Flip flops were designed for wearing at the beach and around the poolside and maybe popping on to take the rubbish out. They are great for avoiding infections such as Verrucas and Athletes Foot that thrive in damp environments such as changing rooms.
But Flip flops are not designed for any other type of activity or longer periods of walking. So don’t go shopping in them – you can end up walking from one end of the high street to the other and your feet will really ache. That’s because you have to claw and scrunch up your toes to keep them on your feet. This weakens the intrinsic muscles in your feet. Spending long periods everyday in flip-flops, walking the dog and so on makes you more prone to foot and ankle injuries and can cause your feet to over-pronate resulting in your arches lowering or flattening out and are commonly responsible for conditions such as plantar fasciitis (heel pain) and Morton’s Neuromas (forefoot pain)
When choosing footwear for you and your family for the summer, consider these important factors:
Shoes should fit properly length and widthwise, have arch support and have cushioned and reinforced heels, so preferably a contoured foot-bed rather than completely flat.
We at Foot Mechanix Podiatry suggest you consider the following when choosing footwear:
- Find sandals that have good heel support and sole cushioning. A small heel of up to an inch
- Avoid sandals with straps that are too constricting around toes and ankles
- Childrens shoes should fit properly, don’t buy shoes they will “grow into”, this can lead to tripping, improper gait and blisters if their feet slide around.
We recommend Birkenstock sandals which have a very contoured footbed and a deep heel cup to help support the heel. If you wear orthoses, finding sandals with an enclosed heel and fastening is important to accommodate them. Preferably finding sandals with a removable footbed will enable easier fit of your orthoses also.
At Foot Mechanix Podiatry we can provide ‘Flopthotics’ which are flipflops that have a bespoke prescription built into into them. So they are far more supportive and specifically take into account your individual foot-type. If you are experiencing foot pain that you think has been caused by unsupportive footwear, make an appointment with Karen Knightly at Foot Mechanix Podiatry to assess your gait and footwear and find a resolution to your symptoms.
