subject: Flip Flops And Your Foot Health [print this page] It's beach season! That means bikinis, short short's, frisbees and of course flip flops! It's so nice to air out your toes in the summer heat and flip flops go with just about any summer dress. There is a downside though and that is that flip flops are barely there, often offering you no support or defense against the world and the ground you walk on. Avoid painful flip flop fiascos this summer and prepare like this.
Leather for summer
It's not a material you often associate with summer but high quality leather is much less likely to give you blisters than cheaper material, and will last a lot longer.
Site the seal
The APMA (American Podiatric Medical Association) seal, that is. This tells you that the show was designed to meld with your foot and allow you to move naturally, the way a foot was meant to move, without straining any muscles.
Wear the right size
If your toe is hanging off that flip-flop, you could be picking up all sorts of germs. My friend is a voice coach and teaches little kids how to sing. Now, everybody knows kids carry all kinds of junk on their shoes. My friend wore flip flops too small for her, and was sharing that piano peddle with these kids and picked up a bad infection during one of her singing lessons.
Wear sturdy flip-flops everywhere
It's tempting to get those giant slippers or cheap flip flops at spas and gyms, but those places are crawling with plantar warts and athlete's foot. Even just in the steam room, wear a solid set of flip flops.
Toss them and move on
Flip flops can't last forever. Even those great leather ones will run their course. Every year, take a good look at those shoes to see which are still in good condition, or which have been worn down and are unable to give your feet support anymore.
Don't ignore the pain
If you feel irritation or tenderness right where the thong of the flip-flop rubs against the inside of your toes, get some band-aids or some new shoes. Aside from giving you unsightly and painful blisters, those could open your skin up and make it easy to get infected.
Don't over do it
Summer is a great time for impromptu games of Frisbee, or even hikes. Even if you're too lazy, you need to change into better shows to be active. You're too susceptible to sprains wearing them.
