Choose Summer Shoes that are Good for You!
By Sara Butler
Many people eagerly await summer to get in full swing, and who can blame them? The weather’s nicer, the clothes are less restrictive and there’s just more to do outside in the sunshine. When you’re out and about in the summer, what do you wear on your feet? Sandals, tennis shoes or one of the most popular of summer shoes – flip-flops? It might be nice to wear shoes that allow your feet to breathe after the long winter, but they may not be the wisest choice for your summer wardrobe.
The Temptation of the Flip-Flop
It probably doesn’t surprise you to know that many chiropractic patients succumb to the siren song of the flip-flop in the summer. The chiropractors at The Joint see their fair share of patients with problems related to wearing flip-flops. Flip-flops are the downfall of many people who may not know better because they’re easy to put on, they’re inexpensive, and they come in a wide variety of colors. You can literally have a pair of flip-flops for every outfit and not break the bank.
Still, there are many problems with flip-flops to the health of your body, so if you’re going to wear them, you need to know the risks of wearing them.
The Problematic Flip-Flop
The biggest and most obvious drawback to wearing flip-flops is the lack of protection they offer. When you walk around all day in them, your feet are picking up dirt and germs, and the flip-flop offers no protection from scratches, cuts, falling objects, or banged up toes. This might be true of many types of sandals, but flip-flops take it a step farther.
The rubber soles on flip-flops offer you no traction. They make it more likely you will slip and fall and wet surfaces that have become slick. The soles are also thin, so they can be easily penetrated by nails, glass, and other sharp objects. More substantial shoes will have sturdier soles that won’t present this problem.
Plus, when you walk in a pair of flip-flops, your toes have to constantly flex to grab onto the shoe. This increases the chances of stress fractures and tendonitis from straining tendons that are doing more work than they were meant too. This can also lead, over time, to bunions – and no one wants bunions.
The biggest problem with flip-flops is that they offer no support or shock absorption for your spine. If you do a lot of walking, then your spine and lower back will suffer the consequences of reduced support throughout the day. If you have back problems, it will be best to avoid flip-flops altogether – go for a sturdy sports sandal instead!
To learn more about your health and wellness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic.