Are Crocs Good Shoes?

This summer I’ve been noticing a lot of Crocs shoes walking into the office.

I’m amazed at how much popularity they have gained.

When they first came out, they were so shockingly different a lot of people ignored them.

But now it seems like everyone has a pair and they are even decorating them with Jibbitz – the brand’s version of charms.

I thought it would be fun to see if there were any health benefits to Crocs.

Are they good for back pain?

Are they good for your feet?

Do they provide ample support?

I found this one research article on Crocs comparing them to non-slip shoes. Turns out non-slip shoes are better on slippery surfaces than Crocs.

United States Ergonomics did a study on Crocs too.

It only comprised of 5 subjects, but the research is still pretty neat.

They asked the subjects to wear what they considered their most comfortable shoes and compared them to Crocs. The study used technology to measure pressure into the bottom of the subjects feet while walking.

They found that Crocs provided 5% less pressure into the bottom of the foot when compared to other shoes.

The study also looked at standing and walking with Crocs on or with bare feet.

They measured muscle activity in the lower leg to see the difference between wearing Crocs and going barefoot.

There was less muscle activity with Crocs on with about 62.6% reduction in muscle contraction.

Crocs were also awarded the Executive Director’s Award from the American Podiatric Medical Association. This comes as a bit of a surprise to me as there is minimal research on Crocs.

At the same time, there are many happy owners of Crocs.

I cannot say for sure that I would recommend them for back pain or foot pain.

However, there certainly is a lot of anecdotal evidence out there that Crocs are very comfortable. That’s right – every time I comment on a pair of Crocs, the person always raves about them.

Doctors, nurses, and other healthcare workers endorse them along with those in the service industry. These lightweight shoes get a lot of praise and perhaps that’s why there’s few studies on them.

I guess the conclusion is they’re comfortable and that’s enough reason to recommend them.

So if you wear them, Croc on!