Shoe heels wear unevenly
Q: The heels of my shoes are wearing unevenly. Does this mean that my body is out of alignment?
A: Misalignments of the pelvis and hips can result in the heels of your shoes wearing unevenly. The reason? When your pelvis and hips are rotated improperly, your feet are likely to point inward (i.e., pigeon toed) or flare outward. When walking with your feet pointed abnormally, the heels of your shoes repeatedly strike the ground oddly and cause the heel(s) to wear unevenly.
Since misaligned pelvis and hips can cause this uneven wear to the heels, buying a new pair of shoes will not correct the problem. If a misaligned pelvis is left uncorrected, the heels of a new pair of shoes will start wearing unevenly like the old pair. More importantly than the wear on your shoes, is the harmful effect on other joints such as the knees and ankles. When bones are misaligned, joints wear unevenly too. This is why chiropractors often examine the heels of patients’ shoes, looking for evidence that misaligned bones are present.
The heel of a shoe will also wear unevenly or excessively if a foot has a fallen arch, i.e., “flat feet”. Shoe inserts called orthodics may be necessary in some cases to correct this.
A chiropractor can perform several diagnostic tests, including evaluating your walking pattern to determine the reason for uneven heel wear. Once the cause of the uneven wearing has been identified, the chiropractor can determine the best course of treatment or if referral to a podiatrist is necessary. If the cause is related to misaligned bones, chiropractic adjustments can be given to correct the problem areas.