Actually, many structural problems of the body can be traced down to the feet.
A shoe that changes your gait from what it should be often causes muscle tension in the leg, which can throw off the hips, which very frequently results in back and neck pain.
For anyone with chronic back, neck and shoulder pains that have not found relief through medical or chiropractic treatment, do a search on the net for Mortons toe.
Since my GF figured out she has Mortons toe, and she's taken very easy steps to address it (including the use of Vibrams foot 'gloves'), her long time pain and discomfort is lifting.
Another interesting shoe, for those that might want something more robust than the Vibram, are MBT shoes, which stand for Masai Barefoot Technology. They were designed to mimic how the Masai walk barefoot, in the vast plains and deserts of Africa. If you are familiar with the Masai, they are well known for having nearly perfect posture, among other things.
I've used the MBT's now for about five years and love them. I believe that the Sketchers Shape Ups have copied their idea, which makes a shoe of this type much easier to find and easier to buy.
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