They’re cheap, lightweight and fit easily in a beach bag, but those popular pieces of summer footwear known as flip-flops are the agony of de-feet. Blowing out your flip-flop could be the best thing for foot health according to Des Moines podiatrist Dr. David Yount. He says bare feet can be hurt by the heat of sand or a sidewalk or by stepping on something, but he suggests wearing anything but a flip-flip. Dr. Yount says some slip-on-style sandals have a very good arch in them — or he says to just wear a tennis shoe. He says flip-flops simply don’t provide enough support for the foot and ankle and could lead to serious foot problems like plantar fascitis. That’s abnormal pulling or stretching of the plantar arch structure which supports the foot as we walk on it. About the only place where Yount would say it’s okay to wear flip-flops is in a public shower as they may help prevent catching athlete’s foot or another foot fungus.
