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Cisgender: What It Means

Cisgender: What It Means

Cisgender has nothing to do with an individual’s sexual orientation. Therefore how do sex and gender differ and where does cisgender fall within the spectrum of gender identities?

Cisgender: What It Means

Cisgender

Cisgender is a segment of the larger spectrum of gender identities. Also referred to as “cis,” it describes an individual whose gender identity corresponds to the sex they were assigned at birth. Therefore if an individual assigned sex at birth is female and identifies as a girl or a woman they are a cisgender woman.

  • The term describes how a person sees themselves and helps others communicate more accurately and respectfully.
  • Although many individuals may identify as cisgender, a cisgender person is not typical nor has qualities or characteristics that inherently differentiate them from a person of other gender identities.
  • Cisgender women commonly use the pronouns she and her.
  • A common mistake is using the term cis-gendered.
  • The proper usage of the term is cisgender.

Sex and Gender Differences

  • The terms sex and gender are often used interchangeably, however, they are not the same.
  • Sex is a biological and physiological designation based on an individual’s sex chromosomes and sexual organs.
  • It refers to an individual’s sex chromosomes and the characteristics assigned by those chromosomes. (Janine Austin Clayton, Cara Tannenbaum. 2016)
  • This includes an individual’s genitals and sex organs.
  • It also encompasses secondary characteristics – like body size, bone structure, breast size, and facial hair – that are regarded as female or male.

Differences

Gender is a social construct that refers to roles and behaviors that society assigns as being masculine or feminine. The construct infers behaviors that are accepted or appropriate based on how an individual behaves, speaks, dresses, sits, etc.

  • Gender titles include sir, ma’am, mister, or miss.
  • Pronouns include him, she, he, and her.
  • Roles include actress, actor, prince, and princess.
  • Many of these suggest a power hierarchy of who has it and who does not.
  • Cisgender women often fall victim to these dynamics.

Sex

  • Refers to an individual’s chromosomes and the way that their genes are expressed.
  • Typically described in terms of male and female characteristics or the sex assigned at birth.

Gender

  • A social construct.
  • Refers to the social roles, behaviors, and expectations considered and/or deemed appropriate for men and women.
  • Historically defined as masculine and feminine, however, definitions can change as society changes.

Gender Identities Glossary

Today, gender is viewed as a spectrum where an individual might identify as one gender, more than one gender, or no gender. The definitions are often subtle and can often overlap, co-exist, and/or change. Gender identities include:

Cisgender

  • An individual whose gender identity matches their assigned sex at birth.

Transgender

  • An individual whose gender identity does not align with their assigned sex at birth.

Non-binary

  • An individual who feels their gender identity cannot be defined.

Demigender

  • An individual who experiences a partial, but not full/complete connection to a particular gender.

Agender

  • An individual who feels neither male nor female.

Genderqueer

  • Similar to non-binary but infers refusal of societal expectations.

Gender-neutral

  • Non-binary similarities but focuses on abandoning gender labels.

Gender fluid

  • An individual who experiences multiple genders or shifts between genders.

Polygender

  • An individual who experiences or expresses more than one gender.

Pangender

  • An individual who identifies with all genders.

Third gender

  • Third gender is a concept in which individuals are categorized, either by themselves or by society, as neither male nor female, not transitioning.
  • They are a different gender altogether.

Twin gender

  • A Native American term describing someone who is male and female or of two spirits simultaneously.

Cis Woman Identity

The terms cis woman or cis female are used to describe individuals who were assigned female at birth and identify as a woman or female. For cisgender woman, this means their gender identity aligns with their primary sex organs and secondary sex traits that include:

  • Higher pitch voice.
  • Wider pelvis.
  • Broadening of hips.
  • Breast development

It can also involve cisnormativity – a concept that everyone identifies as the gender they were assigned at birth. This could inform how a cis woman is expected to dress and act. An even more extreme concept is gender essentialism – this is the belief that gender differences are rooted purely in biology and cannot be changed. However, even cisnormativity beauty standards can influence the perceptions of transgender women that end up reinforcing gender stereotypes. (Monteiro D, Poulakis M. 2019)

Cisgender Privilege

Cisgender privilege is the concept that individuals who are cisgender receive added benefits compared to individuals who don’t conform to the gender binary norm. This includes cisgender women and men. Privilege happens when a cisgender individual assumes they are the norm and consciously or unconsciously takes action against those who are outside the definition of masculine and feminine. Examples of cisgender privilege include:

  • Not being denied work and social opportunities because of not fitting into the boy’s or girl’s club.
  • Not having to have sexual orientation questioned.
  • Not being denied healthcare due to provider discomfort.
  • Not fearing that civil rights or legal protections will be taken.
  • Not worrying about being bullied.
  • Not having to worry about attracting questioning looks in public.
  • Not being challenged or questioned about the clothes being worn.
  • Not being demeaned or mocked because of pronoun use.

