Fun and Fitness for the 40-Something

I wasn’t allowed to wear sandals when I was growing up, let alone flip-flops, but I remember my older sisters sporting the wooden Dr. Scholl’s. I’ve never forgotten the claim that they were good for your legs.

It turns out, though, that flip-flops and their ilk may actually cause or exacerbate leg pain.

Last August, I went into physical therapy to deal with some lower leg pain that nagged me off-and-on for almost two years. I knew running was the likely culprit, but I also wondered if flip-flops made things worse. My physical therapist confirmed this suspicion, saying flip-flops were definitely a no-no for me.

Because four months and about $3,000-worth of physical therapy didn’t alleviate my pain (ultimately, strength training was the cure), I lost faith in my therapist. I wondered again about the flip-flop thing. Was he right on that? Apparently.

The science of flip-flops

A study presented at this year’s annual meeting of the American College of Sports Medicine considered the effects of flip-flops on lower legs. Researchers found that flip-flop wearers take shorter steps and their heels hit the ground with less vertical force than when they wore athletic shoes-more of a shuffle than an actual step. When wearing flip-flops, the wearers did not bring their toes up as much during the leg’s swing phase, resulting in a larger ankle angle and shorter stride length, possibly because they tended to grip the flip-flops with their toes.

“We found that when people walk in flip-flops, they alter their gait, which can result in problems and pain from the foot up into the hips and lower back,” the study’s lead author said. “Variations like this at the foot can result in changes up the kinetic chain, which in this case can extend upward in the wearer’s body.”

“Flip-flops are not designed for prolonged use or for walking long distances,” he advised. “They lack the support that a walking or running shoe provides. Flip-flops should only be worn casually and for shorter periods of time. They probably should also not be a primary footwear choice.”

He recommends that someone with lower-leg or foot problems:

• limit flip-flop usage,
• choose models with more support, and
• replace flip-flops often-every few months.

Vehicular risks

Then there’s the problems flip-flops can create when just trying to navigate daily life. One friend has had both a bike and a car accident that can be blamed on her flip-flops. While biking, her foot slipped off the pedal, and her flip-flop caught in the spokes of the front tire. Cut to her flying over the handle bars.

Another time, this same friend was pulling into a perpendicular parking space. As she moved her foot from the gas to the brake, her foot slipped out of its flip-flop near the heel. When she pushed down to brake, the flip-flop also hit the gas. The car surged forward and hit a wall. She takes some solace from another friend who had a similar experience, only he hit another car.

She could just be unlucky, but these risks are something to think about, too.

Avoiding flip-flop missteps

So my flip-flop usage this summer has been sparing. I’d rather not wear my running shoes as much as I do, but why risk a relapse of the lower leg pain that sidelined me for so long?

This entry was posted on Sunday, August 10th, 2008 at 3:00 am and is filed under Health and Wellness, News, Products and Reviews. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.