No one should wear flip flops.
This is a misleading title. Maybe "Why No One Should Wear Flip-Flops" would be better.
1
Runners shouldn't wear flip-flops? More like *people* shouldn't wear flip flops. Unless you're going to a beach, maybe. And even then there are better options.
For those with Plantar Fasciitis, the best treatment is a Strassburg Sock.
Nobody should walk with flip flops , period.
Wearing Chacos to hike the Narrows?! Now THAT’S a bad idea!!
“plantar fasciitis season” alum here and I got it from Steve and Barry's bankruptcy. They had an excellent running shoe for $9.99. I'd buy five pair and use a new pair every month. When they went out of business I'd way over use a pair that had no more support.
Cheap flip-flops are a problem, but no one runs in them. Good flips flops have excellent arch support and a raised heel. Nike used to have a good one... no longer. I swear by Crocs.
Now days I do a lot of biking .. 2,000 miles a year -- a lot for me. A friend does 3x that. My toes sometimes swell up from the constant pushing forward. I wear the flip flops when that happens to the chagrin of many. When I'm not biking I'm almost always in my flip flops.
Never go barefoot.
I break for picnic tables.
I’ve run 110 marathons and have worn flip flops for over 40 years. No problem !
1
This is not evidence-based information, just bad intuition. Peer-reviewed studies have found no evidence that shoes cause your running injuries.
https://www.runnersworld.com/health-injuries/a34863323/do-running-shoes-cause-or-prevent-injury/#:~:text=Shoe%20Characteristics%20and%20Injury,footwear%20does%20not%20cause%20injury.%E2%80%9D
"For example, many runners take for granted that more cushioned shoes are more “protective,” while others assume that running in minimalist shoes will lead to fewer injuries because they allow you to run more “naturally.” Neither idea is supported by evidence...
"An extensive literature search found no evidence to support the common practice of matching a shoe’s degree of stability features with a runner’s foot type..
"Studies involving more than 7,000 military recruits found no difference in injury rates when shoe type was randomly assigned compared to when shoes were given based on arch height...
"A five-month study found no significant difference in injury rates in runners wearing shoes with a softer midsole compared to those in shoes with a midsole that was 15 percent firmer...
"In a six-month study, overall injury rates were similar among runners assigned to either shoes with a 10-millimeter heel-to-toe drop, a 6-millimeter heel-to-toe drop, or a 0-millimeter heel-to-toe drop."
geez - that was how to recognise Australian tourists in other countries - as the ones wearing flip flops - we call 'thongs' (plural - not your singular version)
I grew up wearing rubber thongs - comfortable and long-lasting and non-slip on wet surfaces
but now cheap ones seem to be some plastic foam which grips only briefly until a smooth patch is worn on the sole, whereafter a wet surface can trigger not only ZIP!!! and slip - but also almost tear the inside tendon between the top of the leg and the groin - from the sudden extreme extension
haven't seen any genuine rubber ones for a while, but that's what I grew up with, as did many Australians
Birkenstock became a household staple during the pandemic. And we are not giving them up anytime soon. Nice new non-hippy colours.
No one should wear flip flops!!!!!
If flip flops develop the posterior chain I think I will keep wearing them. Also, I live on the beach.
yes for Oofos!!!
1
I have persistent plantar fasciitis and have discovered the OOFOS recovery shoe. They make clogs, slides and flip flops with a very supportive but cushy feel. Same material as the Birks in the article but tons more comfortable.
1
When I started this article, I jumped straightaway to the comments, eager to read all the objections. I too have found that a minimal and wide shoe makes my feet feel much better. For a long time, I added more and more to my shoe, including very expensive orthotics. My foot pain grew to the point that I could no longer walk barefoot inside my home. I finally ditched all that nonsense. I think the essential muscles of my feet had atrophied with all that "support." After a bit of retraining, my "bare" feet feel fine.
1
That goes for the rubber or plastic clogs too. Kids will show up to baseball practice in them. Its the worst thing for kids feet.
