Flip Flops

Health concerns

While commonly believed to be comfortable, flip-flops provide little to no ankle support, and are responsible for many foot related issues. Dr. John E. Mancuso, a podiatrist at the Manhattan Podiatry Associates in New York pointed out that some flip-flops have a spongy sole, so when then foot hits the ground, it rolls inward and the sponge allows it to roll even more than usual. This is known as pronation and causes many problems in the foot. Each time a foot hits the ground, the arch is supposed to be locked to absorb shock. But during pronation, the arch opens and releases this locking mechanism, leading to problems such as pain in the heel, the arch, the toes and in the forefoot. Exacerbating this, some flip-flops force a person to overuse the tendons in the foot, which can cause tendonitis.

Ankle sprains are also common due to stepping off a curb or stepping wrong, the ankle bends, but the flip flop does not hold on to nor supports it. The open nature of flip-flops also exposes the foot to the enviroment. Dirty side walks and tall grass can lead to an increased chance of infection.