Curved sole shoes 'no better' than flat sole trainers to reduce lower back pain

A new study has revealed that rocker sole shoes are not better than generic trainers for reducing lower back pain.

Earlier it was claimed that shoes with curved unstable soles can have a positive impact on posture, back and joint pain, however the new research from King's College London said that normal trainers may be more beneficial for back pain brought on by standing or walking, the BBC reported.

The study's lead researcher physiotherapist Dr Sian MacRae asked 115 people with chronic lower back pain to wear rocker sole shoes or normal trainers for at least two hours a day while standing and walking.

It was found that people in the trainer-wearing group experienced a larger reduction in disability than those in the rocker sole group after one year.

The researchers also found that after six months, 53 percent of the trainer group showed a small improvement in their back mobility compared to 31 percent of the rocker sole group.

MacRae said that the findings suggested that clinicians should be confident in advising patients with chronic lower back pain that wearing either rocker sole shoes or trainers may offer similar outcomes in disability and pain

However, the researchers added that if a patient reports lower back pain when standing or walking, it may be more beneficial to wear trainers than rocker sole shoes.

The study is published in the journal Spine.