They’ve been called The Bikini Of Footwear. They’re simple, cool, comfy, rather cheap and in-style for summer… yet they can cause a lot of havoc on your foot if over-used!

Wearing flip-flops feels like giving your feet a break (especially on a warm summer day)… yet it can be quite the opposite if you plan on doing a lot of walking.

They offer little if any support (no arch support, heel cushioning, or shock absorption)… and… some Doctors have gone as far as saying, “Flip-flops have single handedly caused more problems with people’s feet in the last couple years than probably any other type of shoe”

Hmm, are they really that bad?

It all comes down to flat flip-flops having no support for your foot. Especially those slip-on, toe-thonged flip flops. This means your foot can slip in any direction which in turn reduces the efficiency of its ‘shock absorption’ function.

I’ll get to an interesting University study in a moment, first here’s an illustration from a forbes.com article:

“Flip-flops don’t really hold on the foot like most shoes do, so we use the tendons and muscles to hold them on,” says Dr. Greg Cohen, a podiatrist at Long Island College Hospital in Brooklyn, N.Y.

During the summer, Cohen also tends to see a lot of ankle sprains–another result of flip-flop use. “When a person steps off the stairs or a curb wrong, there’s nothing there to hold or support the foot or ankle.”

Another article in USA Today lists the following as “Possible Consequences” of wearing flip-flops as everyday shoes:

• Sore arches and heels, which can progress to chronic conditions, including inflamed Achilles tendons and plantar fasciitis, inflammation of the connective tissue between the heel bone and the toes.
• Heel calluses (from the pounding).
• Hammer toes (from the gripping).
• Irritation between the toes (from the toe thongs), which can lead to nasty fungal infections.

How The Foot Hits The Ground:

When one professor at University of Auburn noticed an increase in lower leg pain as students came back from summer… (the same students who would’ve likely slipped into flip-flops all summer)… she setup an interesting experiment.

She lined up 39 students and setup to analyze how they walk. Participants switched between thong flip-flops and sneakers.

Analyzing the data revealed a hidden behavior…

Walking in flip-flops alters the mechanics of every step.

For example, flip-flop wearers take shorter steps! In other words, it leads to an unnatural, toe-gripping, foot-slapping gait.

What else did the study reveal? Well, for that I recommend checking out this blog post by Maggie West. (Actually, I think she gives this topic better coverage than ABC News)

M. Jamal

P.S. So, does this mean you should drop your beloved flip-flops this summer? The phrase we ought to remember is “moderation” and “the right footwear for the right activity”.

I wouldn’t dream of going on a long walks in flip-flops.

Yep, at one point I’ve tried that and it wasn’t a pleasant experience - especially when you’re pounding hard ground. It felt like foot abuse and I was literally running for a foot massage later that evening.

Personally, I’m not into thong styled flip-flops. I usually slip into light strappy sandals if I’m gonn’a spend some time by the pool or beach. I’ve generally found it ok as it’s softer ground and I’m not doing flip-flop marathon walks anymore! Only one problem I’ve encountered; watching out for slippery spots.

Have you experienced foot pain in the past from flip-flops?
Do you see it as fashionable, all-day footwear?
And… What’s your footwear gonn’a be this summer? Love to hear your thoughts.

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