I love my Asics!! I haven't tried the Hokas, but have seen people wearing them at the gym. They do have a super amount of cushioning, which is a great help, especially walking many miles like at WDW. I agree with many other posters, she would be smart to go to a running shoe store. They can analyze her gait, and see if there are any abnormalities, which might be contributing to the back pain. They make shoes to correct for over pronation, supination, etc.