Gender Identity and Sexual Orientation

  • Gender identity and sexual orientation are not the same. (Carla Moleiro, Nuno Pinto. 2015)
  • Gender identity and sexual orientation are not the same.
  • A cisgender individual can be heterosexual, homosexual, bisexual, or asexual and so can a transgender individual.
  • Being cisgender has no correlation to an individual’s sexual orientation.

Chiropractic Care After Accidents and Injuries


References

Clayton, J. A., & Tannenbaum, C. (2016). Reporting Sex, Gender, or Both in Clinical Research? JAMA, 316(18), 1863–1864. doi.org/10.1001/jama.2016.16405

Monteiro, Delmira and Poulakis, Mixalis (2019) “Effects of Cisnormative Beauty Standards on Transgender Women’s Perceptions and Expressions of Beauty,” Midwest Social Sciences Journal: Vol. 22: Iss. 1, Article 10. DOI: doi.org/10.22543/2766-0796.1009 Available at: scholar.valpo.edu/mssj/vol22/iss1/10

Moleiro, C., & Pinto, N. (2015). Sexual orientation and gender identity: review of concepts, controversies and their relation to psychopathology classification systems. Frontiers in Psychology, 6, 1511. doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2015.01511

Gender Transitioning: Expressing and Affirming Gender Identity

Gender Transitioning: Expressing and Affirming Gender Identity

Gender transitioning is the process of affirming and expressing an individual’s internal sense of gender rather than the one assigned at birth. How can learning the aspects of gender and gender transitioning help support the LGBTQ+ community?

Gender Transitioning: Expressing and Affirming Gender Identity

Gender Transitioning

Gender transitioning or gender affirmation is a process through which transgender and gender-nonconforming individuals align their internal gender identity with their external gender expression. It can be described as a binary – male or female – but can also be non-binary, meaning an individual is neither exclusively male nor female.

  • The process can involve aesthetic appearances, changes in social roles, legal recognitions, and/or physical aspects of the body.
  • Social affirmation – dressing differently or coming out to friends and family.
  • Legal affirmation – changing name and gender on legal documents.
  • Medical affirmation – using hormones and/or surgery to change certain physical aspects of their body.
  • Transgender individuals can pursue some or all of these.

Barriers

Gender transitioning can be obstructed by various barriers that can include:

  • Cost
  • Lack of insurance
  • Lack of family, friends, or partner support.
  • Discrimination
  • Stigma

Addressing  All Aspects

The process does not have a specific timeline and is not always linear.

  • Many transgender and gender-nonconforming individuals prefer gender affirmation to gender transitioning because transitioning is often taken to mean the process of medically transforming the body.
  • An individual does not have to undergo medical treatment to affirm their identity, and some transgender people avoid hormones or gender-affirming surgery.
  • Transitioning is a holistic process that addresses all aspects of who a person is inwardly and outwardly.
  • Certain aspects of transitioning may be more important than others, like changing one’s name and gender on their birth certificate.
  • Reevaluation and revision of gender identity can be continual rather than a step-by-step, one-way process.

Exploring Gender Identity

Gender transitioning often starts in response to gender dysphoria which describes the constant sense of uneasiness that occurs when the gender an individual was assigned at birth does not match how they experience or express their gender internally.

  • Some individuals have experienced symptoms of gender dysphoria as early as 3 or 4 years of age. (Selin Gülgöz, et al., 2019)
  • Gender dysphoria can be largely informed by the culture that surrounds the individual, specifically in cultures where strict codes determine what is masculine/male and feminine/female.

Unease Expressed in Different Ways

  • Dislike of one’s sexual anatomy.
  • A preference for clothes typically worn by the other gender.
  • Not wanting to wear clothes typically worn by their own gender.
  • A preference for cross-gender roles in fantasy play.
  • A strong preference for engaging in activities that are typically done by the other gender.

