Back pain
Back pain is a very common complaint that assumes downright epidemic proportions according to the latest statistical surveys. Nearly 80 per cent of all adults are affected. 70 per cent of the pain occurs in the lumbar region. Nearly two-thirds of all the costs of chronic illness are incurred as a result of back pain. This equates to around 2 million francs in Switzerland. The condition is therefore the most expensive non-fatal illness. Lumbago and herniated discs are common even in young people.
Many different therapy options are available for back pain. Rest, immobilisation or even operations are often recommended. kybun pursues a different philosophy: differentiated, subtle and targeted exercise as self-therapy.
More details » Take the first step towards pain-free walking. Try a pair of kybun trial shoes for 14 days.
Definition
Back pain refers to all degrees of pain in the area of the back, entirely independent of the cause. In technical terms one speaks of dorsalgia and low back pain (lumbalgia/lumbago; pain in the area of the lumbar spine) to further define the localisation.
- Acute back pain: less than 6 weeks
- Subacute back pain: 6 to 12 weeks
- Chronic back pain: more than 12 weeks
Lumbago also refers to sudden, stabbing pain in the back that is triggered by an irritation of the sensitive spinal column innervation, i.e. the nerves that supply the spinal column itself. Low back pain is often acute, initially segmental, usually stabbing, frequently associated with a feeling of paralysis, constrained posture, inability to move, persistent muscle tension, spinal process pressure pain etc. After an interval with minimal pain, a transition to a chronic form may occur. It is not always possible to distinguish from nerve root irritations such as sciatica. Doctors sometimes speak of ‘pseudoradicular syndrome’ when the painful area radiates but does not coincide with the dermatome of a spinal nerve.
Causes
- Poor, one-sided body posture (e.g. computer work).
This leads to muscle tension and shortening, affecting the hip flexor in particular (M. Iliopsoas). As a result, the spinal column, beginning with the lumbar spine, is drawn into a hunched posture, which is unnatural and damages the spine (especially the intervertebral discs). - Weakened back musculature due to an everyday relieving posture (a lot of sitting or standing in one place, little day-to-day activity or no sports to balance)
- One-sided excessive muscle strain during physical labour (e.g. construction work)
Secondary and other causes: - Blockages (e.g. of the iliosacral joint)
- Vertebral fracture
- Herniated disc
- Spinal stenosis
- Sliding vertebra
- Degenerative diseases (osteochondrosis)
- Inflammatory illnesses (Scheuermann’s disease, Bechterew’s disease)
- Tumour
- Internal illnesses (Head’s zones)
- Psychosomatic problems
Long-term consequences
The kybun principle of operation – being proactive
Muscle strengthening and stretching in the kybun shoe
The kybun shoe has a soft, elastic sole that does not limit foot mobility but provides full freedom for unrestricted movement in all directions. Standing on the soft, elastic surface with the associated instability in the kybun shoe trains the muscular system and straightens the body. A one-sided relieving posture is prevented. The load on both sides of the body is even, which counteracts tension. The foot can move freely while walking the way nature intended. By eliminating the heel, the foot sinks deep into the sole even on hard, flat surfaces. This stretches and relaxes the musculature.
Upright posture on the kybun mat
Sitting for long periods of time, especially with poor posture, puts one-sided strain on the muscles and spinal column. Underused muscles get weaker and shorten over time. On the other hand, muscles under excessive one-sided strain respond by tensing up. This leads to neck, hip and back pain, and subsequently to further malpositions.
The muscles are stretched, relaxed and trained on the soft, elastic mat of the kybun mat, which brings the body into a natural, upright posture. This releases tension and imbalances. The standing and posture muscles are strengthened in a targeted manner. Back pain can be relieved by switching between tensing and relaxing the muscles.
