I Finally Tried Skechers Slip-ins: A Chiropractor’s Take on the GO WALK Carson
For years, I’ve been telling patients something that usually gets me a slightly confused look:
Wear shoes in the house.
Yes, actual shoes.
Not slippers. Not flip-flops. Not slides. And definitely not those old shoes you’ve smashed the backs down on until they’ve basically become slippers—which, admittedly, I’ve been guilty of doing myself.
My reasoning has always been pretty simple: your feet are the foundation for everything above them.
If you're walking around barefoot or in an unsupportive slipper all day, particularly on hardwood, tile or other hard surfaces, you're getting very little support underneath the arches of your feet. Changes in foot mechanics can work their way up the kinetic chain, potentially affecting the ankles, knees, hips, pelvis and lower back.
So I've traditionally recommended a comfortable, supportive shoe with a back on it for wearing around the house.
And recently, I decided maybe it was time to take some of my own advice.
Why I Actually Bought the Skechers Carson
Here's the real reason I decided to try them:
I've been dealing with plantar fasciitis myself.
Yes, chiropractors get aches and pains too. Apparently our degrees do not come with an immunity clause.
Because of the plantar fasciitis, I wanted something I could wear consistently—especially around the house—that provided cushioning and support underneath my foot instead of walking barefoot on hard floors.
That's what led me to the Skechers Hands Free Slip-ins Arch Fit: GO WALK Commuter – Carson.
And to be brutally honest…
So far, they're helping.
I'm not claiming the shoe is a miracle cure for plantar fasciitis, and I'm certainly not saying everyone with heel or foot pain should run out and buy the same shoe.
But in my own experience, since I've started wearing them more consistently, my plantar fascia symptoms have felt better.
And that got my attention.
Why the Carson Caught My Attention
There were three things I immediately liked about this shoe:
1. The Thick Cushioned Sole
The Carson has Skechers' ULTRA GO cushioning, which provides a nice amount of cushioning between your foot and the ground.
If you're spending a lot of time walking or standing on hardwood, tile or concrete, having some cushioning underneath you can make a noticeable difference in comfort.
And when your plantar fascia is already irritated, repeatedly walking barefoot across a hard floor isn't exactly my idea of giving it a vacation.
2. The Built-in Arch Support
This was probably the biggest selling point for me.
The Carson uses Skechers' Arch Fit insole system. Skechers states that the system was developed using 20 years of data and 120,000 unweighted foot scans.
I've been preaching the importance of supporting the arches for years, so having meaningful arch support built into a comfortable walking shoe immediately got my attention.
It was also particularly appealing because of what I was experiencing with my own plantar fascia.
The plantar fascia helps support the arch of the foot. So from a biomechanical standpoint, having a shoe that provides support underneath that arch made sense to me.
Again, I'm not saying the shoe treats plantar fasciitis.
I'm simply saying that my feet likes them.
And currently, my feet get a vote.
3. The Slip-in Design
This was actually the part I wasn't entirely sure about.
I've always told patients:
Wear a shoe with a back.
I generally don't recommend walking around all day in flip-flops, slides or loose slippers because they don't provide the same secure connection between your foot and the shoe.
So you might think a "Slip-in" would go directly against my own advice.
Not necessarily.
The Carson isn't a traditional backless slip-on. It uses Skechers' Hands Free Slip-ins design along with what they call a Heel Pillow, which helps hold the foot in the shoe once you step into it.
And after wearing them, I've found two reasons I really like this design.
First: You Don't Have to Bend Over to Put Them On
This can be a surprisingly big deal for someone dealing with lower-back pain.
I've had plenty of patients who struggle with something as simple as bending over to put on a shoe, reaching their feet or tying their shoelaces.
With the Slip-in design, you can essentially step into the shoe without having to bend over and wrestle with it.
That's a convenience for most of us.
For someone whose back is hurting, it can be much more than a convenience.
Second: You Can't Destroy the Back as Easily
I'm going to admit to something I've told patients not to do.
Over time, I have a tendency to step on the back of my shoes.
You know exactly what I'm talking about.
You don't feel like bending over, so you halfway slide your foot into the shoe, crush the heel down and eventually turn a perfectly good supportive shoe into…
A VERY EXPENSIVE SLIPPER!
Which completely defeats the purpose of wearing a shoe with a supportive heel in the first place.
The reinforced Slip-in heel makes that much harder to do. Instead of folding down when you step into it, it's designed to allow your heel to slide into place.
So ironically, the "Slip-in" design may actually help keep me from turning my shoes into the exact slippers I've been telling my patients not to wear.
Apparently Skechers has been listening to my bad habits.
What Does Your Foot Have to Do With Your Back?
Potentially, quite a bit.
Your feet interact with the ground thousands of times throughout the day. How the foot moves can influence the ankle, knee and hip, which can influence mechanics at the pelvis and lumbar spine.
That's why, when evaluating someone with chronic lower-back, hip or even knee problems, I don't necessarily stop looking where it hurts.
Sometimes we need to look farther down the chain.
This is also one of the reasons I've recommended wearing supportive shoes around the house for years. If we're going to pay attention to footwear while exercising, walking or working, it doesn't make much sense to completely ignore it during the hours we're walking around our homes.
So…Would I Recommend Them?
Based on my experience so far, yes—I like the Skechers GO WALK Carson quite a bit.
For me, it checks several boxes that I've been recommending to patients for years:
Good cushioning
Built-in arch support
A secure heel
Comfortable enough to wear around the house
Easy to get on and off
No bending over and fighting with shoelaces
And much harder to accidentally turn into a slipper
But now I can add one more thing to that list:
My plantar fasciitis has been feeling better since I started wearing them.
That's my personal experience, not a promise that they'll do the same thing for everyone.
But when you're a chiropractor who's spent years telling patients to wear supportive shoes around the house…and then your own foot starts hurting…
Sometimes you're forced to admit that Dr. Wise may have actually had a point.
Even if Dr. Wise wasn't always following his own advice.
Your feet are your foundation. Give them a little support.
And apparently, after years of telling everyone else to stop crushing the backs of their shoes…
I finally found one that's harder for me to destroy.
Dr. Shannon Wise, D.C.
Core Wellness Centers, Inc.
Note: This article reflects my personal experience and general educational information. Footwear needs vary from person to person, and improvement in my plantar fasciitis symptoms should not be interpreted as evidence that this particular shoe will treat or resolve plantar fasciitis in others.
