July 10, 2008

Flip flops can damage your feet

As soon the sun appears in the summer sky that piece of footwear known as the flip flop also begins to appear on the feet of almost anyone these days. But although the flip flop of today is far removed from the originals the health problems remain the same.

Because of the design of these shoes, they offer virtually no support or come to think of it protection from anything that is likely to get in the way of your feet. This can result in a whole variety of foot related problems such as sprained ankles, stubbed toes and even more serious problems like tendonitis.

This is particularly so when it comes to the twenty to thirty age groups, many hospitals and doctors are reporting these problems some patients are turning up with broken heel’s and damaged toenails.

Dr. Stephanie Wu, assistant professor of surgery at the Dr. William M. Scholl College of Podiatric Medicine at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science in North Chicago believes that flip flops are fine in moderation, but not as a replacement for regular footwear.

Source [Chicago Tribune]