Summer Flip Flop Aches

When clients come in for their sessions mid-summer there is a noticeable shift in their posture and walking gait. Much of that has to do with summer sandals and the pressure placed, through the feet, to other parts of the body.

Alot of summer sandals, in their design, don't give the body the support and cushion needed to walk properly and maintain good posture. The worst offenders would be Flip Flops and any kind of sandal that you slide your foot into.

With minimal cushioning for the sole of the foot, and a lack of arch and ankle support, many styles of summer shoes leave you open to injury from foot to neck.

With little cushioning, when you step down onto the heel of your foot, the surrounding soft tissue must absorb the force of impact, which can stress, overstretch and damage ligaments. Without ankle support it is more likely that you can sprain your ankle or weaken the supporting muscles.

When you walk, keeping your ankles, knees and hips aligned is helpful in maintaining good posture, which in turn is important for the health of your spine and neck. Flat summer shoes, with no arch support allow the foot to collapse which in turn affects how we walk and move. This places stress on the foot, joints and the rest of the body as they are forced to compensate.  

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Slip on summer shoes such as flip flops encourage flexion of your toes, in order to keep them on when walking, causing all the muscles in the foot to work harder. With prolonged use these muscles can become inflamed and injured, which may lead to plantar faciitis, tendonitis, pinching of the nerves, shin splints, etc. They are much harder on the body than being barefoot or wearing supportive foot wear.

​Like most things in life, moderation is a key in maintaining good posture. Changing up summer footwear so that you're not wearing those with little support for prolonged periods of time, will benefit your walking gait, posture, joints and muscles.

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