Initial reactions
Specific initial reactions with existing back problems/back pain: If you are not yet used to the kybun shoe or have been suffering from back problems for some time already, you may initially experience pain with the kybun shoe. One reason is that the hip and back musculature is still weak or shortened. Your body assumes a new posture while walking in the kybun shoe or on the kybun mat. You stand more upright than previously in ‘normal’ shoes with their stiffer soles. This is an unaccustomed challenge for your back, which has to get used to the different distribution of pressure.
If you experience new, unfamiliar back pain in the kybun shoe, this is a sign that great demands are being placed on your body by using the kybun shoe. In this case we advise you to perform the kybun exercises and, if this no longer helps, to take a short kybun break so that your back can recover.
Once your back musculature is strong enough and your back is more relaxed, the initial reactions will be alleviated and you can walk in the kybun shoe for increasingly longer periods. Click here for the general initial reactions experienced by kybun mat and kybun shoe beginners: Initial reactions
kybun exercises
Application tips
If you experience back pain in the kybun shoe or on the kybun mat, or if your familiar back pain gets worse, this may have several reasons (e.g. tense muscles, unfamiliar movements for the back).
We advise you to perform the kybun exercises regularly every now and again. They loosen your musculature and you are less likely to assume a passive posture, which puts strain on the back.
Choose a kybun shoe with a lower rebound effect. It provides you with greater midfoot stability. Ask your kybun dealer to show you the various models.
If you experience severe fatigue even with the kybun exercises, feel pain or in case of lateral/medial rolling on the kybun shoe sole, we advise taking a short kybun shoe/kybun mat break until the symptoms go away.
Maintain an upright body posture, do not make your steps too long and keep your gaze forward (do not look at the ground). You should walk straight on the kybun shoe sole and correct any lateral/medial rolling of the ankle joint!
Should your back pain continue even though you are following the application tips, please seek advice from your kybun dealer.
Opinions/customer testimonials
It was great to try something new, since I often have back pain when I sit for a long time, and my eyes begin to close when I am particularly tired. You are constantly in motion when you are standing on the mat, which makes you feel active and keeps you more awake. It leaves a tingling sensation afterwards – I feel like I’ve just received a foot massage. I think it’s great.
You can work better standing than when you’re sitting. Sometimes, sitting hurts your back. You can also pay much better attention, and work better. It’s also much more relaxing. When you sit, sometimes it can also make you kind of restless, and then you need to move around. Then you can go to the back. The students switch places every 15 minutes. It’s also fun to stand on the mats.
The real benefit for me is that I’m comfortable when walking and have a lightness to my step. I don’t have a limp despite two surgically repaired hips, and my feet don’t sweat and are never tired. My feet are moving, I feel good and I stand up straight. I no longer hunch over, and my back pain is gone. The kyBoot is everything I had hoped for from a custom shoe.
Each day, we spend 14 to 15 hours on our feet, and these shoes keep us from developing back and foot pain. It’s a great feeling.
When I wore conventional shoes, I had pain in my back and, as you’d expect, in my feet. But the pain has gone now. Disappeared.
I had trouble walking for almost two years, since I had a herniated disc. Then a friend gave me a pair of these shoes. I wore them regularly when I went out, which helped me walk again. Now everything’s good again. Thanks to the kybun shoe? Yes, thanks to kybun and my prayers.
I do mostly wear them for walking, for long days at work. I wear them if I have to walk or stand for long periods. I think these are the best shoes and I have no pain in my back or knees. Without fail, I always wear the green and white shoes when I go to a St Gallen football match.
I realised that if you sit and work at a computer, you automatically adopt the wrong posture. The standing desk and the mat in combination help me to greatly improve my posture. Since buying them, I really feel that I have less back pain. I regularly had it in the past – and now it’s gone. I feel much more agile and comfortable at work.
I wear them a lot and don’t have any foot or back pain anymore.
