Feeling under pressure? You literally are, all the time. The air above you has plenty of weight and it all squeezes you. This is called atmospheric pressure. What I found out is that this pressure is what's been causing my back, neck and shoulder pain and that it can be easily relieved by choosing proper footwear.
The air is all around you but especially on top of you. You're like an acrobat that has to support a column of air on his head and shoulders, except this column weighs a lot. Like, A LOT.
The atmospheric pressure at sea level is 1 kilogram per square centimeter. To understand this weight, put a 4-liter (1 gallon) bottle, spout down, in the center of your palm and try balancing. That's how much weight is pressing on you from the above on each center-palm-sized area, as seen from above. No wonder old people get all hunched over.
All that pressure has to be borne by your spine and ultimately ends up crushing your feet. Since you probably have curved arches (which are considered normal), all that extra weight goes on your toes, your heel and the outer edge of your foot. If your footwear doesn't help you redistribute that pressure, it will end up on your neck, shoulder, abdomen and spine, misaligning them.
I felt enormous pressure on those areas of my body for as long as I can remember, that is, until I started wearing orthopedic shoes. In short, they fully support the arches of the feet, giving you a sensation of standing on the shoulders of giants. From the first moment I put them on, these shoes and their specially designed insoles helped me relieve tremendous pressure, giving me a new lease on life.
I also got a pair of clogs, making my stay at home ultra comfy. I actually avoided putting my feet on the floor because of how much they were hurting but now they feel rested, even though I could still notice them pulsing from all the pressure over the course of years.
The total price for shoes, insoles for them and orthopedic clogs was about $75, which is how much I would normally spend on just a pair of shoes alone. The first time I wore them, I got a compliment that they look amazing. No wonder — it's genuine leather.