who have bad knees and suffer from knee pain and common foot problems.
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