I’ve been wearing kybun shoes for a couple of weeks now and I am so impressed by these shoes! I wear them both indoors and outdoors. Seven years after my amputation, I have finally found a shoe that comes close to restoring the quality of life I had before. They are lightweight shoes and you don’t feel them on your feet, so it’s like walking barefoot. My back is more relaxed and is no longer painful. The anti-slip sole also makes them really secure. Sure, the price isn’t exactly enticing. But what’s important is that the shoe makes a positive difference, so it’s worth spending a bit more.
Walking with pain used to be part of my daily lifestyle. I suffered heavily from lower back aches and sore heels, not to mention my feet would constantly feel extremely hot after long hours of standing. It was not until I saw a small advertisement which had three simple words, "Walk-on-air",kybun shoe. After that everything changed. That very night, the internet supplied me all I needed to know about kybun and before I knew it , I was ordering my first pair of kybun shoe. Only I ordered the wrong size! Images of horrific online shopping stories started swirling in my head, as I begun the dreadful customer service phone procedure, only to be greeted by a wonderful lady. She cheerily greeted me, and after I explained my terribly awkward mishap, promptly gave me perfect advise for shoe sizing and settled the ordering purchase immediately. Now I wont lie, I love walking on air. Experiencing the first moments of putting on my kybun shoes felt like relearning how to walk again. This time, pain free. It was enjoyably hysterical when I took my first few steps as my ankles had to read just to the softness of the floor bed. Once I got the hang of it, I noticed immediately that the pain on my lower back was alleviated. It occurred to me that a lot of pressure that was initially borne by my back was now transferred away and that my body was more relaxed during my normal walking form. The heat from my foot soles seemed to develop much more slowly, and generally walking has now become a pain free experience. Thank you kybun for giving me the gift of enjoyable walking, and for being a company that not only is proud of its shoes, but has a service family that sincere, heartfelt and seriously amazing. I cant begin to thank you guys enough!
I always wear the shoe at home or when I’m travelling with the team. I wear the kybun shoe in my leisure time as well. Since I started wearing the shoe, I have far less back pain.
I have suffered from upper and lower back pain for a long time now. Due to the nature of my work, you could say I’m ‘chained’ to the dental chair for more than eight hours a day. I have to bend over the patients I’m treating, meaning my back muscles are always tense. I came to a turning point at age 60, when a physiatrist friend of mine advised me to wear kybun shoes. It was the solution to almost all of my postural problems. Taking a walk in my new kybun shoes is worth more to me than a session with an osteopath or an hour of Pilates! Aside from the wonderful feeling of walking on a cloud, my posture instantly rebalances and my back pain slowly disappears. I’m so happy with them that I bought one pair for the hospital where I work, another for my private practice, a sportier pair for spring and a winter pair for rainy days. Now I can’t get along without them. I also wanted to give a pair to my brother, who is an officer in the Carabinieri. He has had several operations for badly herniated vertebral discs. He was also very happy and satisfied with this new approach, after having tried many alternative therapies. But all these words are a waste of time ... you need to try them to understand the comfort, quality and therapeutic properties! You have to try them to believe it! Thank you, kybun. I will always be grateful to you. I will only buy kybun shoes!
I have a problem with my back and on my knees. They were burdened from the weight of my body. At some time I felt my legs to become stronger since trying to balance on the shoes made me exercising them continuously withtout big effort. Wearing them for a long period it makes you feel familiar with this.
I have scoliosis since childhood, probably as a result of 1 cm one leg short, I'm still living with pain (in the back, below the right shoulder blade, then began to manifest pain in the hip). I did not know nothing about Swiss footwear brand kybun. Fortuitously, I met a man that works with the company kybun. I studied the technology and started with trust to wear kybun shoes. After one year and two months since I got the kybun shoe, I can 100% certainty that biomechanoterapi works. No pain under the shoulder blade! I have no pain in the hip, strengthened stability in the legs. I thank God that he took care of my health and gave me new friends.
