The effect of flip-flop sandals on the back

Introduction

Flip-flop sandals, originally designed for beachgoers to use while walking on hot sand, have become more commonplace as everyday footwear to many in warmer climates.

However, with those flip-flop sandals come concerns from many medical professionals and consumers as to why they are not a good source of footwear.

One of the biggest concerns with flip-flops is the fact they can cause hip and lower back pain. When wearing flip-flops, people tend to alter their gait¹ by taking shorter steps, which can lead to pain in other areas of the body.

Another concern is the spongy sole, which offers no arch support. The sole may seem soft and comfy, but this can cause pain in the heels, arches, ball of the foot, and toes. The foot also ends up over-pronating (rolling inward)² in flip-flops, especially with no added support for the arch of your foot.

Flip-flops also make the muscles and tendons work overtime. Since there is only a little v-shaped strap coming from between the toes and across the arch of the foot, there is not much holding the flip-flop to the foot. As people walk, they end up gripping their toes,³ making the muscles and tendons in their feet do all the work, which can lead to tendinitis.

The solution

Unlike some other slip-on sandals, Spenco sandals are designed with orthotic-quality arch and heel support. Spenco Total Support Sandals feature metatarsal arch support, which offloads pressure from the ball of the foot to help relieve forefoot pain. The stability cradle provides advanced arch support and deep heel cupping.

Spenco’s Total Support Sandal also offers a deep heel cup and arch support which provides motion control to help absorb shock and to help prevent over-pronation. Its deep heel also promotes proper foot motion and therefore prevents the need for additional toe gripping.

The unique design of the top strap of Spenco’s Total Support Sandal keeps the sandal snug on your foot through the gait cycle. With this snug fit, people tend to maintain a normal gait or stride, and there is no need for quicker, shorter steps that many tend to take when wearing traditional flip-flops.

Spenco’s unique sandal strap keeps the sandal in place and prevents it from slipping off while walking.

“Spenco’s Total Support Sandal is the best on the market. Patients enjoy the support and comfort while it facilitates a normal walking pattern. This is the first sandal I’ve felt comfortable recommending to my patients,” says Dr. Allan Grossman, DPM FACFAS, of Harrisburg, Pa.

References

¹ Parker-Pope, T. (2008, June 5). Summer flip-flops may lead to foot pain. Retrieved from http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/06/05/summer-flip-flops-may-lead-to-foot-pain/

² FitSugar. (2007, July 2). Flip flops: cute, but zero support. Retrieved from http://www.fitsugar.com/Flip-Flops-Cute-Zero-Support-355629

³ FitSugar. (2008, June 23). Are you guilty of the flip-flop shuffle. Retrieved from http://www.fitsugar.com/Flip-Flops-Change-Gait-Patterns-1725859

For more research, visit www.ChiroEco.com/ccr3Spenco.

This research was provided by Spenco Medical Corporation.