Dysphoria

  • Gender dysphoria can fully emerge during puberty when awareness about how an individual’s body defines them creates internal distress.
  • Feelings may be amplified when an individual is described as a tomboy, or a sissy, or is criticized and attacked for acting like a girl or acting like a boy.
  • During puberty, the physical changes can cause long-standing feelings of not fitting in and may evolve into feelings of not fitting in their own body.
  • This is when individuals can undergo a process referred to as internal transitioning and begin to change how they see themselves.

Gender transitioning/affirmation becomes the next step. Transitioning is not about changing or recreating oneself but about expressing their authentic self and asserting who they are socially, legally, and/or medically.

Social

Social transitioning involves how a person publicly expresses their gender. The transition can include:

  • Changing pronouns.
  • Using chosen name.
  • Coming out to friends, family, coworkers, etc.
  • Wearing new clothes.
  • Cutting or styling hair differently.
  • Changing mannerisms like moving, sitting, etc.
  • Changing voice.
  • Binding – strapping the chest to hide breasts.
  • Wearing breast and hip prosthetics to accentuate feminine curvature.
  • Packing – wearing a penile prosthesis to create a penile bulge.
  • Tucking – tucking the penis to conceal a bulge.
  • Playing certain sports
  • Pursuing different lines of work.
  • Participating in activities that might typically be seen as male or female.

Legal

Legal transitioning involves changing legal documents to reflect the individual’s chosen name, gender, and pronouns. This includes governmental and non-government documents that can include:

  • Birth certificates
  • Social Security ID
  • Driver’s license
  • Passport
  • Bank records
  • Medical and dental records
  • Voter registration
  • School ID
  • Provisions allowing for changes can vary by state.
  • Some states only allow changes if bottom surgery – genital reconstruction is performed.
  • Others will allow the changes without any form of gender-affirming surgery.
  • Other states have begun to offer an X-gender option for non-binary individuals. (Wesley M King, Kristi E Gamarel. 2021)

Medical

Medical transitioning typically involves hormone therapy to develop some of the male or female sex characteristics. It can also involve surgery to change certain physical aspects combined with hormone therapy.

  • Hormone therapy assists individuals to physically look more like the gender they identify as.
  • They can be used on their own and can also be used before gender-affirming surgery.

Hormone therapy takes two forms:

Transgender Men

Transgender Women

Surgery

Gender affirmation surgery aligns an individual’s physical appearance to their gender identity. Many hospitals provide gender-affirming surgery through a transgender medicine department. Medical procedures include:

  • Facial surgery – Facial feminization surgery.
  • Breast augmentation – Increases breast size with implants.
  • Chest masculinization – Removes contours of breast tissues.
  • Tracheal shaving – Reduces the Adam’s apple.
  • Phalloplasty – Construction of a penis.
  • Orchiectomy – Removal of the testicles.
  • Scrotoplasty – Construction of a scrotum.
  • Vaginoplasty – Construction of a vaginal canal.
  • Vulvoplasty – Construction of the outer female genitalia.

Roadblocks

If you know someone who is transgender or is considering transitioning, learning about gender and gender transitioning and how to be supportive is a great way to be an ally.


Enhancing Your Lifestyle


References

Gülgöz, S., Glazier, J. J., Enright, E. A., Alonso, D. J., Durwood, L. J., Fast, A. A., Lowe, R., Ji, C., Heer, J., Martin, C. L., & Olson, K. R. (2019). Similarity in transgender and cisgender children’s gender development. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 116(49), 24480–24485. doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1909367116

Irwig, M. S., Childs, K., & Hancock, A. B. (2017). Effects of testosterone on the transgender male voice. Andrology, 5(1), 107–112. doi.org/10.1111/andr.12278

Tangpricha, V., & den Heijer, M. (2017). Estrogen and anti-androgen therapy for transgender women. The Lancet. Diabetes & endocrinology, 5(4), 291–300. doi.org/10.1016/S2213-8587(16)30319-9

National Center for Transgender Equality. Know Your Rights in Health Care.

Kaiser Family Foundation. Update on Medicaid coverage of gender-affirming health services.

Center of Medicare and Medicaid Services. Gender dysphoria and gender reassignment surgery.

Transgender Legal Defense and Education Fund. Health insurance medical policies.

National Center for Transgender Equality and National Gay and Lesbian Task Force. Injustice at Every Turn: A Report of the National Transgender Discrimination Survey.

