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Flip Flops Cool, Comfortable But Only for a While 6-8-08
Thong-style flip flops are one of the very hottest styles of footwear these
days and they are worn by men and women alike. Everyone from toddlers to their
great-grandparents wear them with little worry that they may be causing pain
from the foot to the hip and even into the lower back.
The pain probably comes from an alteration to a person’s normal walking gait,
according to Justin Shroyer, a doctoral student at Auburn University’s College
of Education Department of Kinesiology, who is studying biomechanics. He and his
team of researchers presented their findings recently in Indianapolis at the
annual meeting of the American College of Sports Medicine.
Shroyer measured and videotaped the walking gaits of 39 men and women of college
age for his study. Each study participant wore flip flops over a specially
designed platform that measures the vertical force of a walker’s feet as they
hit the ground. After wearing the flip flops, study participants repeated the
process wearing athletic shoes.
It seems that study participants took shorter strides when wearing flip flops
and their heels produced less vertical force when hitting the ground. During the
swing phase of a stride, participants didn’t raise their toes as high off the
ground as they did when wearing athletic shoes, either, probably because of the
toe-gripping action needed to keep the flip flops on.
Shroyer’s conclusion is that flip flops aren’t meant to be worn as primary
footwear and are best relegated to walking along sandy beaches or to provide
temporary relief to tired feet after a long day or grueling exercise. The
absence of foot and ankle support makes flip flops a poor choice for all-day
wear, according to Shroyer, although many college students consider them a
mainstay of their wardrobes.
Shroyer himself owns a couple of pairs of flip flops but says they are much like
traditional athletic shoes in that they, too, should be replaced after several
months of wear. For the purpose of the study, various models of flip flops,
ranging from $5 to $50, were used as were various styles and prices of athletic
shoes.
Shroyer plans to use the data from this study in his doctoral dissertation,
which is based on specialty athletic shoes and their application in biomechanic
performance.
Comment:
There is no excuse today as there are so many different flip flops made in ergonomic styles. I wear flip flops as my primary shoe from April through October. When you wear them that long it is best to buy 3 pair if you find some you love because after about 2 months the soles kind of give out.