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The Love/Hate Relationship with Flip Flops

Flip Flops! It's a Love/Hate Relationship!

We get it, warm weather and flip flops go together like delicious spaghetti and meatballs. Although easy, fun, and quick to throw on, flip flops are not the ideal choice for your feet, especially if recovering from injury or if you’re at risk for falls. According to the consumer product safety commission on ER visits, there were over 27,000 flip-flop related ER visits in 2016. They have thin soles without much arch or ankle support and can worsen existing problems with your posture. Wearing the fashionable footwear can also result in ankle sprains, heel pain, bunions, or plantar fasciitis according to podiatrists, and since your walking pattern changes in flip flops, they can cause pain all the way up to your low back! They are troublesome for people with poor sensation (from diabetes), incoordination, or those at risk for falls, and since your toes, muscles, and tendons overgrip to keep them on your feet, this can lead to overuse injuries.

Didn’t convince you? We realize some people are flip-floppers for life, so if you are going to keep wearing them here are some tips for safety. Find ones with arch support or a cushioned sole, use moderation and wear them at beach/pool or short trips but not for long distance walks or exercise. Due to the increased risk for falling in flops, we recommend wearing water shoes on slick surfaces like the pool deck during our aquatic therapy program.

Although undeniably popular, just remember- wear those flips safely to prevent a flop!

Resources:

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/are-flip-flops-bad-for-you_n_59566a31e4b0da2c73230df6

https://www.today.com/health/heres-how-wear-flip-flops-without-ruining-your-feet-t25116 (stat)

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1298471/Flip-flops-injure-200-000-year-costing-NHS-astonishing-40m.html

 

 

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