The shoes favoured by many teenagers are potential sources of foot, knee and back pain, it has been claimed.

According to the Daily Mail, many young people in the UK have embraced the current fashion for flat, plimsoll-style shoes as part of their casual wardrobe.

Emma Supple, podiatrist at the Supplefeet centre in north London, explained that this type of footwear can be "disastrous" for some teenagers because it offers little support for growing feet.

"We now have a whole generation who will run into huge health problems because of their footwear," she told the newspaper.

A lack of support from shoes can force bones to grow in unnatural ways, which in turn alters a person's gait and can ultimately cause chronic pain in the knees and back.

Ms Supple explained that adolescents are particularly vulnerable because the bones in their feet are still growing.

By using ultrasound equipment such as the Ultralieve Pro, sufferers of back aches and other ailments can accelerate healing by reducing trigger point pain.