Turban, J. L., Loo, S. S., Almazan, A. N., & Keuroghlian, A. S. (2021). Factors Leading to “Detransition” Among Transgender and Gender Diverse People in the United States: A Mixed-Methods Analysis. LGBT health, 8(4), 273–280. doi.org/10.1089/lgbt.2020.0437

Pickleball: Health Benefits For Everybody

Pickleball: Health Benefits For Everybody

Pickleball is a growing, increasingly popular sport that can be enjoyed by individuals of every age and fitness level. It combines elements of tennis and badminton at a slightly slower pace that makes it ideal for families and provides excellent health benefits and enjoyable socializing. It is easy to learn and requires little practice. The sport is easy on the body and is a great activity for seniors because it is joint-friendly.

Pickleball: Health Benefits For Everybody

Pickleball

Individuals do not need to be athletes or belong to a certain age group to play or benefit from the sport. It requires minimal equipment and a few basic skills. Using a flat paddle and a plastic pickleball, opponents singles or doubles play a game like tennis or badminton.

Playing the Game

  • A three-foot-long net is set up in the center of a court measuring 44 feet long by 20 feet wide.
  • The court is divided between right and left service zones.
  • If the receiving side misses the serving side volley, the serving side receives a point.
  • The game is played to 11 points, but a player or team must win by two points.
  • The ball’s design keeps the pace manageable and user-friendly.
  • Pickleball has other intricacies common with other racket-court sports.
  • The player serves from a specific side.
  • The no-volley zone, or the kitchen is seven feet from the net on both sides.
  • There are rules regarding when the player must call the score, how tournaments work, and variations between singles and doubles matches.
  • Most players only need a few games to pick up the basics.

Reasons To Play

The sport offers a number of health benefits.

Improves Mental Health

  • One study found individuals who played pickleball tended to have better mental health and outlook.
  • Researchers followed older adults competing in pickleball competitions and tournaments.
  • At the end of the study, the researchers found that a commitment to a physical hobby correlated to reduced depression levels.

Improves Cardiovascular Health

  • The sport is not as physically intense as say tennis, but offers significant benefits for cardiovascular health.
  • One study found that individuals who played three times a week for an hour had improved cardiorespiratory fitness, lower cholesterol levels, and decreased blood pressure.
  • Experts found that it is a healthy alternative to traditional exercises like walking or biking.

Improved Hand-Eye Coordination

  • Pickleball will improve hand-eye coordination and reflexes.
  • Coordinating the feet, legs, arms, hands, and eye movements quickens responses, challenges the brain to think fast, and increases balance.
  • Physical activity combined with cognitive challenges has been found to improve cognitive health and prevent mental decline in older adults.

Socialization

  • Pickleball requires an opponent or two for doubles matches.
  • A significant benefit is that the sport provides increased socialization.
  • Socializing with others, especially the elderly can help with loneliness.
  • Loneliness can negatively impact physical and mental health, increasing the risk of heart disease, stroke, dementia, and depression.

Getting Started

Individuals need minimal gear like paddles, shoes, and balls and knowledge to get started playing. One of the easiest ways to begin is locating a court in the community. This is a great physical activity that can be competitive, but overall it is fun, easy to play, and provides great health benefits.


Home Exercises For Pain Relief


References

Casper, Jonathan M, and Jung-Hwan Jeon. “Psychological Connection to Pickleball: Assessing Motives and Participation in Older Adults.” Journal of Aging and physical activity, 1-6. 24 Oct. 2018, doi:10.1123/japa.2017-0381

Cerezuela, Juan-Leandro, et al. “Pickleball and mental health in adults: A systematic review.” Frontiers in psychology vol. 14 1137047. 21 Feb. 2023, doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1137047

Ryu, Jungsu, et al. “Pickleball, Personality, and Eudaimonic Well-Being in Middle-Aged and Older Adults.” Journal of Aging and physical activity vol. 30,5 885-892. 14 Feb. 2022, doi:10.1123/japa.2021-0298

Vitale, Kenneth, and Steven Liu. “Pickleball: Review and Clinical Recommendations for this Fast-growing Sport.” Current sports medicine reports vol. 19,10 (2020): 406-413. doi:10.1249/JSR.0000000000000759

Webber, Sandra C et al. “Physical Activity Intensity of Singles and Doubles Pickleball in Older Adults.” Journal of Aging and physical activity vol. 31,3 365-370. 10 Sep. 2022, doi:10.1123/japa.2022-0194

Yoga That Is Safe for My Spine El Paso, Texas

Yoga That Is Safe for My Spine El Paso, Texas

Yoga has gained popularity because of its ability to reduce back pain, relax tight muscles, relieve stress and exercise in a safe calm environment. Developed thousands of years ago, the practice of breathing, posing and stretching offers a variety of important health benefits. As a chiropractor, I�m often asked about the practice of yoga. Those with back pain or have undergone spine surgery want to know if yoga can help them improve their physical and psychological health.

