During the summer months, it's rare to see anyone who isn't wearing a pair of flip-flops. However, the popular summer footwear could be slowly damaging your feet, legs, and back. Although many people consider flip-flops a relief for their tired, achy feet, flip-flops are actually doing your feet more harm than good.

Most pairs of flip-flops have no arch support. This, along with the fact that the footbed is extremely spongy, causes your foot to overpronate when you step down. Overpronation, also know as flat feet, is a condition where the arch of your foot flattens, causing your foot to roll inward (toward the center of your body). Your foot pronates a small amount naturally; however, the spongy material that flip-flops are made of allows your foot to continue to pronate even further. If not corrected, overpronation can cause pain in the feet, ankles, legs, knees, and back.

Another problem with flip-flops is that they can cause you to fall more easily. Because they fit loosley, it is easy to trip on your flip-flops while walking. In addition, the straps often break at inconvenient times, further increasing the risk of falling. Doctors see numerous patients each summer because of injuries resulting from the wearing of flip-flops.

Instead of wearing flip-flops, you consider wearing a pair of athletic sandals. Find a pair that are comfortable and provide decent arch support. One company that makes a good pair of sandals is Chaco (http://www.chacousa.com). The footbed of Chaco sandals has been awarded the American Podiatric Medical Association's (APMA) Seal of Acceptance. If you insist on wearing flip-flops, here are some tips to reduce the chance of injury:

1. Don't buy the cheap flip-flops: Cheap flip-flops don't offer the necessary arch support. Find a pair that offers at least some arch support. Chaco sells a few pairs of flip-flops that use the same APMA accepted footbed as their athletic sandals.
2. Avoid wearing flip-flops when you are going to be participating in physical activity: If you are doing anything that requires a lot of physical activity, such as walking or running, don't wear your flip-flops. They can cause you to trip and seriously injure yourself, and they don't provide the necessary amount of foot protection.
3. Don't wear flip-flops for extended periods of time: It's okay to wear your flip-flops to the pool or beach. However, don't make flip-flops your primary shoe during the summer months. If you insist on wearing them throughout the day, don't wear them everyday. Try alternating between flip-flops and other shoes each day.

Flip-flops don't offer the arch support and foot protection of other shoes. They are okay to wear for short periods, such as when going to the pool or when stepping out of the house for a few minutes. However, extended wear can cause foot problems. The problems may not be immediately noticeable, but once they do become noticeable, you may have done permanent damage. If you don't like wearing regular shoes during the warm months, get a pair of athletic sandals with better arch support, and if you can't resist wearing flip-flops all day, try to switch between flip-flops and other shoes to avoid causing too much damage to your feet and ankles.

Learn more about this author, Loren Jamison.
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