2
My favorite footwear? no shoes at all. I spent much of my childhood barefoot and developed wide feet as a result. No 'feminine' pointy shoes with heels ever fit as a result. So, spent my life in flats, flip-flops and running shoes, with the occasional Birkenstocks.
At 67, I've never had PF, tendonitis or bunions. I have had exactly one sprained ankle in my life when I tried to walk down a bank in high heels at a wedding. I never wore high heels again after that.
My feet are the healthiest part of my body. Everyone's feet differ structurally and are developed by the activities and footwear they use-to make blanket statements like "runners shouldn't wear flip-flops" is not accurate.
10
@Bboon Spot on! I'm a distance runner and wear flip-flops all the time. I had plantar fasciitis once - back when I wore supportive running shoes - and the treatment I was given was to strengthen my feet by walking barefoot in the sand. I've been running in a zero drop shoe with minimal cushion ever since - going on twenty years - and have no problems with my feet.
7
@Beckerooni But if it turns out one has heel spurs, then walking barefoot in the sand will make it worse. Ask me how I know...
1
I wear Bedrock Cairn 3D sandals. Arch support and an excellent strap system makes them great for general wear and even hiking.
As a veteran runner, I've had multiple bouts of plantar fasciitis, and of course am well acquainted with foot ice baths. It definitely helped to have arch support, to be sure. But, the best solution was to get a tennis ball and roll it back and forth on the arch. According to what I read: This helps to loosen the tissues in the plantar fascia and break up any scar tissue that may have developed, causing tightness in the foot.
When I combined the tennis ball with more frequent rest and better shoes, it did go away.
4
As a trained movement professional, I encourage all of my clients to exercise and train with me barefoot. Together we learn how the lower leg muscles and fascia (both of the leg and foot) can be strengthened, and on occasion stretched, to enhance proprioception, balance, mobility, and stability.
Flip flops are decidedly not the problem. Stiff, corseted-style shoes are a problem, as is the lack of ankle mobility, the lack of strength, the lack of dorsiflexion, etc, etc.
16
I'm not a runner, I'm a walker and over the years I have found out the hard way that 'nothing' shoes don't work for me.
My feet end up hurting.
I'm not going to go full-on with the barefoot runner crowd, maybe they have bouncier genes and don't get stress fractures and stiff joints.
I think that a of Barefoot Runners in the past lived into their middle age to end up limping around and complaining about their aching feet.
I like a thick rubbery sole, plenty of straps to hold my foot on the sole, and arch support. Even with sandles like the ones mentioned I sometimes end up shoe-gluing silicone supports into the footbed.
3
Never been a fan of flipflops, mostly because of the noise. Another sandal brand worth trying as a way to build foot strength is Luna. They were created by a barefoot runner (Ted McDonald), to give some protection on hot or rocky terrain. I run in Saucony, but love my Lunas for warm weather walking and recovery. (Bonus: They are Made in USA!)
7
i had a horribly painful neuroma in one foot and couldnt tolerate shoes at all. Went barefoot and wore flipflops to the store. I'm retired so I could get away with it. Two years and counting. No foot problems or any problems resulting. I'm a lifer.
6
I got plantar fasciitis after getting my "retirement trainers". Before the trainers I wore Sperry Topsiders, no support and an OLD pair Kswiss sneakers with no support. In the summer I walk bare footed in the house. In the winter I wore leather slippers, no support. The podiatrist set me up with shoe inserts and night brace. All to no avail.
I got to thinking and decided the new cushy supporty trainers were the problem. I gave up the trainers, inserts and night braces. I went back to bare feet and my lousy footwear. I did stretch my achilles tendon by leaning forward with foot flat on floor. In a few weeks all was well. I think my lousy footwear and bare feet strengthen my feet and legs to do the job they have been designed to do, support my body.
The Roman army conquered the world with strips of leather as footwear. American Indians did not have Nike's and vast quantities of people around the world go about life with lousy or no footwear.