  • Reduced stress
  • Improved blood pressure
  • Increased flexibility
  • Increased stamina
  • Greater balance
  • Improved breathing techniques

In addition to the normal exercise benefits yoga offers, the practice serves as therapy for a variety of injuries and health conditions. Yoga embodies the physical, emotional, and spiritual wellness, and touches upon other forms of traditional exercise. The concept that yoga heals the body in its entirety mirrors chiropractic care. These foundations offer enormous benefits to those dealing with a variety of injuries and conditions. By incorporating yoga, individuals are able to reap amazing rewards.

A regular exercise plan needs to include a little cardio as there are huge benefits from pumping the heart rate up. Minimal loading exercises, like biking, and swimming are great. Pain can be managed by participating in cardiovascular exercises, however, yoga�s gentleness can complement the healing process.

Here are a few reasons:

 

11860 Vista Del Sol, Ste. 126 Yoga That Is Safe for My Spine El Paso, Texas

Prepares the body for healing

Practicing yoga stretches and elongates the body’s muscles, releasing tension and stress. It can serve to warm up the body and clear the mind, so a chiropractor can get to the root problem. Yoga complements chiropractic treatment by preparing the body to heal itself.

Strengthens joints and ligaments

Dealing with a health condition or injury is frustrating and can seem like it takes forever to heal. Implementing yoga into a recovery plan helps strengthen joints and ligaments, which aids in promoting healing and cutting down the time it takes to get better. Yoga works on the body as a whole and promotes greater well-being from head to toe. A stronger body offers more productivity than one that is stiff, sore, and unhealthy.

Increases range of motion

Depending on the individual’s specific condition, individuals may need a few visits to prepare their bodies before the main issue can be addressed. Yoga sessions increase a body’s flexibility and help with the range of motion in the neck, back, hips, and other joints.

Prevents injury/s

Yoga provides a continual way for individuals dealing with chronic conditions to manage and reduce pain, inflammation, and other symptoms. Yoga combined with chiropractic keeps the body aligned, balanced, muscles stretched, de-stressed, and the joints working properly.

Both also serve to keep posture correct, and ligaments strong. All of this creates a body that is less susceptible to future injury, illness, and stress. Individuals enjoy increased mobility for a lot longer without changing lifestyle.

 

11860 Vista Del Sol, Ste. 126 Yoga That Is Safe for My Spine El Paso, Texas

The Best Way to Start

There are many different types of yoga. Most sessions usually last an hour and include breathing exercises, meditation and holding poses/postures that stretch and tone muscle groups.

To help visualize how yoga can help the spine, here’s an analogy:

Think of the spine like a cookie ice cream sandwich with the ice cream in-between and a gummy band wrapped around. The cookies represent the vertebrae, the ice cream is the disc cushion in between and the gummy band represents the ligament and muscles surrounding the area.

The tighter the gummy band is, the more it compresses the cookies and applies pressure to the ice cream. When stretching the gummy band, it loosens the pressure on the cookies and reduces the load/compression of the ice cream.

Exercise is crucial for recovery and rehabilitation. Yoga is a gentle way to get you back on your feet. It promotes circulation, relaxation, strength, and flexibility. Pure plane movements meaning moving forward then backward in basic movements are essential until the body becomes more flexible. Move carefully forward, sideways and cautiously backward.

 

  • At the beginning no movements combining bending and twisting.
  • The muscles need to adapt and become comfortable with these movements at first. Therefore, hold poses for at least 30 seconds without bouncing minimizing potential injury.

Certified instructor

Ask your doctor or chiropractor if they can recommend a certified yoga instructor; preferably with 500 hours of instruction. Search for small class sizes and a teacher that closely monitors movements and poses closely. It is important that the instructor be aware and make gentle adjustments or offer modifications to participants as needed.

 

Restorative Flow

Start off with a type known as Restorative Flow. It restores the flow from one part of the body to another with slow controlled movements/poses that emphasize stretching and correct breathing.

Listen to Your Body

When healing from injury/s, take it slow. Listen to your body and let it guide your movements so that it feels safe and comfortable. Do not push beyond. For most, a beginner or restorative Yoga class is best. Ask about modifying the poses so that the bending and twisting combinations/advanced postures are taken out so as not to overload the joints.

