So why are flip flops a flub? In a recent Article from “Nails” magazine, they quoted the American Podiatric Medical Association as saying “Foot related injuries are on the rise due to wearing flip flops with no arch support, stability or shock absorption. Flip flops with high quality leather, not plastic or foam, should be your first choice. ”
To reduce your risk to injury, you should… 1. Discard flip flops after a year. 2. Don’t wear thongs that irritate the skin between your toes. This can lead to blisters and opens up the skin on your feet to infection. 3. Do not walk long distances (ie going to Disney). This leads to knee and ankle injury. 4. No yard work in flip flops! Not only can you injure your feet with tools by accident, most soils have fertilizers which can carry bacteria. 5. No sports in flip flops! Twisted ankles, broken toes, or other sprains can easily occur.
Although I do love my flips, I like it when my heel doesn’t feel all dry and nasty at the end of the day. And I love it more when my back and knees don’t hurt. Find a great shoe store with a wide variety, and try them all on. Then go online and look for deals, especially if they are over the $75 range. For a great selection of supportive foot wear, please visit my favorite foot sites: