Birkenstocks for the parks? UPDATE - low back pain?

[YawningDodo]

Echoing the others: if you do get Birks, break them in for at least a month before you go. On my 2015 trip I brought two pairs of Birks and switched them out every other day, and one pair worked fine...the other not. The pair I have with oiled leather straps worked well for me, but the other pair has straps made from some sort of synthetic material and they got all rough on the inside as they wore. It's worse when my feet are sweaty, so of course they rubbed the tops of my feet raw in Florida. I ended up wearing big patches of moleskin on the tops of my feet to stop it from getting worse. Another thing someone noted above re: the lack of heel straps -- I ended up taking my birks off and sitting on them on rides where my feet dangled, though I recall mostly encountering that at Universal, less at Disney. Pro tip: point the toes forward when you sit on them; the heels stick up further and will hurt your butt if they're not in the back.

Honestly, I think a big help is to bring multiple types of shoe so when you switch out from day to day they're not putting pressure in the exact same spots on your feet each time. If you can find two different brands of sandals that suit you, or one set of sandals and one pair of sneakers, that's going to provide the most relief from day to day.

 

[elle21]

I wore Birkenstocks for two of our days and my feet felt great at the end of the day. I did break them in for like a month before the trip though. They weren't as comfy as sneakers and socks were, but I wanted something that went with sundresses.

 

[erin1715]

Ok I just want to update this thread since I was the OP and have a followup question. I ended up buying a pair of Olukai flips and I love them. We leave for our Disney trip this weekend and I will be bringing them and a pair of sneakers with me to alternate. I've been wearing the Olukai's for a good month so I am used to them.

But I still wanted a pair of Birks for home use and I like the way they look, so last week I bought a pair of Birks and have been wearing them off an on. I hadn't worn them a full day until yesterday and today my lower back is really aching. I'm wondering if the hard sole of the Birks could cause my low back pain?

Normally I would be convinced that they are the cause of my back pain, but I also had a minor abdominal procedure last week and that could be the cause of it too, but up until today my back hasn't been an issue, so I'm more likely to think it's the Birks. But most people have said that Birks have helped their back pain, not caused it.

 

[hsmamato2]

sorry- I don't know. I know the hard soles promote good posture,so maybe standing differently is causing it?

 

[alc571]

I live in my Birkenstocks. They're the only shoes that don't give me blisters and hurt my feet/knees/back from walking all day. I have two pairs. If I know it's going to rain, I tend to opt for some lightweight Ryka Desire runners - they dry quick and I hate getting my Birks wet because it's hard on them. If you do get Birks, make sure you buy the cork sealant. It's only about $4 for the bottle and will protect the cork from getting wet and drying out.

 

[alc571]

Ok I just want to update this thread since I was the OP and have a followup question. I ended up buying a pair of Olukai flips and I love them. We leave for our Disney trip this weekend and I will be bringing them and a pair of sneakers with me to alternate. I've been wearing the Olukai's for a good month so I am used to them.

But I still wanted a pair of Birks for home use and I like the way they look, so last week I bought a pair of Birks and have been wearing them off an on. I hadn't worn them a full day until yesterday and today my lower back is really aching. I'm wondering if the hard sole of the Birks could cause my low back pain?

Normally I would be convinced that they are the cause of my back pain, but I also had a minor abdominal procedure last week and that could be the cause of it too, but up until today my back hasn't been an issue, so I'm more likely to think it's the Birks. But most people have said that Birks have helped their back pain, not caused it.

The Birks have a negative heel, so it may be causing some pain because your feet/legs may be used to a higher heel. I would keep with breaking in the Birks though. I have lower back issues, and Birks were the only sandal my chiropractor recommended I wear.

 

[hsmamato2]

I live in my Birkenstocks. They're the only shoes that don't give me blisters and hurt my feet/knees/back from walking all day. I have two pairs. If I know it's going to rain, I tend to opt for some lightweight Ryka Desire runners - they dry quick and I hate getting my Birks wet because it's hard on them. If you do get Birks, make sure you buy the cork sealant. It's only about $4 for the bottle and will protect the cork from getting wet and drying out.

I am eyeing the sealant...is the kellys brand as good as the official brand?

 

[erin1715]

The Birks have a negative heel, so it may be causing some pain because your feet/legs may be used to a higher heel. I would keep with breaking in the Birks though. I have lower back issues, and Birks were the only sandal my chiropractor recommended I wear.

Yeah I'm thinking it was the Birks because my back feels better today after not wearing them yesterday. I'll keep working on them AFTER our Disney trip

 

[Corbie]

So, I just bought my first pair of birks. I wore them all day for two days. My feet felt great! But I did notice a bit of back/side pain. I have a bum hip due to an injury, so that might be it. I suspect the real culprit is that the birks force me to stand properly. I'm fine today.

In your case, I'd be concerned when I had back pain any time I had any sort of abdominal surgery/procedure. A lot of problems present themselves as back pain, so it's always in order to check in with your doctor and ask.