With summer in full swing, you’re probably broken out the flip-flops. Although they are a summer-staple for both men and women, they aren’t that great for you! Here are a few things you should know before you decide to slide those flip-flops on!
Extra Work for Your Toes
Your toes are doing most of the work when it comes to walking in flip-flops. They have to work extra hard to keep the shoes on your feet when they should be relaxed as they would be in regular tennis shoes. It can actually lead to a condition called hammertoe. This is where the toe knuckles start to arch upwards in an unnatural way.
No Support
The typical flip-flops do not offer any arch support whatsoever. This can allow your foot to flatten out too much and give your arch no support at all. What can happen is a condition called plantar fasciitis which is very painful due to inflammation in the foot. You want to have your arch properly supported so that the rest of your body is properly supported.
Tumble and Fall
When people typically wear flip-flops during the summer, somewhere along the line you’ll probably trip and fall or twist your ankle. When this happens, as it so often does, there’s no support for your ankles or protection for your feet. Falling can also lead to injury in your spinal column as it can jar something out of place.
Bacteria Exposure
Did you realize that by walking in flip-flops you’re potentially exposing yourself to dangerous bacteria? Yes, this would happen when you’re barefoot as well but you typically wash your feet after a day at the beach or somewhere similar when you’ve been barefoot. It doesn’t always happen when you’re walking in flip-flops.
Back Pain Sufferers
If you already suffer from back pain or issues in your back, you need to skip the flip-flops. As mentioned above, they do not offer much, if any, support and this can aggravate your painful back condition. You need a solid, supportive shoe to help you keep your back supported properly.
If You Must, Must, Must, Wear Your Flip-Flops
We know we aren’t going to stop you from wearing flip-flops if you love them, so here are our top tips:
- Don’t wear them for very long, for example, no sightseeing all day in them!
- Just walk in them! No running, jumping or climbing over rocks!
- Listen to your body. At the first twinge, revert to something else
- Come in for regular check-ups so we can make sure everything is good.
If you do start to experience a problem, please get in touch. For a temporary fix, roll the heel out with a golf ball or a frozen water bottle.