If you are on a budget consider purchasing an instructional DVD. DVD’s offer program variations of 20 to 60 minutes and are highly educational and easy to follow. Stretching pain/soreness is okay, but sharp pain is not.

Yoga could be an answer to many of the body’s issues, whether dealing with current conditions or just want to stay healthy in a new way check out the basics of yoga. Chiropractic coupled with yoga offers great benefits to those dealing with medical conditions or injury. Ask your chiropractor for an evaluation, and if adding yoga to your health program will help.


 

Chiropractic Massage Therapy


 

NCBI Resources

 

Certain Shoes Can Wreck Your Spine | El Paso, Tx.

Certain Shoes Can Wreck Your Spine | El Paso, Tx.

If you�ve been experiencing lower back pain and can�t seem to pinpoint the cause, try looking down � at your feet. What kind of shoes are you wearing? Your shoes can have a tremendous effect on your spine, causing back pain. While this is traditionally considered to be a �female issue,� some men�s shoe styles are unsafe as well. Take a look at the most common culprits and find out how you can be safely shod.

The Truth About High Heels

Wearing high heels puts your body in a position that is very similar to walking on a ramp. It causes your calf muscles to stay in a constantly flexed position and increases fatigue throughout the lower body. What�s worse, though, is that high heels cause your entire posture to change, they:

  • Thrust your chest forward
  • Push your lower back forward
  • Tilt your pelvis up so the spine and hips are out of alignment
  • Put excessive pressure on the knees
  • Tendons get thicker and calf muscles get shorter
  • Shift your weight to the balls of your feet with increased downward force pressure
  • Extended regular wear can actually cause your anatomy to change

Wearing high heels for even a few hours can cause lower back pain. Wearing them regularly can have a detrimental effect on your body. This does not take into account the increased risk of falls and twisted ankles.

Why Flip Flops are a Flop

Flip flops are a popular summer shoe. They are easy to slip on and take off, they�re cool and fairly comfortable. Most even stand up to getting wet without damage. However, you may be sacrificing your safety and spine health for choosing these easy to wear shoes.

The biggest problem is, they do not offer any ankle or foot support � none at all. The cushioning is minimal at best and they aren�t really secure on your foot. All of this leaves you vulnerable to trips and falls � a leading cause of injury and death in the United States. It also leaves you vulnerable to back pain and spinal injury.

There are several problems with wearing flip-flops, especially on a regular basis:

  • You have to unnaturally shorten your stride
  • You have to curl or pinch your toes to keep your shoes on while you walk
  • Your foot contacts the ground in an unnatural way that causes your leg to rotate slightly

All of these things put pressure on your spine, causing unusual strain on your hips, knees, feet, and lower back. It can cause muscular pain and strain, but it can also cause misalignment of your spine.

shoes spine friendly el paso tx.

So, are Flat Shoes Better?

When compared to high heels, flat shoes are much better, especially when it comes to posture. Flats keep your spine pretty straight and your calf muscles are relaxed. They also help to distribute your body weight more evenly through your whole foot as opposed to pushing it to the balls of the feet. However, not all flat shoes are created equal. For instance, flip flops are flat, but we know that they are bad for your body, so be careful when choosing your flat footwear.

10 Tips for Spine Friendly Shoes

Keep these tips in mind when looking for back-friendly shoes:

  1. Throughout the course of the day, your foot naturally expands. Go shoe shopping in the afternoon to get a more accurate fit.
  2. Get your feet measured every time you buy shoes.
  3. Always try on new shoes, walk around in them and stand.
  4. When determining length and width, do it while standing.
  5. Look for shoes that provide foot support and have arch support.
  6. Don�t get shoes that are too wide or too narrow � or too long or short.
  7. Look at both size and width. Going up a half a size may not necessarily mean a shoe is wide enough if the shoes you are trying on pinch.
  8. Speaking of size, let it be a guide, not a rule. Gauge your shoe size by your comfort, not a number.
  9. Feel the insides of the shoes, along the heel and down to the toe to make sure that there are no seams, tags, or anything else that will affect your comfort or rub your foot.
  10. Check the shoe for sturdiness and soundness. Is the sole thick? Does the sole adhere well to the shoe (no gaps or loose spots)? Is the shoe made from durable, quality material?

Shoes are not accessories, they are tools that help protect much more than just your feet. Wear them well.

Sports Injury Rehabilitation Chiropractor | El Paso, Tx (Best)