Flip-flop wearers risk foot, leg, back injuries, researchers find

Sacramento Bee

As versatile as they are comfortable, the rubbery sandals are worn by the young and old, the fashion conscious and fashion oblivious. People don them with suits, three-piece and swim varieties.

Too bad, then, that podiatrists and researchers say flip-flops hurt our feet and lead to lower-leg injuries.

Researchers at Auburn University, studying the biomechanics of flip-flop use compared against that of athletic shoes, found that the distinct change of gait among sandal-wearers puts strain on the arch, ankle, even the hips and lower back.

“There’s a larger angle in your ankle in flip-flops,” says Justin Shroyer, the lead researcher. “So you’ve got this battle going on between muscles on top and on bottom, what your foot does in tennis shoes as opposed to flip-flops.”

That confirms an earlier study by the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons, showing a rise in flip-flop-related heel pain among patients age 15 to 25.

Podiatrists took these findings and, well, ran with them. They say flip-flops — and even more stable forms of sandals — should be worn only for short durations, not as a primary footwear. Unlike more stable shoes, flip-flops do not absorb the impact of steps, forcing the arch, heel calf or back to bear the brunt of the force.

So, it’s perfectly fine to waddle from the pool to the car in flip-flops, not so great to wear them to work for eight hours.

Yet no one, not even the most tightly wound podiatrist, is suggesting a ban on flip-flops — or even a warning label. They merely want the public to be aware of potential problems and perhaps buy a higher-quality sandal (with arch-support molding and harder tread) than the 10-buck flimsy drugstore model.