Are Flip Flops Causing Your Foot Pain? 

Flip flops are easy to put on to run out the door during the summer. However, if you’re wearing them more than just to walk by the pool with, you could be harming your feet. Here is the good, bad, and everything in between about these popular summer shoes and how they could be the source of your foot pain. 

The Ugly Truth About Flip Flops

Flip flops are a simple shoe that is to give you quick, simple protection for the bottom of your foot while you’re out by the pool or walking around on hot surfaces during the summer. Additionally, flip flops are also a good option when you need to shower in public locker rooms where it’s common to catch ailments like athlete’s foot or plantar warts. However, WebMD explains, it’s a bad idea to wear these shoes for long periods of time due to their lack of support. 

Flip flops are not sturdy shoes, so they are not a good shoe option when you’ll be walking far distances. They have no arch support, heel cushioning, or shock absorption. Due to this, committed flip flop wearers often suffer foot pain, tendinitis, or even sprained ankles more often than those who opt for a more reliable shoe. 

Flip Flop Foot Injuries

If you’re going to be going out on a hike or going out shopping for a few hours, you might rethink wearing flip flops. Due to how they’re designed, these shoes come with a number of risks if you wear them frequently or during too strenuous of activities. Common issues we see with flip flops are: 

Puncture 

Since these shoes are made of thin, spongy material, it is easy for things like glass or nails to puncture flip flops and cause injury to your foot. 

Toe of foot injury 

Another common injury due to flip flops is that they offer little protection to the top of the foot. Due to this, your risk of injury is increased. For example, it’s easier to stub your toe, have your toes stepped on, be injured by a falling object, or be burned by a hot liquid when you’re in the kitchen. 

Plantar fasciitis 

Since flip flops are flat and simple, they put a lot of stress on the arch of your foot due to lack of support. This can cause inflammation of the tissue in your arch, an injury known as plantar fasciitis. It can bring along symptoms like stabbing pain in the arch of your food from the heel to the toes. If left untreated, it can lead to other foot issues like heel spurs. 

Toe deformities 

Flip flops can cause or exacerbate conditions like bunions, hammertoes, and corn. The instability of flip flops cause your toes to naturally flex and over grip to maintain contact with the shoe. Over time, this can lead to toe deformities. 

Tendinitis 

Tendinitis occurs after injury to the tendons in the foot, most commonly due to overuse. It is painful and can cause stiffness and swelling in your foot and ankle.

Ankle injury

Since these shoes offer almost no support, even a minor misstep can cause your foot to overturn and cause a fall, ankle sprain, or even worse, an ankle injury. 

Foot Pain Symptoms 

Foot pain can include a number of different conditions and symptoms and is a very vague term, however, you don’t have to pinpoint your exact sensations to make an appointment with our team. When you meet with us, we will help you rule out common causes until we find the exact issue through questions and testing. Common foot pain symptoms include:

• Acute or chronic pain.
• Irrigation that appears in the ankles, any part of the foot, or toes.
• Redness and inflammation that is visible to the eye.
• Swelling of the ankle, foot, or toes.
• Burning, prickling, or pins and needles sensations.
• Problems with pressure from shoes or standing.
• Flattened or aching arches.
• Thickened pads of the skin on the botox of the foot.
• Deformations or bumps along the bones
• Pain that is triggered by activity or rest. 

Foot Pain Help with Texas Spine and Sports Therapy Center

If you have been suffering from foot pain and other doctors have told you that your only option is surgery, you’ve come to the right place. At Texas Spine and Sports Therapy Center, we believe that most patients can recover with consistent conservative treatments. When it comes to food and ankle pain, our team can help you with options such as:

• Stretching instruction to show you ways to relieve tightness in the band. 
• Custom inserts for your shoes to offer better arch support.
• Chiropractic adjustments.
• Sports injury assessment to help you get back to training as quickly as possible.
• Advice on ways to protect your feet with orthopedic inserts and better exercise habits.
• Deep tissue massage to relieve stress while reducing pain in the feet.
• Vibration therapy to encourage fractures deep in the ankle or foot to heal. 

To get help with your foot pain today, call Texas Spine and Sports Therapy Center at (512)-806-0015 to schedule an appointment.