You cannot stay without them. Flip flops are just what you wear all the time, to the neighbourhood shop, around the house, for a casual stroll, and of course on the beach when holidaying. Flip flops are the most comfortable summer footwear as far as we are concerned, and we virtually live in them.
But when you are told that these very comfy footwear you swear by is actually harming your feet, what do you do? Well, truth be told, the flip flops are the most dangerous kind of footwear you can ever sport as they put your health at risk.
According to experts, flip flops let your feet be flat, as flat as possible, and if your feet tend to get too flat after a period of time, then you are not giving it any support.
These can typically lead to conditions like plantar fasciitis, which causes inflammation of tissues at the bottom of your feet. No wonder you have been complaining of foot ache so frequently.
The floppy nature of flip flops make them very hard for your toes to get a grip every time you walk, and as a result your toes need to work harder to hold on to them whilst you walk.
Continued wearing of the flip flops can aggravate this condition called hammertoe, in which your toe knuckles become abnormally arched upwards.
And that can be really painful. In addition to that these footwear always put you at the risk of slipping or stumbling because of the poor grip of their soles. It is a huge risk you run when you are walking on a treacherous track or are absentminded while walking. Flip flops offer no protection to your ankles and are so skimpy that they hurt your feet when you tread over sharp rocks.
In fact a study done by The New York Times found 18,100 types of bacteria on the flip flops in addition to harbouring the staphylococcus aureus, a very deadly kind of bacteria. In such a situation aren’t you then better off walking barefoot!
It is still a good idea if you are in the habit of washing or scrubbing your flip flops after every use. But just how frequently do you wash them? You simply end up carrying all those harmful bacteria along with you, sticking to your feet.
Time to switch to a different set of footwear that offers good grip to your toes, has a sole with enough friction, and most importantly, offers a certain cushion and form to your heels and toes.
Think about it. What would you rather walk on?
Image: DailyMail
Join the Conversation