Flip flops. Those 5 dollar sandals that so many people (and children!) wear during the summer? They are my least favourite shoe. Here are just a few reasons why:
- No support to the ankle, foot or arch. This makes it easier to twist or sprain your ankle and can even cause plantar fasciitis.
- Regularly wearing them can lead to knee, hip and even low back pain.
- No protection from germs. Streets aren’t clean and wearing flip flops leave your feet literally more open to contracting germs like Staphylococcus aureus (which can cause skin sores or worse) or E. Coli!
- The thinness of the sole of the shoe doesn’t cushion your foot while you’re walking, which can cause foot and ankle pain and injury from all the jarring.
- Stress fractures. Just using your toes to hold on to the sandal can cause overuse injuries, including stress fractures, to the 5 bones that lead out to your toes. This can also cause your leg muscles to become overtired.
Those $5 flip flops should be used for very short trips; definitely not for hiking or when walking for long periods of time. (I even question the safety of wearing them while driving, as they can easily slip off when you’re going from the gas to the brakes.)
If you feel like it’s not summertime without flip flops, splurge a little and get a pair that have ‘orthotic like’ arches and provide more support around the toes, making them easier on your feet.