Clogs, sandals and mules

Suitable footwear for leisure time, too

Walking frequently is an important building block for a healthy lifestyle – and, fortunately, this has become common knowledge. Many people strive to make their daily routines more active. However, choosing the right footwear is crucial – for the feet, back and entire body.szuwählen.

Many people are aware of just how important this is when it comes to closed shoes such as running shoes or hiking boots. But the situation is different for summer leisure footwear like clogs and sandals or mules for home use. These should also meet certain requirements to protect your back and relieve the strain on your body. After all, you often wear these shoes for many hours in summer and in various situations.
But what truly matters when it comes to clogs, sandals and mules? How do you recognise ergonomics and quality? And what should these shoes deliver for the back and the entire musculoskeletal system? You’ll find the answers here.

Pay attention to ergonomics – even in clogs, sandals and mules

The entire body is active when standing and walking. Movement extends from the feet, through the legs to the hips and back, and finally even to the neck and head. Suitable footwear supports natural movement patterns, while unsuitable footwear can trigger incorrect loading, pain and other complaints. That’s why you should always look for footwear with a good fit and optimum support that assists your musculoskeletal system.

This is just as true for clogs, sandals and mules as it is for all other types of footwear. They must guarantee a firm foundation for upright walking. They should also support the statics and dynamics of the entire postural and movement system. All of this must be possible even under difficult conditions such as heat, sweaty feet and wearing footwear barefoot. For this to be successful, good clogs, sandals and mules must possess certain properties, which we’ll present to you in more detail in the next paragraph.

How to recognise good sandals, mules and clogs

Certain quality characteristics apply to all types of footwear. We’ve outlined them on our overview page on the topic of footwear. Healthy sandals, clogs and mules should have the following additional properties:

• Good leisure footwear and clogs take into account pressure distribution, walking and running style, plus different walking and running speeds. Accordingly, the sole is sometimes more and sometimes less cushioned and should suit the user and their walking behaviour.
• Footwear and soles made of high-quality materials that individually adapt to the feet through body heat and body weight are ideal. Sandals with footbeds are a good step in this direction.
• The footwear must have sufficient ventilation openings, especially if it is made entirely or largely of synthetic materials.
• The insole must provide sufficient grip even when barefoot and when feet are sweating. With a synthetic surface, this can be ensured through the likes of the surface design.
• Heel support is important to prevent slipping out of the footwear. This can be achieved through heel straps or anatomically shaped footbeds, for example. Closed sandals are a particularly good choice for people with an unstable gait.

And, by the way, shoes with high heels might be real eye-catchers when worn with summer outfits, but they are anything but perfect companions for your feet.