Are Flip Flops Causing You Heel Pain?

Are Flip Flops Causing You Heel Pain?

Flip flops are fashionable and ideal for warm-weather outings, and with good reason. They are comfortable to wear and go with all your beachwear. However, if you wear them a lot, you may notice some soreness in your feet after a day of wearing them. In some cases, you may even have heel pain.

Although flips flops and similar flat shoes are not exactly bad for you, they can cause heel pain if that is all you wear. Like most things, too much of flat shoes can be harmful. If you have experienced some heel pain after wearing flip flops for long, you may have experienced a condition called plantar fasciitis.

What is Plantar Fasciitis?

Plantar fasciitis is the inflammation of your plantar fascia, a strip of tissue that connects your heel to the tendons of your toes. It occurs when the heel is subjected to continuous strain, leading to pain around the heel.

How can flips flops cause plantar fasciitis?

Most flip flops and other flat shoes lack adequate support for the heel. Since they are flat, most of the pressure and impact from walking and standing goes straight to your heel.

If you wear such shoes for prolonged periods, your plantar fascia can become injured and inflamed, leading to plantar fasciitis.

What to Do

If you are experiencing heel pain from wearing flip flops too often, a change of footwear can significantly impact your recovery. Podiatrists recommend that you switch to footwear with better heel support and arch support to help with this. If you develop heel or arch pain, you should see your podiatrist in case you have plantar fasciitis.

Furthermore, you can use home remedies like rolling your sole over a tennis ball to loosen the tissue and relieve the pain or apply an ice pack to the affected area.

Does this mean you should stop wearing flip flops altogether?

Not at all. Once your feet get better, you can go back to wearing flip flops, but only occasionally. Mix up your footwear with shoes that offer support. On the days you know you will be on your feet for extended periods, skip the flip flops and wear something with heel support instead.

Flip Flops and Cracked Heels

Another condition that can occur from continuously wearing flips flops is cracked heels. If you wear flip flops a lot and notice your heels are cracking, it is because continually exposing your heels dries them out.

Although you may moisturize often, the constant exposure makes it difficult for the skin around the heel to retain the moisture.

The answer to cracked heels is not always a better lotion. Changing your footwear habits instead can significantly impact your heel health.

By wearing socks and closed shoes more often, you help your heels (and feet) retain more moisture, resulting in soft, supple skin.

Final Words

Flip flops, just like high heels, are extreme versions of footwear that are made more for their fashion appeal than for practical reasons. If you wish to wear them, do so in moderation by mixing them up with shoes that give your heels adequate support and shield them from exposure.