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good for the so l e Flip to Healthy Soles

Generic flip-flop (thong) style sandals may be fine for the beach, the pool or the gym shower, but definitely not for a long, hot summer walk! Yes, flip-flops are inexpensive, cute and colourful but that is where their benefits stop. Love them at the beach or pool, but leave them when it’s time to hit the mall or sight see around your vacation destination!

These shoes (and we use that term loosely!) were never meant to give you the structure, support or protec- tion required to spend a day walking or standing. One of the problems with flip flops is that they are made of low quality materials. While flip-flops are cheap (you can often find them for under $5) you most definitely only “ get what you pay for”. These sandals are mass produced using low quality materials which often results in a poor fit causing blisters or even adverse skin reactions to the plastic “thong” portion. People will often end up at their doctor or foot care specialist complaining of a blister or rash between the toes or across the top of the

you to conditions such as hammer toes or claw toes, not to mention the muscle pain and cramps caused by overusing these toe muscles. Another major finding from the study was that people wearing flip-flops take shorter steps. This translates to taking more steps to cover a set dis- tance and more steps means more work for your feet and legs. The lack of support under the arch of the foot could predispose certain people to a condition called Plantar Fasciitis. This condi- tion is an inflammation of the Plantar Fascia, a band of connective tissue that runs along the bottom of the foot. Flip-flops allow the foot and arch to fall completely flat and this can stretch and irritate the

foot. The foam that makes up the sole of the sandals is also made with sub-standard materials and this can result in the sandal breaking down very quickly. Next up – support (or the lack of it!). Flip-flops offer little or no contouring under the arch of the foot, around the heel or under the toes. This causes the muscles of the foot to work differently while you are walking. A well known study from Auburn University documents the differences between walking in flip- flops and athletic shoes. The authors found that walking in flip-flops causes you to “ scrunch” your toes excessively to hold the sandals onto your feet. Doing so for an extended period of time can predispose

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