Diet & Fitness Blog
Flip-Flops: Hazardous to Your Health?
Email PageStaff Writer
I like to wear flip-flops, and since I live in Florida, I can wear them almost the whole year round. They are my footwear of choice and I sport them daily. They are summer's official shoe.
However, a recently released study from Auburn University suggests that my favorite footwear may be hazardous to my health. The researchers found that flip-flops alter the walk of the wearer and the altered stride can lead to persistent foot and ankle pain.
Apparently, flop wearers take shorter steps which create greater stress on the body over the same distance of regular shoe wearers. Plus, the toes must pinch to hold the flip-flops in place, creating an imbalance in toe muscles. Not to mention the lack of arch and heel support -- especially for those who wear their flops until the tread is paper thin. Being overweight was another factor that contributed to worsening the ankle and foot pain.
However, before you hide your toes away and throw your flops away, there is a silver lining: Like most things we take pleasure in, you can enjoy flops in moderation according to those presenting the research.
I can't possibly part with my summer slides, but I will buy pairs with better support and replace them more frequently. It's hard to give up such a casual, yet functional footwear that illustrates my bohemian beliefs so simply. They are quick, comfortable and keep my feet from getting too smelly. I mean, I gave up smoking for my health, but I'm no saint -- I'm not giving up my flops.
Will you stand your ground on flip-flops or will you kick the habit?
Get the facts on what other seemingly innocent habits can be hazardous to your health by joining eDiets. Sign up now to get 25% off!
Labels: children's health, clothes, sandals, shoes, study
Comment by 
said... - Wednesday, June 25, 2008 2:33:00 AM
I am with you, I love my flip flops but I live in northern British Columbia Canada so there for only wear them about 4 months a year and not every day. My husband and I walk daily, and I do have a excellent pair of runners for that.
I really find my flip flops so comfortable, and I have fetish for them. I am not one of those ladies that have a million pairs of shoes, but I do have many, many, pairs of flip flops and love them all. Have a great day, and I wished I lived in Florida, bye for now, M.C
Comment by said... - Wednesday, June 25, 2008 7:10:00 AM
I also enjoy flip flops, but since bunion surgery, I will not risk poor quality shoes! I have found a great alternative which still looks like a flip flop yet gives support and no stress on those toes! Birkenstock makes several styles of flip flops which are both stylish and healthy shoes. Believe me, I like style and their shoes are no longer "granola" but quite up in their styling.
Tricia
Comment by said... - Wednesday, June 25, 2008 7:35:00 AM
i also enjoy wearing flip-flops especially since i have to wear closed waterproof boots at work we need a chance to let our feet feel free from confinement i don't know of any shoe unless it was measured for your feet that really fits and supports i also buy better supported flip-flops for this reason we need good made shoes at good prices too
Comment by said... - Wednesday, June 25, 2008 7:55:00 AM
Nope, I'll still flop. Flopping is too convenient and pleasant to give up. It's like asking me to give up my occasional glass of fine wine. Ain't gonna happen!
Comment by said... - Wednesday, June 25, 2008 8:40:00 AM
This is so true! I was just to the doctor with foot problems and I have Plantar's Fascitis which he blames on my flip flops. And I wear the Nike flip flops that have arch and heel support, but still they are not good enough. Ugh.
Comment by 
abb said... - Wednesday, June 25, 2008 9:49:00 AM
I enjoy my flip flops but I do wear Rainbows and Crocs both of which are more supportive than your rubber flip flops..I am overweight and have flat feet and I have not experienced any pain or duress from wearing these shoes. I have rainbows in several colors and crocs too since I can wear these shoes to work. I love them and will continue to wear them :-)
Comment by said... - Wednesday, June 25, 2008 11:26:00 AM
I love my flip flops i have them in every color i live in New York so i only wear them durng the spring and summer months . They are just to comfortable to give up.I also am very physically fit i go to the gym 4 times a weak so being over weight is not an issue. Hail the Flip Flop I LOVE them
Comment by said... - Wednesday, June 25, 2008 12:57:00 PM
i am a lover of flip-flops and live in them for about 6 months a year. I have had ankle issues in the past. However, I have found a new type of flip-flop..."Fit-flop". I love them!! I have been wearing them for over a month now and not an ache or a pain anywhere! They are supportive and extremely confortable! I even have my sister hooked on them and she has foot and back issues. They are a little pricey, but sooo worth it! Give them a try...C.M.
Comment by said... - Wednesday, June 25, 2008 3:39:00 PM
I am with you also. I grew up in Florida and flip flops year round, I live in No. California now and have had bunion surgery on 1 foot and getting ready to have the other foot done. I also have high arches. I have switched over to Birkenstocks also. They are so comfortable and give me plenty of arch support. I live in my birkenstocks year round now even in the winter when it snows, I just put socks on. I can't stand closed shoes, my feet want to breathe too. I sure miss the year round weather of Florida tho. M.S.
