Flip-Flops are Great… If You Enjoy Poor Foot Mechanics, Increased Risk of Injury, and Foot Pain…
One of my clients brought me a copy of an article written by Rachel Saslow for the Washington Post, that was recently re-published in the Wichita Eagle newspaper about Flip-flops. I’m so happy to see more things being written about foot Heath, foot-care, and foot fitness! We take our feet for granted until there’s a problem – and even then, we still have to get around – so foot pain and injuries are often ignored, which can lead to even bigger problems.
I have been sharing the hazards of flip-flops for years with my clients, in my foot-fitness clinics, and Fantastic Feet workshops. My motto is, “train right with the right shoes-always!” I encourage people to throw their flip-flops away (and all other strapless shoes!) because all these poor shoe choices are doing is reinforcing incorrect muscle habits for your feet. Barefoot is better than bad shoes!
If you have to wear flip-flops here are the three places they might be briefly appropriate:
- In the shower at the gym
- To get across hot pavement from a deck chair to the pool
- To drive home from a pedicure
But… If you were wearing a sandal that was tied onto your foot and ankle instead of a flip-flop, it would be a much better choice.
The other thing I think a lot of people don’t realize is how much can be done to improve foot fitness, posture, and body alignment with simple foot care exercises. If you have flat feet, they will get worse wearing flip-flops. If you had a good lifted arch, but flip-flops are your primary shoe choice, expect to see your arches drop in time with knee, hip, and back problems to follow… You can change habits with better exercise choices, but all the exercises in the world won’t make much of a dent, if you don’t change your shoe choices too.
It makes me extremely sad to see aisles filled floor to ceiling with Flip-flops at the mall. Is anybody else out there concerned about our children? The ONLY thing I see on most kids feet is a dang flip-flop! Come on parents – take care of your kids and make them wear something better so they can grow up with good health! There is no reason for the shoe companies and foot-care specialists to get richer treating completely avoidable problems – if your feet are strong, fit, flexible, AND you’re not wearing flip-flops!
Here’s a link to Flip-Flops Forever, the article that was recently published in the Wichita Eagle. I hope that some of this info will make you think twice before slipping into a pair of flip-flops or strapless shoes. Remember, “train right, with the right shoes, always!” And if you happen to be looking for exercises to help undo the damage to your flip-flopped feet, check out my book Fantastic Feet! Exercises to Strengthen the Ankles, Arches, and Toes, and the other foot fitness products I think are great to help improve your health from the ground up. You’ll find all these foot care resources in the Centerworks store.
We only have one pair of feet! Treat them right for a lifetime of good health! Flip-Flop wearers, beware!
Hi there Fantastic article, We usally tend not to bother to leaving comments about articales but i identified this articale to be really usefull.
I bought some extremely comfortable Dr. Scholes shoes and they really help. It’s all about the shoes that you wear when it comes to managing foot and heel pain.