The next generation of flip flops?

Aha, I knew it. Wearing shower shoes can be damaging to our health. Of course, I’m talking about those rubber thongs that masquerade as shoes – the ubequitous flip-flop. I’ve seen them at church, in “white table cloth” restaurants, and even at a wedding or two. We used to call them “shower shoes” because that’s what they were designed for.

Now I read that flip-flops can create health problems down and road – and perhaps even cause fatal accidents! Yes, they are comfy. You can just slide into them and, voila, ready for a quick trip to the supermarket. Or, as I saw recently, your wedding reception! But they are very poor footwear for walking any distance. We might as well glue cardboard to the bottoms of our feet.

A research study presented at the 2008 55th Annual Meeting of the American College of Sports Medicine(ACSM) in Indianapolis showed that flip flops give no support and alter our walking patterns in ways that can lead to foot and leg pain. “Flip-flops are not designed for prolonged use or for walking long distances,” said lead author Justin F. Shroyer in a press release. “They lack the support that a walking or running shoe provides. Flip-flops should only be worn casually and for shorter periods of time. They probably should also not be a primary footwear choice.” Source: American College of Sports Medicine

Flip-Flopping Isn’t Walking: As a walker, you strike the ground with your heel and roll through the step, finally pushing off with the toe. If you attempt to do that properly in flip-flops, you….can’t. They would flip off your feet. Flip-flopping isn’t proper walking. Instead, you are basically sliding, stomping, and shuffling. This is a problem of any shoe that lacks a heel cup or strap to keep the shoe on your foot when you are striking with your heel.

Flip-flops have single handedly caused more problems with people’s feet in the last couple years than probably any other type of shoe,” said Dr. Rock Positano, a podiatrist at New York’s Hospital for Special Surgery.

These women and others may be heading feet first into a world of short- and long-term foot problems. Positano sees about five to 10 flip-flop related injuries a week — injuries he believes are a direct result of women wearing flip-flops in place of normal walking shoes.

And don’t flip flop while driving. Three in every four motorists have admitted they find it hard to drive in flip flops and road safety experts have warned that wearing the sandals in the car could be a lethal decision.

Researchers claim a flip flop can easily get stuck under the pedals and cause a fatal accident.

Craig Martin, spokesman for Norwich Union who carried out the poll, told the newspaper: “Footwear such as flip flops are dangerous as the sole can get caught under a pedal.