Comment by said... - Tuesday, July 15, 2008 11:03:00 PM
I believe that everything is good in moderation even flip flops.
T.B. in California
Comment by said... - Wednesday, August 13, 2008 2:30:00 PM
I have been wearing flip-flops since my days in the service in Vietnam. I love wearing them. They are comfortable. They also keep the toes straight. I seldom saw individuals in my travels in Asia who wore them having ingrown toenails or corns. Shoes suck. Even, though I have to wear them, sometime. I keep the times infrequent.
Comment by said... - Wednesday, August 13, 2008 3:23:00 PM
I currently have a broken bone in my foot because I didn't see a curb and stepped down really hard while wearing thin soled flip flops. The doctor said those are the worst shoes you can wear and should only be used for the beach if at all.
Comment by said... - Wednesday, August 13, 2008 4:29:00 PM
Never been much of a flopper, but I do love my Chaco sandals. If I could figure out a way to get away with wearing them at work, I would. Good arch support and back straps to keep them on. I've hiked in them as well, and they hold up. I was suffering with Plantar's Fascitis when a friend recommended that I try them. After a few months of wearing them, the Plantar's Fascitis went away. My wife has Keen sandals, and she loves them--supposed to give the support-n-such like the Chacos, so I might try them in the future.
Comment by said... - Wednesday, August 13, 2008 5:04:00 PM
I am not about to do a flip flop on my flip flops. I love the fancy styles with the high foam platforms. They dress up capris, cargos and shorts in the summer months and with a little spray-on tan and some red nail polish on the toes I feel like a million bucks... even if I do curl my toes and take short steps.
Marianoir in Scottsdale, AZ
Comment by Maikeru76 said... - Thursday, August 14, 2008 11:38:00 PM
Yes, I agree on some of this BUT I have to say that I have been using flip-flops in all their incarnations and never had any problem with them all these 25 years (yes, I'm 31 and I have used them since I could remember)
Then again, you people are right. choose ones with adequate arch support (they can be considered sandals where I am at) and one more thing, for longer walks, please use the proper shoes...
Nice article and you are on myspace page as part of my top 40! c",
Comment by Flip Flop Supplier said... - Sunday, April 12, 2009 9:02:00 PM
Hi there! No worries because the only time flip flops, or any other object for that matter, are dangerous is when it has high lead content. Check the label before making a purchase. Flip flops remain to be the most comfy footwear.
Comment by The Short (dis)Order Cook said... - Wednesday, June 24, 2009 9:26:00 AM
It amazes me that people will hear again and again how bad flip flops are for their backs and feet and yet will continue to stubbornly wear them. It's like people who sunbathe.
Spend a little extra money on something a little sturdier, a sandal with a slight wedge. You'll still have that summery feel, but your body will thank you.
Comment by said... - Wednesday, June 24, 2009 10:17:00 AM
Interesting picture of the very sandals that Wal-Mart had to recall due to severe chemical reactions people have had with the strap. Absolutely - these particular sandals are very hazardous to your health! Check out the story at http://dremilykane.com/2008/02/10/walmart-sandals-burn-feet/
Comment by said... - Wednesday, June 24, 2009 12:26:00 PM
I LOVE MY FLIP FLOPS!!! There is no way I'm giving them up. I'm overweight and 40. I live in Florida and have probably been wearing them since I was a kid, and never had a problem with my feet. I don't wear them to work, but if I'm home, headed for the beach or just out to do some shopping. Flip Flops have always been my first choice. :)
Comment by said... - Wednesday, June 24, 2009 3:16:00 PM
This isn't a problem for me. I love wearing sandals on hot days and for Summer style, but having anything slamming up between my toes with each and every step, like with flip flops, I can easily pass.
Comment by said... - Wednesday, June 24, 2009 6:35:00 PM
I love flip flops, and have been wearing them since I was a kid! My current flops are a bit better than the drugstore variety from my childhood - North Face ones with surprisingly good arch support.
I did have an unfortunate flip flop incident about 3 years ago - I was visiting a friend in New Mexico and went out for a walk. While looking at something at eye level, I didn't pay attention to wear I was stepping. I took a step forward into a short nopal cactus and promptly got cactus needles jammed into my toes (OUCH). I pulled my foot back in shock and somehow hit the sidewalk hard and broke a toe on top of that (double OUCH)! I limped back to her house, pulled out the needles, iced my toe and wrapped it, but I swear I will never give up my flip flops! I do however, watch where I step when in unfamiliar territory, and now alternate flip flops with my Earth sandals...
