Have you noticed that your feet have been hurting recently? Well, if you lived in flip flops all summer and part of this fall, that could be your culprit.
At the WalkEZStore, we’ve already heard from people complaining of foot pain this fall. After Kathy Carandang talked with these individuals, she discovered they were guilty of wearing cheap and unsupportive flip flops or sandals throughout the summer.
Flip Flops Provide No Foot Support
Sure, flip flops and sandals are cute, fashionable, summer footwear. They come in lots of vivid colors, and they can be jazzed up with sequins, flowers, or other bits and bobs. But the problem is, they provide your feet with little to no support.
When you look at a flip flop or sandal, typically, you’ll notice that they’re made of a very thin, flat piece of rubber, plastic or leather. Therefore, they provide your feet with no cushioning or arch support. As you walk, your feet need support when the force of your body’s weight is placed on them. Otherwise, your feet will flatten out or over-pronate.
Additionally, flip flops loosely fit on your feet, requiring you to often curl your toes just to keep them on while walking. This repetitive toe gripping can cause the tendons in your feet to become inflamed, torn, or ruptured.
Plus, the thin material of the flip flops provides no protection, shock absorption, or support to the heels of your feet. When your heels can rise off the back of your shoes repetitively, extreme heel pain can occur. Over time, heel pain can lead to bone spurs and ankle pain.
Flip Flops Can Alter Your Gait
Researchers have also found that flip flops can actually change the way you walk. You walk with a shorter stride while wearing flip flops. Plus, the way you bear weight is altered, too. When your feet don’t have the proper support they need, your body joints are affected, which will result in problems in your ankles, Achilles tendon, knees, hips, and lower back.
Photo credit: iStock Photo / paisan
Flip Flops Can Cause Foot Pain
Since unstructured footwear provides no foot support and can alter your gait, it can lead to foot problems. Some common foot conditions due to flip flop or sandal wear include:
Supportive Footwear and ezWalker® Custom Orthotics Can Help
In contrast to flimsy flip flops, a good supportive pair of shoes will fit your feet snuggly. The supportive soles will provide you with adequate arch and heel support. However, to ensure your shoes fit properly, we recommend you check out our shoe fitting guide. This guide provides you with tips on how to measure your feet properly, purchase shoes for your foot type, and correctly secure your foot arch to the shoe’s arch.
ezWalker Custom Fit Orthotic
If you’re suffering from foot pain, ezWalker® Custom Fit Orthotics provide your feet with the support they need for your foot’s specific structure. At the WalkEZStore, we use a unique bio-mechanical, non-weight-bearing, casting method to create your orthotics. ezWalker® Custom Orthotics control the hind foot while allowing the proper function of your first metatarsal joint. So, you have a better step with every step you take.
And, remember for next year, the WalkEZStore can create orthotic footbeds for your flip flops or sandals (as long as your flip flops or sandals have removable footbeds), so you can walk with a healthier gait cycle. Plus, we sell various Finn Comfort and other manufacturer flip-flop and sandal styles that can be customized to fit our custom orthotics, too.
Visit the WalkEZStore.com to learn more about our products or to purchase your ezWalker® Custom Fit Orthotics in our online shop. If you have any questions, contact us. We’ll be happy to help you live without foot pain.
Because … when your feet feel good, you feel good.®
Disclaimer: The information included in this article is for educational purposes only. It should not be used as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.
Cover image: 123RF / nobilior
