After a back injury, bending to put on shoes was unimaginable. I’ve since been testing pairs easy to glide my feet into – and on the eyes

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I popped a disc in my spine a few months back, and one of the things that saved me a lot of pain during my recovery was slip-on shoes. With these, I could wear shoes that looked normal without the pain of bending over to put them on and do up the laces. I have been testing new pairs since then, looking at the various ways that manufacturers such as Kizik, Skechers and others create a shoe that you can slip on as easily as a pair of slippers, but which still look like normal shoes you could wear to work, socializing or anywhere.

I tested seven different pairs of shoes, rating them for ease of use, style, comfort and the intangibles that make you feel comfortable and more confident, no matter how much your back might be aching.