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In warm weather, it's hard to resist the urge to break out your flip-flops, the truest sign of summer. The problem: The footwear horrifies most experts.
Here's why you should reserve your flip-flops for the beach, pool, spa, and shared showers — and keep your feet out of them, otherwise, according to Dr. Jackie Sutera, DPM, a podiatrist and spokesperson for the American Podiatric Medical Association.
1. Flip-flops expose your feet to bacteria, viral, and fungal infections. Any time your feet get particularly filthy (i.e., any time you wear your flip-flops in public), they're likely covered in some nasty things, like Staphylococcus. This bacteria can irritate the skin on your foot or (in a worst case scenario) lead to amputation. How severe exposure to Staphylococcus gets depends on whether you have open wounds—like micro-wounds from exfoliation during a recent pedicure or actual cuts—and your state of health when you pick up the bacteria.
Athlete's foot, an itchy fungal infection that's highly contagious, is also spread by contact with contaminated surfaces. When you wander around nearly barefoot, you're screwed if this fungus crosses your path. And the same goes for the virus that causes warts, human papillomavirus (HPV).
2. Flip-flops slow you down. An Auburn University study found that flip-flop wearers take smaller steps than people who wear sneakers.
3. Flip-flops make you extra clumsy. Those short strides you take when you wear flip-flops increase your risk of tripping (or being trampled in a crowd).
4. Flip-flops destroy your heels. Because your heels hit the ground with more force when there's nothing but a measly piece of foam separating your foot from the ground, walking in flip-flops accentuates the heel-strike impact, which could end up causing pain — especially if you stand or walk in them for extended periods of time.
5. Flip flops can cause terrible blisters. When a thin strap is the only thing that holds your shoe on, that strap rubs up against your skin every time you take a step. This can cause irritation and blisters. When blisters pop, you're left with an open wound that makes you more vulnerable to the pathogens you pick up anytime your foot is exposed.
6. Flip-flops can permanently damage your toes. Ever hear of hammertoe? It's when the knuckles of your toes bend — and stay like that forever. Here's the thing: When you wear flip-flops, your toes need to work extra hard to keep the shoe on your foot, which can cause hammertoe over time. If you want to avoid stiffness, pain, and potential surgery, stick with strappier sandals — ideally, a pair with a thick strap midfoot and another strap that goes behind your ankle. (So think Birkenstocks and Tevas.)
7. Flip-flops mess with your posture. Any super-flat shoe that doesn't bend like your foot does when you walk barefoot alters your biomechanics and affects your posture.
8. Flip-flops can cause shooting pains. People with flat feet need arch support to keep their knees, hips, and back aligned. In a flat shoe, there's none of that, so your joints have to compensate. This can cause overuse injuries all the way up the body, including Achilles tendonitis (an injury to the tendon that connects the calf muscle to the heel bone), heel pain, and pinched nerves in the back.
9. Flip-flops can exacerbate bunions. Because your toes have to work so hard to keep flip-flops on your feet, over-gripping can aggravate people with unsightly and painful bunions, a bump at the big toe joint. Not good.
10. Flip-flops could be made of toxic materials. Plastic straps may be made of latex, which many people are allergic to, or BPA-laden plastic, which is linked to various cancers. Do you really want your toes to get all up in that? Opt for sandals with fabric or leather straps, because natural materials tend to be safer.
So, yes, flip-flops are bad for you.
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Elizabeth Narins is a Brooklyn, NY-based writer and a former senior editor at Cosmopolitan.com, where she wrote about fitness, health, and more. Follow her at @ejnarins.
