Wellness Wire: Are Flip Flops Bad For Your Health?

Ladies everywhere know that when they break out those favorite flip flops and shorts, summer has finally arrived. Flip flops are convenient, not only because of the sweltering temperatures, but also because it’s easy to stroll around the beach, park or city in our easy slip-on shoes. Although you know flip flops aren’t as healthy for our feet as padded shoes, you may not realize that they can be seriously detrimental to our health. An article published in the Huffington Post interviewed spokespersons from the American Podiatric Medical Association on just how bad flip flops can be.

“The feet are the foundation of your whole body. This is the base of the skeleton,” says Jackie Sutera, a podiatrist in New York City. “It’s a domino effect… the rest of your joints and bones have to compensate.” She says that wearing flip flops for short amounts of time, like to the pool, won’t cause serious harm. But because flip flops are normally used for casual wear, women won’t spend a fortune on shoes that will end up being covered in sand or water, in which case they opt for cheap sandals that provide zero support.

Flip flops mess with your feet by causing trauma due to little shock absorption and cushioning. Your bones can suffer from tiny cracks due to the repetitive motions and pressure on your feet due to poor conditioning. Continuous flip flop wear can lead to painful stress fractures, which eventually lead to more significant bone problems down the road.

The article also states that bacteria are more likely to latch it onto flip flops. Because flip flops are worn in places that may be dirtier than other shoes you wear, and because the foot is so exposed, it is possible that your foot comes in contact with this gross bacteria. A study from the University of Miami found that a pair of flip flops hosted more than 18,000 bacteria. Carrying bacteria from flip flop, to foot, to home can lead to gross fungi, as well as warts.

The potential problems only become greater. Because the foot is the base of the body, it has a lot of weight to carry. Due to the minor support flip flops provide, it can actually change the way you walk (in order to compensate for the lack of arch and lack of support). People with flip flops take shorter steps and their heels strike the ground with more force than they would in a more supportive shoe. This can cause pain throughout other parts of the body, as well as mess with your ankles, knees, hips and back.

Not many women are willing to give up their precious summer essential, which is why there are a few ways to combat some of these problems down the road. Searching for flip flops with a thicker arch can decrease pressure on joints, and even out your posture. Make sure you’re buying flip flops with thick material, versus the bendy, one-size-fits all shoes. If the shoe is so bendy to the point that each side can touch the other, put them down. You’d be better off walking barefoot everywhere. Also, replacing your shoes each year is key. Even if you have good quality flip flops, continuous wear breaks the shoes down and reduces support even more.

Lastly: listen to your body! If your ankles or knees begin to hurt, take a break from the flip flops for a few days and slip on some comfy running shoes. Forgoing your health down the road isn’t worth suffering pain.

photo credit: Cín via photopin cc