A lot of attention has been given recently to alternative approaches for the relief of knee joint pain in early osteoarthritis (OA). This can be important to allow people to exercise while minimizing pain. Several studies have examined the potentially beneficial effect of wedges under the inside border of the foot.

A paper just published in the journal Arthritis Care Research examined the load that different types of over-the-counter shoes place on the knee joint. 10 men and 21 women with knee joint pain and x-ray evidence of knee OA were studied while walking in clogs, stability shoes, flat walking shoes and flip-flops. The researchers found walking in the clogs and stability shoes resulted in a 15% increase in an aspect of knee loading that has been implicated in knee OA and knee pain. As a result of these studies, they believe that – all other things being equal - people with knee pain should chose flexible, low heel-height shoes for walking.

Read an abstract of the article here.