The Risks of Wearing Flip Flops

When the temperatures rise, it’s time to slip on cooler, more comfortable footwear. Heavy shoes and boots can feel hot and restrictive when the temperature is ninety plus degrees. One type of summer shoe that’s become popular with the casual crowd is the flip flop. These open, backless shoes with a thong between the toes leave most of the foot exposed to the air so the foot stays cooler. Many people think they’re the next best thing to going barefoot. Unfortunately, when it comes to the health of your feet, flip flops may be a big no-no. What are the dangers of wearing flip flops?

Lack of Foot Support

Those thin, flimsy rubber soles don’t provide much cushioning between the foot and the ground. Walking in flip flops on a hard surface can cause repetitive heel trauma. This increases the risk of developing plantar fasciitis, a chronic inflammatory condition of the plantar fascia that causes heel pain. This condition is so common among flip flop wearers that it’s earned the nickname of “flip flop disease”. In extreme cases, wearing flip flops over a long period of time could result in a stress fracture due to the repetitive motion of the heel hitting the hard ground. Wearing flip flops during childhood can increase the risk of developing anatomical foot problems such as flat feet sue to the tendency of the foot to roll inward with each step.

Foot Cuts, Scrapes, and Abrasions

With the entire upper surface of the foot exposed, there’s a greater risk of injuring the foot from trauma when wearing flip flops. This could range from a stubbed toe or abrasion to a bee sting. A pair of flip flops is certainly not the right shoe to wear when walking through a field of clover where you could encounter honey bees. Flip flops also offer no protection if something is dropped on your foot. It’s particularly important for diabetics and those with poor circulation to avoid wearing flip flops since even a small abrasion could be a health risk in this population.

Thong Trauma

The thong can be a source of chronic irritation when flip flops are worn for any extended period of time. The constant rubbing motion can produce painful blisters that can become infected. Combine the friction with moisture from sweating and you increase the risk of fungal infection between the toes.

Ankle Sprains

Ankle sprains can be a danger of wearing flip flops because of the lack of ankle support. Combine this with the tendency of the foot to pronate or turn inward with each step and you have a recipe for a nasty ankle injury when you step off a curb too quickly.

The bottom line? If you’re concerned about the dangers of wearing flip flops, buy a high quality pair and keep them for days on the beach. They’re not for every day wear if you value the health of your feet.