Flip flops: yes or no? The heads and tails of a typically summer shoe

by time news

2023-08-05 02:08:30

saturated nurse

ILLUSTRATION: ULISES CULEBRO

Updated Saturday, August 5, 2023 – 02:08

These footwear can help us prevent us from suffering from some unwanted infections, but we should never abuse them because they carry risks for the foot. We show you their pros and cons so that you can make proper use of them

In summer, in addition to our clothes, we also change our shoes. After months protected by socks and boots, our feet become more exposed than ever. That is why we must take a series of precautions to avoid contracting infections and some other pathology that can cause us to end up in the podiatrist’s office.

Points in favor of the use of flip flops

Flip flops are more than recommended footwear for spaces where we can find ponded water such as the common showers, the accesses to the pools and the area around the basin, the changing rooms… Mainly because their use will prevent slips and falls and because it will protect our feet from infections.

The most commons are:

Fungus. The most common foot fungus infections can be basically divided into two: athlete’s foot and tinea pedis, but the first one is undoubtedly the most common. Wearing a pair of flip-flops in swimming pools and changing rooms is the best way to prevent infection, as well as drying the spaces between and under your toes well with a towel. Fortunately, its contagion is not something serious, but it is very annoying because the area will itch a lot and injuries can occur if the skin cracks.Papilomavirus o VPH. Getting infected with this virus is very easy, especially in summer because the number of people who go to changing rooms and swimming pools multiplies, and the best way to prevent it is to always use flip flops, do not share shoes or towels and keep your feet dry. Despite the fact that its name, human papilloma virus, reminds us of an STD that can cause cancer, it should be remembered that the HPV are a family of more than 200 types of viruses. and in the case of the cousin of the feet, it will be limited to causing an annoying and painful plantar wart that will not have worse consequences.

Points against the use of flip flops

As we have seen, flip flops can help us avoid suffering from some of the main foot pathologies, but we should never abuse them. Its use should be limited exclusively to changing rooms, beaches and swimming pools. If we use them to walk for long distances, it would not be strange if we suffered any of the following problems:

tendon inflammation. When walking with flip flops we have a tendency to curve our fingers to hold them, we put them in a claw, also the steps we take are shorter due to this lack of adequate support and we unconsciously make a greater effort when walking which means continually tensing muscles and tendons. That will end up inflaming them and causing pain.plantar fasciitis. The flip flops, along with a large part of the summer footwear such as ballerinas, ballerinas or espadrilles, They are very flat shoes that do not respect the natural unevenness of the plantar arch. As a consequence, there is an extra effort and tension in the musculature of the sole of the foot when walking, in the plantar fascia, which is stretched and will end up causing inflammation and significant pain.Ankle sprain. A flip-flop does not hold the foot properly, and if it is one of those that only has a vertical piece that is inserted between two fingers and a horizontal strip that goes from side to side, the ones known as flip-flop, even worse. That little support of the foot generates a significant instability of the gait, who has not turned the flip-flop and has ended up with the heel stepping outside, and that very easily leads to sprains, trips and falls.

Conclusion, we should wear flip flops but never abuse them. We will limit their use to the spaces for which they have been designed, and if the walk to the pool or the beach is long, we will change them for another shoe that supports the foot, provides stability and has an insole that respects the plantar arch.

According to the criteria of The Trust Project

Know more
#Flip #flops #heads #tails #typically #summer #shoe

You may also like

Leave a Comment