I bought my first pair of kybun shoes last autumn, as I was still struggling with the consequences of the accident I had in the summer of 2013. The torn muscle fibres in my right calf were very persistent. I underwent six months of physiotherapy and had an ultrasound (showing a 15 cm haematoma between fibres), X-rays and an MRI. After that, I had another round of physio with shockwave therapy. I also received acupuncture treatments and intense massages. Things seemed to be getting better in the short term, but the breakthrough result appeared to be just out of reach. I had severe pain in my right foot every time I stood up, and this mystified my doctors. Why am I experiencing pain in my foot when it was my calf muscles that were damaged? I decided to try out kybun shoes in October 2014. The staff members in the shop were friendly and provided very good advice, and I left with a pair of shoes. I’ve been wearing the shoes all day since then, when I’m on the go as well as at the office. I’ve even gone on a few gentle hiking wearing them. Despite the pain and against the advice of my GP, I have continued to take part in my favourite sport – partner dance (mostly disco swing and jive or in other words, the types of dance that involve a lot of movement). Alongside that I’ve been doing weekly strength training and stretching exercises, among other things. My GP organised an appointment for me in the Etzel clinic in the autumn and called in a sports doctor especially to handle my case. I got an appointment for 22 January 2015. However, my pain was gradually decreasing, and when it came to the time of the appointment, I had no pain at all. My GP still advised me to go to the appointment. The doctors at the clinic were amazed. They took X-rays and asked a lot of questions. How is it possible? They could no longer see any symptoms. The two specialists could only agree on the fact that the X-rays no longer showed any abnormalities. One of them thought that a minor insole could counteract the mild inward bend of my foot (why?). The sports medicine specialist believed I had done everything correctly. STAY MOBILE! He praised the work I had put in and my choice of physiotherapy methods (shockwave therapy and acupuncture). He emphasized how he believed that the constant mobilisation relieved the pain in my foot. This is all thanks to my kybun shoes. He advised me to continue doing what I have been doing – wearing kybun shoe shows, taking part in sport, and dancing. He was firmly against the insoles! The pain was the result of the relieving posture I had been using from the time of my accident, which I continued to use for a long time after the accident. Continuously freely moving my foot allowed me to get out from the pattern I was stuck in almost unnoticed. Well, all I can say is: Thank you so much.
I would highly recommend wearing kybun shoes during pregnancy. For me, it was the perfect shoe to wear during the day to relieve the increased pressure on my feet and other joints and gently strengthen my body at the same time. I often felt physically tired, but my kybun shoes motivated me to keep moving and remain active during my entire pregnancy. Walking is so comfortable that even on days when you’re tired, you still feel like walking for a few kilometres. And you feel very fit afterwards. Another thing I love about kybun shoes is how they activated circulation in my legs. I suffered from circulatory problems and would often suddenly feel a strong, shooting dizziness sensation, particularly in the mornings. That’s why I was so happy to find a shoe that activated my circulation! Wearing the shows, together with surgical stockings, really made me feel a lot better. I never had the back pain that many pregnant women suffer from. I don’t know if I was just lucky or if it was thanks to my daily exercise in my kybun shoes. I’m pregnant now for the second time and enjoying walking in my kybun shoe to relieve the strain on my body and exercise at the same time.
These are the most comfortable and supportive shoes I have ever worn. As a somatic psychologist, I am well aware of the importance of having your feet support the rest of your body. The kybun shoes provide great support for my lumbar spine. I am 72 years old and play a lot of golf, so every once in a while my back is sore. All I have to do is take a walk in my kybun shoe and my back feels completely relieved. Moreover, they make me feel as if I am walking on air. In the past the first thing I did when I came home from the office is to remove my shoes. Now, I am reluctant to take them off; they are more comfortable than my slippers. So for comfort and support, I can no longer wear any other shoes. My second pair will be arriving soon, and I am already thinking about my third pair. They are worth every penny.
Saturday: Ten hours on the go on foot in Hamburg at a temperature of about 0°C; it’s unbelievable that I stuck it out for so long!