Comment by said... - Wednesday, June 24, 2009 9:43:00 PM
Flip flops are a must!! I am born and raised in the Tropical Island, it is constant heat or 2 months of wet weather. Flip flop's dries quick and ready for use again and economical. However, after years of flip flop usage and my up and down weight, my feet with high arch gave-up and a podiatry loosened my arch's tendons to relieve the cause of pain and pressure, he suggested i stop wearing flip flops. But life is short to stop wearing what i enjoy in comfort. So unless I'm going mountain hiking, i remained a flip flop wearer. This sexy Filipina girl lives in California livin happily with slippers in style. Enjoy yours =)
Comment by said... - Sunday, June 28, 2009 7:50:00 AM
I have been wearin filflops since before they were called that and were called thongs probably since 1956 and I am now 59 rs old. Don't have a problem with my ankles or arches. in fact I have great arches. I do have to cream my feet and get a pedicure once in a while as my heels do become dry and crack which by the way happens in the winter when I don' wear Filip's. So I just disproved all your so call facts.
Comment by said... - Sunday, June 28, 2009 1:02:00 PM
And, do not forget what has happened to some people from wearing flip-flops made of sub-standard plastic from China, that were sold at Walmart:
http://www.snopes.com/medical/toxins/flipflop.asp
TERRIBLE CHEMICAL BURNS. SEE LINK IN THE SNOPES PAGE, TO SEE PICTURES FOR YOURSELF!
Comment by Gardenbuzzy said... - Sunday, June 28, 2009 3:08:00 PM
I wear a pair of Crocs sandals (constructed like flip-flops) that have great arch support and don't require my toes to pinch to hold them on. I have high arches and need arch support and these sandals provide that. I live in them during the summer and they are the most comfortable sandals I have ever had. I have other Crocs I wear at home and at work during the rest of the year. All of them provide support and comfort.
Comment by said... - Sunday, June 28, 2009 4:11:00 PM
I will NEVER wear a flip flop. They are not good for your feet or your back period! What do I wear on the beach and outdoors, you ask? A customized pair of sandals, complete with 3 arch supports(there are 3 arches to the foot, not just 1)and a lift built into the sandal. My sandals are over 2 years old and well worth the money invested into them.
Comment by said... - Sunday, June 28, 2009 5:28:00 PM
I tried my first pair of flip flops on Memorial Day weekend. . our first family vacation for the season. Twisted my ankle so bad we left our vacation 2 days early to get me to the ER. . . 5 weeks later and I am still in a lot of pain. Will never wear them again!!!!
Comment by 
pixiequeen05 said... - Monday, June 29, 2009 2:27:00 AM
croc flip flops?? no one's said anything im surprised. don't they have more support?(well arch- idk about ankle..)
Comment by said... - Tuesday, June 30, 2009 7:15:00 AM
I work as alifeguard at an indoor pool, so even in the winter I wear flip flops. I love them. I haven't notice any change in my walk when I wear them. I choose thick cushioned soled flip flops with some support since I walk on concrete all day. My feet never hurt, even after a long day at the pool. I think those researchers need to find something else to do with their time and leave us casual foot wear lovers alone.
Comment by said... - Tuesday, July 21, 2009 12:52:00 PM
I am addicted to flip flops and have worn them for over 50 years. I once had a pair I was soooo addicted to that I wore the whole back 1/3 of the sole off (it took about 8 years). Even then, I still wore them until my teenage children threw them away! I cried!!!!!
Yes, I am still wearing flip flops and I turned 65 this year! However, Feb. of this year I had them on and attempted to turn another direction to walk down the stairs on a friend's patio in Mexico. For some reason, my left flip flop didn't turn but seemed to be stuck where it was. As a result, I fell off the top stair onto the flagstone walk below and broke my femur! Ouch! 1 week in the hospital for surgery and placement of a long steel plate and screws. It is now 6 months later and I struggle every day to walk normally without pain.
I still want to wear my flip flops so badly that some days I will put them on and fantasize about wearing them the rest of my life but I am too terrified to walk in them and don't know if I will ever walk in them again.
Since the accident, I have discovered that I have very advanced osteoporosis that is much worse than I had thought and I am a candidate for another significant fracture even if I never wear flip flops again. I would strongly advise those of you over 50 men and women, know your bone density and if you have osteoporosis you might consider removing at least 1 risk factor related to fractures, your flip flops.
One thing is for sure though....I will definitely be buried in them!
A Recovering Flip Flop Addict
Comment by said... - Tuesday, July 21, 2009 2:25:00 PM
I adore my flip flops (where I grew up we call them "footflops" and have many pairs in rainbows of shades... but this article is making me wonder if the heel and back pain I've experienced for the past couple of summers could be due to wearing my favorite summer footwear! Oh no! I guess it's worth sticking to crocs and birkies for a few weeks to see if I notice a difference :-(
RSS/XML
