Is it bad to wear flip-flops?

There’s no feeling like slipping into a pair of flip-flops to let your feet breathe after a long day of wearing shoes. You may hold on to your favourite pair of flip-flops due to the comfort and convenience, but you should probably think twice before you make them your daily footwear.

Flip-flops may be the preferred footwear for the summer, but there are many potential dangers of wearing them every day, from blisters to plantar fasciitis, and more.

Your foot could get inflamed

Those rubber flip-flops you picked up for cheap are fine for the beach, but you won’t want to wear them all day. They have virtually no arch support, which means your feet will start to turn toward the middle of your body instead of staying straight. When that happens, you’re more likely to sprain your ankle, says Eunice Ramsey-Parker, DPM, MPH, associate professor of podiatric medicine and clinic administrator of the Foot Center of New York.

Your foot could get inflamed

Even if you’re extra careful and don’t twist your foot, that lack of arch support could hurt your feet. Without the right support, your plantar, the band of tissue in the arch of your foot, will start to pull. That pulling inflames the tissue, making your arch red and painful from a condition called plantar fasciitis.

Foot problems could run bone-deep

With too many bouts of plantar fasciitis, your body will start producing new bone to try to heal the pulling. With more bone than the body needs, a buildup called a heel spur could develop on the back or bottom of your heel.

Objects could poke through your foot

It doesn’t take long for a pair of cheap flip-flops to get worn down to practically nothing. Once the heel and toe start to depress, it’s easy for nails, glass, and other dangerous objects on the ground to poke through.

You’ll get corns

If you have hammertoe and put on regular shoes, your toes will start rubbing against the top of the shoe. All that friction could give you corns.

The ball of your foot could hurt

With a normal closed shoe with arch support, your foot naturally steps from heel to toe, rolling along the ball of your foot. But because flip-flops don’t have that arch support, you just step flat, hitting the ball of your foot hard.  You’ll feel pain and maybe experience a bit of swelling from an injury called metatarsalgia, but it will go down if you switch to more supportive shoes.

You could get a splinter

Sure, flip-flops are great for the beach, but make sure to change into more stable shoes before hitting the decking. Between the way your feet twist in flip-flops and the fact that feet tend to hang off the ends, you’re more prone to splinters.

 You could be left totally unprotected

Not only do the rubber bottoms of flip-flops wear down, but the thong in the middle can easily pop out, leaving your bare feet will be exposed to any sharp objects, bacteria, and more.

However we at T4 Physio have the solution!

Our custom made flip flops are made to support your feet, they are custom made using a scan of your feet to fit and support the arches and shape of your foot perfectly.  This means you can still enjoy wearing flip flops without the worry of developing plantar fasciitis, corns or bunions.  Our flip flops support your arches so you do not have to worry about pain in the ball of your feet and they are super strong so the thong is not going to break and leave you barefoot!

Click the link below to book a free consultation with our foot specialist to see our range of bespoke footwear
https://v7sarspa.pages.infusionsoft.net/
Or call Sue, our lovely front desk superstar on 033017 59838 to book your free foot consultation