Maybe your feet and legs hurt because you sit in an office and then you do things they are not strong enough to do with your feet encased in over engineered footwear where your heel is higher than your toes.
18
@TC
You would be surprised how many people have plantar fasciitis from poor footwear. For some people that has to treated with orthotics.
I'm surprised there are so many runners who wear sandals. Most summers I won't wear them as my toenails are a mess.
3
@Chris Lezotte Runner and avid flip flop/sandal wearer here. Since I switched to Altra running shoes years ago, I've not had any toe nail damage, even running marathons. Their wide toe beds are amazing. Added benefit - zero drop has strengthened my feet.
2
This article is so far off base and without scientific backing it’s ridiculous and unbelievable that the New York Times would even publish it. Running shoes with their over-structured insoles and arches have been destroying our leg and foot muscles for years thanks to the likes of Nike.  Barefoot runners around the world know the foot doesn’t need structure; it is its own structure when developed correctly.
21
@Brian
I agree with you Brian. Perhaps structure is useful to others, but not to me.
A decade of foot, leg, knee and back pain eased significantly or ended completely when (weather permitting) I stopped wearing shoes of any kind unless necessary for work/social events.
In winter I wear unstructured fleece footwear in the house.
The change from injury to health took months of not wearing footwear, but now it's been 10+ years of a pain-free life.
6
@Brian
I agree. I run in Adidas Tempos that provide just enough for road running and do my strength and plyometrics in a pair of Fivefingers . The proprioception provided is just another part of training and as I get older, more important. For summer I am usually always in Keen's Whisper and keep an old pair for gardening. I can also drive a manual car easily in these.
4
@Brian
We are so fortunate to live in this modern age since we all know that 100 years ago humans were incapable of distance running.
Please don't dispense universal advice based on the opinion of one podiatrist.
35
No one should wear flip flops or anything that lets the sound of sweaty feet peel away and then slap back shooting sweat from sweaty feet
7
I got plantar fasciitis from running. I found that wearing supportive flip flops like Olukais and Reefs offered relief. Your article is anecdotal and should not have been published.
15
@Rich. Agreed. Every spring this same stale 1960 advice gets rolled out. Rubber thongs at the drugstore for $2.00? No support. Plantar fasciitis in the spring because people switch from stiff boots, heels to more minimal footwear? It’s a given.
I miss the old Montrail brand flip flops. Arch support, wide straps, no “flop”. You put them in the oven, then stood on them to mold to your feet. Unfortunately, the straps got thinner and thinner and they sold them to Columbia who thinned the straps even more, poorer quality construction with straps separating from the sole in days, ruined the shoe and then they redesigned them into something else.
I have some Hoka Hoparas which I like, Keen Whispers - Keen is busy destroying the H2. Shame, liked those a lot after the Montrails.
About plantar fasciitis and stress fractures:
Including omega-3 fats (flax seed or fish oil) in the
diet can vastly improve healing from these, and tend
to decrease the chances of acquiring them.
Omega-3 fats are very good for soft tissues.
2
Years ago, I read that one reason Japanese athletes are often proportionately underrepresented in track events may be their custom of wearing heelless slippers indoors at all times and wearing shoes that are easily removed when outside because they'll be taking them off when entering someone's home and many restaurants. When I lived in Japan I noticed that many walked with a shuffling gait. I can see how this would lead to poor running habits.
4
There is plenty of orthopedic research that indicates precisely the opposite of this articles advice. The arch is artificially supported with insoles. Better to actually wear flip flops (and walk barefoot when appropriate) and allow the foot muscles and tendons to strengthen.
27
I had terrible plantar fasciitis, I couldn't walk without pain. Got orthotics and Hoka OneOne shoes and OOfos sandals. The sandals saved my feet. Wonderful arch support, and come in both slides and flip flips. Cured me!
5
Chaco’s also makes a flip flop with a lot of arch support - the only one I can wear.
5
Agree with your headline. Better still don't run.
