A new study has claimed that wearing flatter shoes with flexible soles prove to be more comfortable for the knees, particularly for the people with osteoarthritis, than clogs or walking shoes. Pressure on the knees is the main factor that triggers the development of osteoarthritis.

Dr. Najia Shakoor, a rheumatologist at Rush and also the main author of the study, said that usually shoes are designed to extend comfort and relaxation to the foot but designers do not focus much on the biomechanical effects pursuing in the rest of the leg while designing.

"But the shoes we wear have a substantial impact on the load on the knee joints, particularly when we walk", said Dr. Shakoor.

Osteoarthritis is one of the most frequent forms of arthritis. It gives way to disability and impairments in a sufferer's life. The study explained that than more than expected load put on the knees while walking is the basic and the biggest cause of the disease.

Shakoor's research team examined the gait of 31 such patients who depicted symptoms of osteoarthritis in the Rush Motion Analysis Lab. They were observed walking, wearing clogs and stability shoes and flats, one by one. It was observed that they suffered the least load on their knees while walking in flat shoes.