Get Your Feet Summer-Ready : 5 Sandal Wearing Tips

With spring already here and summer about to follow, perhaps you are looking forward to those leisurely strolls on the beach or lazing by the pool. We bet you either have your sandals or flip-flops handy or plan to get a new pair.

However, did you know how the wrong sandal or flip-flop could cause foot pain, blisters and even more discomfort that would require a consultation with an experienced podiatrist with considerable expertise? Here are five tips to get you moving in a sandal or flip-flop in true summery style:

1. Wear not sandals that bend in half:  Do not wear sandals that bend in half, as they cannot offer good arch support. Sandals or flip-flops that fail to give adequate arch support will cause foot fatigue, and can even trigger strain and pain in the lower back, hips and knees. Ideally, you should buy a new pair only after testing whether they fold or bend in half. Those that do are unsuitable for wearing, as they will not provide your feet with adequate support.

2. Remember to break in your sandals: Wear your new sandals for short periods to break them in. You could even put a band-aid between the first and second toes to give your toes a protective cushion. Though breaking in the sandals would be uncomfortable, you should do it to enjoy wearing them comfortably later on.

3. Wear them just for relaxation: Your sandals and flip-flops are not meant for that Disneyland trip or a visit to the mall. Do not sport them when you have to walk long stretches or for a long time; use them instead for activities of relaxation like a stroll on the beach or when lazing by the poolside. Since sandals do not offer support to keep your foot in place, spraining or twisting your ankle or tripping over are common. This makes it important to limit their use and thus avoid chances of strain, sprain and other injuries.

4. Check the sandal straps carefully: Though this may be the last thing on your mind when shopping for sandals, it would help to buy ones with wider, softer straps. You should check if the straps go over bones or have seams at spots that could cause friction blisters. If you are prone to foot pain, you should ideally go for regular sandals and not the thongs; the latter cause your ligaments and tendons a lot of extra stress, which in turn can cause stress fractures, heel pain, tendonitis and ankle problems.

5. Replace sandals with worn-out soles: Just like shoes, your flip-flops and sandals too are subject to wear and tear. Though they might have given your feet adequate support in the past, their worn out and tilted soles may now do more harm than good. This makes it important to inspect your sandals at regular intervals by placing them on a table, and taking a close look at them at eye-level. If they aren’t flat, you should know it’s time to replace them.

Since every foot is different (with respect to shape, arches etc), it is important you try the comfort quotient of new sandals by putting them on before you buy. Instead of buying them online, visit a store and buy the pair after a thorough trial. Remember the tips given above and you will have a great time sporting your flip-flops and sandals.

Which shoes are the worst for your feet?

Footwear and its effect on your body

We spend most of the day on our feet. We walk, run, climb, stand for long periods of time and generally abuse our feet a lot. To make matters worse, we use the wrong type of footwear and add to the strain that we put on our feet. Ill fitting footwear not only puts stress on the feet, but it strains the back too. Let’s take a look at the various kinds of footwear and its effect on our feet.

Stilettos or high heels

This is by far the worst offender. The foot is in an abnormal angle and this strains your feet and your back, as the body tries to keep its equilibrium. Any kind of high heeled shoes is not good for your feet and back. Stilettos are especially bad as the chances of twisting your foot and getting an ankle sprain or a hairline fracture is a possibility. Most women prefer stilettos when they go to work, as it gives them more height. If you wear stilettos on a regular basis, try to rest your feet when you are at your table, by taking off the shoes and doing some simple foot exercises. There are insoles available that can be fitted to the stilettos to make it a bit more comfortable. Some common problems that arise when using stilettos are Achilles tendon and stress fractures.

Flip Flops

Surprisingly, flip flops which one would think is one of the most comfortable types of footwear ranks high among foot offenders. People tend to wear flip flops all the time, whether at home or going out. The reason why flip flops are not the right choice of footwear for regular use is that they don’t have an arch support.

They are also open footwear and the chances of hurting your foot are high. You could develop chronic foot problems like tendonitis or plantar fasciitis.

Pumps

If your pumps are high heeled, the same injuries that occur with stilettos could happen. But high heeled pumps are worse than open toed stilettos as the whole foot is bearing down on the pointed end of the pump. Neuromas, which are inflammations between the toes, can occur along with other problems like hammer toes. The pain of a neuroma could be quite severe and you may need physical therapy or even surgery to remove it. 

Ballet shoes

You would think ballet shoes would be a good choice, but like flip flops they do not offer any support for the arch and unlike flip flops they don’t have cushioning under the feet. So you could develop corns and calluses. Wearing closed ballet shoes could also give rise to bacteria and foot infections because the enclosed shoes keep the foot humid. Some ways to prevent problems when using ballet shoes are by inserting gel supports that can give your arch support and cushion your foot. Airing your feet once in a while and using fungal powder in the morning and night should prevent bacterial build up.

Almost all kinds of shoes do affect the feet in some way. But the fact is, walking barefoot isn’t that great for your feet either. These small pieces of our body support our whole weight, help us maintain balance and are probably one of the most neglected parts of our body. So, there is really no perfect shoe for the foot. The best thing to do is find a shoe that you are comfortable in and use some kind of orthotic help to make sure that you are giving your foot optimum care.