Do you have flat feet?
I can feel the pain of flat feet as I have seen my brother struggle with it since childhood.
Flat feet is a condition in which people have fallen arches or where the entire foot touches the ground. It creates extra pressure on the entire feet and makes walking long distances very uncomfortable and painful.
The only saviour is a good cushioned footbed with arch support!
But the question in hand is…
Are Birkenstocks any good for flat feet?
Birkenstocks are well known for their arch support and rubberized footbed that provide excellent cushioning for flat feet and makes walking a comfortable experience!
In this article, let’s learn in detail about what Birkenstocks are made of, their features in particular in relation to flat feet and should you really get one!
So, any further delay, let’s begin the quest…
Origin of Birkenstocks:
Birkenstocks are casual and comfy sandals that originated in Germany and made their way to the USA after 1996 and then became famous worldwide for their flowery designs and comfort.
Features of Birkenstocks/what are Birkenstocks made of?
Birkenstock sandals are made of four comfort layers in which:
The first layer:
It is made of shock absorption technology and is textured. This very layer helps to absorb the weight of the body while walking and also returns back the energy from the ground to the feet so that you do not feel any pain while walking long distances.
The second layer:
The second layer is made of moisture absorbent fabric, that ensures that the base of the sandal does not get slippery with your sweat because the problem with flat feet is that there is no space below the arches of the feet through which air can pass and thus the sweat does not get a way out to evaporate and the footbed becomes slippery.
The third layer:
This air is again endowed with moisture regulation technology to double ensure that your feet remain cool and dry all day long.
The fourth layer:
In order to provide cushioning, there is the cork footbed which makes sure that your feet do not feel any pain and remains comfortable while walking. And lastly it is lined with suede for the soft comfy feel.
How should Birkenstocks fit?
Sandals are worn for comfort and I guess everyone will agree that tight strapped sandals are no good with comfort because it will take away the feeling of comfort.
Thanks to the mechanism of Birkenstocks, these sandals come with adjustable straps for your comfort needs. So, you can adjust the strap of these sandals and make your own comfort zone!
However, make sure that the strap around the toe area is neither too tight or too loose, just has enough space to let your toes wiggle when required.
Should you wear Birkenstocks if you have flat feet?
Now that we know in details about Birkenstocks, let’s now discuss how perfect are these sandals for people with flat feet:
1.) Birkenstocks provide stability to the feet:
Yes, the very first feature that flat feet need is stability while traversing long distances and Birkenstock sandals very well offer that with rubberized soles.
2.) Birkenstocks help in proper distribution of weight:
The problem with flat feet as is mentioned earlier is that the arches of the feet take in the weight of the body as well.
But the Birkenstock sandals are so designed that it helps to concentrate the weight on the front and heels of the feet, taking the pressure from the arches.
3.) Birkenstocks provide arch support:
Flat feet need arch support to relieve pain from the arches and Birkenstock sandals have raised arches that can also help to cure fallen arches in many cases.
4.) Birkenstocks in proper blood flow to the entire feet and legs:
These sandals are so contoured that it provides comfort, cushioning and pressure just to the apt points of the feet so that proper blood flow to the entire length of the feet is ensured.
5.) Birkenstocks provide all-day comfort:
The last and the most well-known known feature of Birkenstocks is that the natural cork footbed and the suede lining along with moisture wicking technology provides all day comfort to the feet.
Should you buy Birkenstocks with flat feet?
By now we are sure that your flat feet will feel comfortable in those comfy Birkenstock sandals as they have got all the needed features to aid flat feet like cushioned footbed, arch support, moisture wicking technology and adjustable straps.
But one problem might arise if you have very rigid flat feet that are not flexible at all. In such a case, the raised arch support of the Birkenstock sandals can put pressure on the fallen arches of your feet and create shooting pain that might even affect the spine.
So, if you have a very rigid and stubborn fallen arch in your foot, it would be better to avoid Birkenstocks because in that case it will do more harm than good to your feet.
But if you have flexible flat feet where the arches can be bent, wearing Birkenstock sandals can help correct the posture of your feet and can cure your fallen arches as well.
See also: Can You Wear Boots with Flat Feet?
How to make Birkenstocks more comfortable for flat feet?
Considering the following tips will surely help to make wearing Birkenstocks a more comfortable experience for you:
1.) Get the right size of Birkenstock sandals so that your toes do not touch the edge of the sandals, but have a little space left
2.) Buy half to one size larger and then adjust with the straps. This way your toes will get enough space to wiggle and also the top of the arches will not feel trapped
3.) Add an insole of your choice that might help with your flat feet cushioning
4.) Break them in nicely by wearing at home before you start wearing them for long walks
And it’s a wrap!
Podiatrists have approved Birkenstocks for arch support as they have deep heel cups and specially designed cork footbed that supports and provides comfort to the arches.
But if you are planning to buy sandals for your flat feet for walking very long distances and activities like beach walking, hiking, traversing forests, Birkenstocks might not be the best option for you after all, the too much arch support takes away all the natural strength of the feet if worn for long hours.