Thursday: Walk on the beach on Amrum Island. Rainwater on the sand had collected to form a giant pond. There was no way around it, I had to go through it. I took off my shoes and socks. It was about 7°C and the soles of my feet were numb after walking just a few metres. I didn’t have a towel with me. All I could do was dust off my feet with my hands and then put my socks and shoes back on. Afterwards, I had about a half an hour’s walk ahead of me to get to the village. I made up my mind there and then to take a foot bath when I got back to my holiday apartment. However, when I got back to the village, I realised it would no longer be necessary, as my feet were already warm and toasty again! GREAT!
My kybun shoes are the only shoes I wear at work now and I recommend them to all my patients. They are the best shoes I’ve ever had! My mother wears them at home and loves how warm and cosy they make her feet.
For me, things were not going well; my shoes stopped me from doing a lot. I could not walk much in my shoes and had a lot of pain in my back, upper legs and hip. Then, I saw kybun shoes in the shop and went in to find out what sort of shoes they were selling. I then got a pair to try and immediately thought “Wow.” I had never experienced shoes like them. I almost had to hold onto the counter or else I would have fallen over, as I was a little wobbly at first. However, I quite quickly realised that this is very good for my body and that it would help me to cope with my pain so that I could get on much better in the future. All I had to do then was sign my name and I got a pair of shoes to try out. I was only interested in wearing the shoes for nearly a good week at least to see how I got on with them myself. On Tuesday afternoon, I received the shoes and, on Friday morning, I wore the shoes again and have had no more pain since. I have no more pain in my hip and back. No more pain at all, it’s all gone!! I had actually planned to have surgery on my hip this year, but it now looks like I no longer need the operation. I highly recommend these shoes to anyone who has problems with their bones and skeletal structure. Everyone should put aside a little bit of money when they have it if they cannot pay for them all in one go. This way, you can afford the shoes after saving up. It will do wonders for your health, that’s all I can say. I’ve experienced it myself and now bought two pairs of shoes. I saved up for them, too and have also saved even more. I buy things that I see that are good for me and my wife, and these two pairs of shoes are great for just that.
I feel like my posture is more upright and my walk is more rounded. I no longer feel any shocks and I don’t have back pain in the evenings any more. For me, the air holes are a plus. My feet often get sweaty, but now I always have dry feet thanks to the ventilation.
I've always had back pain, for as long as I can remember. It spread into my legs giving me sleepless nights. After I'd really tried out almost everything, I thought this would be worth my while now. Especially as I know that your shoes are hugely important, and look out for it. So I went into a shop one day and had a look at everything. At first they gave me some shoes to try out, which I thought was great. I didn't want to spend that much money at first. I'd then only had these shoes on for 5 or 10 minutes when my knee hurt. At first I was appalled. They'd warned me about it, but I wouldn't have thought it would hurt that much. And then I was given a kyBounder and told to exercise on it 6–7 times a day. After just two weeks I realised that I could now stand on it on one leg without it hurting. Then I brought the mat back and bought my first pair of shoes. I haven't had any problems since.
I can stand in these shoes all day with no trouble at all. If we have to be ready at 3pm though the concert doesn't start until 7pm, I don't feel a thing. I don't have any trouble, either in my back or my knee, and my feet are not sore either. It's really worlds apart, like day and night.
I've known the kyBoot, and before that MBT, for quite a while, as I've known Karl Müller for many years. When I joined the choir, we had to dress up in white, so I went out looking for white shoes and found a pair of moccasins made for medical staff. But after the long concerts I always had hot, sore feet and my back hurt. I remembered the kyBoot and bought myself a white pair. Emanuel Sieber asked me what I needed the shoes for and whether I worked at the hospital. I explained that I needed the shoes for the choir, and that's how we got talking.
I'd recommend the kyBoot to anyone. Especially if you have trouble with your knees or back. It gives you much greater quality of life. Until now, I've never found any other shoe that's been of as much help.
