It is summertime and most people want to live in flip flops. I hear from people who live in them, "My feet just get to hot to wear shoes in the summertime." But it is always amazing to me how people will spend the time and money to come into my practice complaining of foot pain wearing flip flops and argue with me that they have worn flip flops for years and their feet never hurt before. Well, this is not before... this is now.
Flip flops are generally made from some form of plastic or rubberized material with a toe wedge that generally fits in between the big and second toe with two oblique straps across the top of the foot. The sole of the traditional flip flop has no arch and provides no rigid structure to support the foot. For people with severely pronating (flat) feet, this can lead to increased deformities such as bunions, hammertoes, tendon dysfunction and ligamentous laxity. Muscles in the foot and calf can be overused creating pain and discomfort in these regions as well. In addition, most of the foot and ankle is exposed to injury especially from striking the foot against an object or dropping an object on top of the foot. I have had instances in my career where I have had to amputate toes due to degloving or partial amputations from objects being dropped on it.
Flip flops also expose the foot and ankle to the weather (creating dry cracking feet) and fungal elements (athletes foot and fungal toenails).
I recommend that if you want to wear flip flops or even sandals, only wear them for beach activities, the swimming pool, communal showers or maybe a quick trip to the store for some eggs and a gallon of milk. If you want to wear flip flops to a picnic, I recommend taking a pair of tennis shoes in the car and change in to them if you decided to participate in a sporting activity such as volleyball, softball or a game of touch football.
"The journey of life is taken on step at a time... none of them should be painful." G.M. Barclay, DPM, AACFAS
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