Perils of Wearing Skecher Shoes
When you first put on a Skecher shoe you feel like you have placed your foot on a pillow and doesn’t it feel so comfy and wonderful. The price seems right, and everybody is wearing them, so they must be good, but have you ever bought a very spongey cushioning mattress and then developed back pain? Cushioning does not always equate to being good for you. If you have great biomechanics and no issues then you will be okay, but if you haven’t then you could be heading for developing problems. Perversely, wearing a Skecher could inadvertently identify that you aren’t biomechanically sound!
The memory foam in Skechers is only a thin layer of low density polyurethane which soon compresses. It simply loses it’s memory and in effect develops ‘Insole Alzheimers’ whereby it doesn’t know what it should be doing anymore, which isn’t good or beneficial for the wearer. As a consequence, Skechers can cause ligament and muscle stresses and strains. The memory foam could take on the ‘memory’ of a poor gait style causing destabilising foot, ankle, knee, hip and lower back pain.
At our clinic we have many patients who have attended us with lower limb and foot pain which has been exacerbated or caused by wearing Skechers. People genuinely believe an ultra-soft, flexible and spongey sole will be good to wear to alleviate their sore feet and legs. It is then the role of a podiatrist to identify any biomechanical issues and advise the wearing of a stiffer more stabilising shoe type which properly activates the correct muscles in the foot and controls range of motion. It is about putting the right mattress type on your feet. There is then the important factor, that if a patient must wear an orthotic insole, it has to work as a ‘system’ with the shoe for optimal results. No point putting a stabilizing insole on a destabilising broken down base.
Finally, have you ever noticed that Skecher shoes get very pongy?
Your article certainly worries me. I have problem feet and had to have a big toe removed last year and it is difficult to get shoes that are comfortable/wearable My surgeon suggested Sketchers but I hated the look of them. I am short and take a size 6.5 shoe and the last thing I want are shoes that make my feet look ever bigger. However I did buy a pair of Sketchers (on the go) and they are very comfortable if not very fashionable. I do not wear them all the time preferring to just wear them when I have to walk anywhere. I was just about to order a pair of Sketchers slip on’s if I could find a pair that looked just a bit more like ballet shoes until I read your article. Now I am worried in that your article made sense about the foam wearing down. it does! Any suggestions about other makes?
I have severe pain, my insteps feel like i have several broken bones. I can’t walk. My ankle are swelling and my heels are aching due to not walking on the balls of my feet. It constantly feels as though my foot bones need to crack and i cant stand on my tippy toes because its agony. I have had x-rays and blood tests to try and figure this out but i was never expecting sketcher shoes as the problem!
These shoes need to be taken off the market ASAP.
Not only do they cause excruciating foot problems but excruciating back problems as well!!!
Julia: Had you been wearing Sketchers? My back hurts so much, knees ache, feel pressure in my back, and my legs are restless. I returned the Sketcher’s sandals.
I have noticed with the memory foam sketchers, that after walking long distances my back hurts, and my ankles swell, although they feel very comfortable at first after wearing them for a few weeks I’ve noticed the problems, I purchased sketcher trainers in Canada and didn’t have a problem with them, it just seems to be the memory foam ones, won’t be buying any more.
OMG, i thought I was the only one, I used to be fan of these shoes, but then realized i was feeling pain on my peroneals while using them. Now i can’t stand them, i’ m really in shock.
I have suffered a severe torn tendon which caused an anvulsion fracture in my ankle. I am also suffering from Achilles tendonitis. These two injuries were caused by me walking in a pair of go walks around town for a couple of hours. How are these shoes allowed to he sold? I have found another website with lots of people with torn tendons and feet problems from wearing them. I am so angry they can get away with selling these product. I am self employed and not able to work over the injury!!! I bought them as I believed them to be a comfortable shoe. The clue was in the title ” Go Walk’!!! Nowhere did it say go walk and cause a major injury to your feet or legs!
I had a terrible ligament injury after wearing skechers and have sworn off wearing them for ever. Thanks to the shoes, I can no longer do a full squat, and it hurts every time. I felt pain after wearing them for the 3rd week, and blamed my own foot landing patterns. But I couldn’t change them. you are right about the “memory” part. Best to go for Asics (look for warehouse sales) or those more expensive but good-for-your-feet shoes. my ligament injury improved after wearing Asics (gel series). with the Skechers, I was in crutches for a long time and it worsened my other foot. You’re right too. they are quite flat and ugly.