As you're walking, it's springy. You're not simply walking on the hard ground. I don't know what it is, but in any case I don't have any back pain any more. It's striking. I used to have a lot of back pain if I spent a long time standing.
When I tried the kybun shoe for the first time I could not believe how comfortable these shoes were. After a few weeks of wearing them I knew they were not only comfortable but they really worked too! They relieved my backpain which is almost a constant companion of a professional athlete. I can't take them off my feet!
"I often have bad back pains, so I wear the kybun shoe whenever I can. I love the soft, supple shoe; it feels amazingly comfortable."
"Since June 2009 I have been wearing kybun shoes whenever possible in my job as a postal worker and all my spare time. I hardly have any back pain any more and my varicose veins are just a bad memory. I am delighted and no longer like to walk in any other shoes."
"kyBoot help you keep balance and activate your muscles, from your toes to your back: they are helpful in the treatment of pain in the heels and forefeet, and are a method of choice to support the treatment of pain in the Achilles tendon and back."
I wear them every day: after all, I'm not 20 anymore. And as you get a bit older you naturally realise that your health comes first. I have long-term carry-over problems with my back and my knees – partly a legacy of my career, which was relatively long, so they certainly support me with that and help me continue to age well. I've now really found that they take the stress off me as after all, you do always have to use and activate even your smallest muscles, so they activate muscle fibres that might have slacked off a bit. And that's probably the key to success. I don't want to get all medical: I don't know enough about that, but I'm simply happy to have these shoes on my feet.
The benefit is simply that you have fewer foot complaints. Your feet hurt less, they're less sore and you can keep these shoes on much longer without problems.You also don't have back pain, in my case, anyway. Watch the video
These shoes take a load off my knees and back when I’m walking. My postural defect when I walk also affects my joints. With these shoes I can correct my posture. Since the middle of December I have had far less trouble than before. In the night I can sleep much better as I am in far less pain. I can only recommend these shoes.
I am an event producer and while working I walk many hours during the day, from morning till afternoon. I wear my working clothes and at 5 pm I change into formal dress, so I look elegant. I haven’t found a pair of shoes that are comfortable, that I can wear and walk in up to 6 pm. By the time the event began I would be in pain: pains in my knees, in my back, I used pain killers, ointments and so on. The event had not started yet and I would be in tatters. Until I came across the ideal thing: kyBoot shoes. From the moment I put them on my body felt differently immediately, really, no kidding. There was a different feeling in my body. I felt less pains, until they disappeared completely, after the third or fourth time I walk in the shoes. I was not in pain. I started to produce my events in leisure, without pain killers or ointments. I recommend them to anyone, whatever the pain, they can help everyone.
My work in the clinic involves a lot of movement: sitting, standing… Now I suddenly I have a shock absorber, which is very important; it helps me with my back pain. I really feel like I am walking on air. I have less back pain and fewer problems that I had on daily basis. I can gladly say that I have recommended the shoes to friends and also on my Facebook page and to my dentist friends, and as a teacher of agronomy an all that is connected with that field, I hope that my recommendation is considered a professional opinion.
For many years I had back pain that increased with time, I looked for remedies in different methods: orthopedic insoles, special shoes… And unfortunately they all provided partial relief that did not eliminate my pain. I came across kyBoot shoes and I decided to try them. To my surprise, as I started to get used to them and walk in them more and more, the shoes proved themselves and gave me relief, they did not eradicate the pain completely, but eased my pain and helped me walk around and stay well and therefore I intend to buy a second pair. I had recommended them to my wife, who bought them too and I recommend them to my friends and I think that the shoes have a wonderful future.
In 2010 I tore a ligament in my knee and I had sever pains in my knee, until I came across kyBoot shoes that were recommended to me and I started wearing them, and what a miracle! After I got used to them, the shoes did their job and the pain decreased. I recommended the shoes to my husband who has back pain, to my brother and sister, and I think all of them enjoy the shoes and are happy.