Fun and Fitness for the 40-Something

I’ve written previously about the “dangers” of flip-flops. Among other things, they can cause or exacerbate leg pain.  But a recent study looked at the relationship between flip-flops and foot problems. It turns out that wearing flip-flops may prove smarter than going barefoot.

According to the study in the Journal of the American Podiatric Medical Association, high amounts of pressure on a foot can lead to or exacerbate foot problems. The researchers were interested in how different shoes affect foot pressure. They measured the amount of pressure in 10 women with the same foot size and BMI range while they wore athletic shoes, flip-flops and no shoes at all.

The researchers concluded that flip-flops have a minor protective role as a shock absorber compared to walking barefoot. Compared with athletic shoes, however, they increase the foot pressure and put feet at greater risk for pathologic abnormalities.

So there you have it—some foot for thought (nyuk!).