Foot Action – Why it Matters <\/h3>\n
With the average American taking 5,117 steps a day — and experts recommending we take close to 5,000 more — our footwear is hardly an inconsequential choice. A 2012 survey<\/a> found 78 percent of American adults over the age of 21 report having had some sort of foot pain or issue at some point in their lives, and more than half reported having such issues at the time of the survey. And while there’s no single shoe that’s a perfect across the board, flip flops may be the riskiest pick<\/a> of them all— excluding Gaga’s armadillo hoof stilettos<\/a>, of course (and just imagine<\/em> how that armadillo feels).<\/p>\n While a 2010 study suggests flip flops may actually decrease the load on our knees, it looks like there's more risk in wearing the unsupportive shoes than benefits. In one study<\/a>, researchers compared the effects of wearing flip-flops and athletic shoes on 39 male and female college students. The flip-flop wearers took shorter steps and struck their heel to the ground with less vertical force than when in sneakers, causing their gaits to sway away from their natural rhythm. The reason? Most flip-flop wearers tend to clench their toes around the thong portion of the sandal to keep them from flying off. But toe curls aren’t quite what the doctor ordered and can instead lead to repetitive stress on the ankle and foot.<\/p>\n Even though thong-like sandals provide some cushioning benefit over bare feet alone, studies show they’re responsible for throwing human gait kinetics out of whack. The body is forced to compensate, and what starts as stress on the arch, heel, and the rest of the foot can eventually manifest as soreness in the legs, hips, and lower back.<\/p>\n Among the most treated flip-flop induced injuries is plantar faciitis, an inflammation of the connective tissue along the bottom of the foot that affects close to two million Americans<\/a> each year. This acute heel pain is most often sparked by all-day wear, with overweight or sedentary wearers even more susceptible<\/a> since their arches are already under strain. Roughly 20 percent of sufferers develop a chronic condition, making plantar faciitis even worse.<\/p>\n But it’s not all<\/em> doom and gloom on the flip-flop front. Here are a few tips<\/a> to keep in mind when picking a pair to rock for the warm weather:<\/p>\n![\"greatist-logo-new-small.jpeg\"](\"https:\/\/imagesvc.meredithcorp.io\/v3\/mm\/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fstatic.onecms.io%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fsites%2F12%2F2013%2F08%2Fgreatist-logo-new-small.jpeg\"){kind=logo}
greatist-logo-new-small.jpeg<\/span> <\/li>\n Where Flip Flops Fall Flat — The Answer\/Debate <\/h3>\n
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