I was a runner in my early yrs. and (pun intended) running into all sort of foot, toe and nail problems despite proper training.
A doctor told me to eschew running and take up less strenuous activities which I did.
I thank her to this day, now that I am a senior and pain free. All my gym rat, marathoner friends are having hip replacements, knee replacements, etc etc.
Ok, let's hear from the ultra gym/runner crowd ie I am a senior now and in great shape.
Your're either a fibber or a freak of nature.
7
@Paul Lots of disinformation here. Peer reviewed studies show runners have much lower incidence of joint replacement than non-runners and usually have a much longer health span than non runners.
20
@Andy
I was going to say the same thing and offer anecdotally that it's possible to run into your senior years as long as you do it paying attention to your body--allow yourself to heal between runs, wear appropriate shoes, eat food that helps you repair, contains antioxidants, and replaces electrolytes, sleep enough. At about age 60 I still run 7.25 miles a day.
11
Andy, true words. Plus osteoarthritis is often genetic, and it arrives when it arrives. I believe I sped up the severity of my knee arthritis by taking up treadmill running and walking set to multiple elevations; but this short lived hobby did not “cause” arthritis. One new knee later, I’m back to activity, but my romance with the treadmill is behind me— in the interest of forestalling the inevitable second TKR!
1
The article does not mention the fact there are sandal options for runners (one of which was already mentioned in previous comments). I run in Hoka One One shoes and they also make a sandal with the same sole design and footbed with arch as their running shoes. They are great for post-run or casual wear. I believe there are a few other manufacturers that offer similar options.
5
This article lacks objective evidence. I’m surprised NYT would publish an article that relies only on one podiatrist’s subjective experience. Seems more like a front for affiliate marketing of non-flipflop products. What about everyone who goes barefoot or wear shoes without arch support?
31
This article is screaming for some scientific evidence to back it up. After all, humans evolved without arch supports.
35
I wish I could wear my Birkenstocks for walking outside. They don't give enough support for my body, and I get a cut on the top of my foot when I tried walking around in them. They are fine for in the apartment. They were so comfortable in the store that I bought them and looked forward to long walks in them. But I couldn't.
About 20 years ago I had plantar fasciitis from wearing rubber clogs outside. Flip-flops are worse.
4
For "real" walking, I always wear walking shoes with added orthotics to support my high arches. But around the house in summer, I often go barefoot for short "hikes" from office to kitchen and the like. My feet are fine, though I suffered from plantar fasciitis for reasons not related to flip-flops. The right shoe for the right activity.
3
Runners shouldn't wear "Flip-flops"? I would think that that would be obvious. Just inviting Plantar Fasiitis.
Not only that, but they are counter-indicated for people with high arches on their feet. I have high arches and I put inserts into my walking shoes to support them. (High arches are great for ballerinas but not good for bushwalkerrs (hikers).
By the way "Flip-flops" are called "Thongs" in Australia.
U.S. tourists are often taken aback by signs outside some clubs and restaurants stating "no thongs allowed".
7
@Bruce Stafford - They were called thongs in the mid Hudson Valley when I was growing up in the 50s - 70s, too. I didn't hear the word "flip- flops" till I was an adult.
6
I saw a guy running with flip flops one day. I was appalled.
@Ray
I've run miles on flip flops. I don't think the advice on this article is evidence-based at all.
1
How about Reef brand flip flops and similar that have arch support?
2
There should be a ban on flip-flops! Especially on people with gnarly feet. And most especially men in hardware, home-improvement stores!
Men in general need to stop wearing them. You're ipcking lumber in flip-flops? I can not take you seriously when you come shopping for such hard-goods in flip-flops!
In fact, I cant take any male seriously who wears flip-flops anyplace but their backyards, a pool party, the beach or to get fetch the paper. Stop it! You look foolish, and I want to stomp on your feet.
If you are sliding out of them sideways, they are as flat (crushed by your weight) as a piece of cardboard, and trip every fourth step...buy new ones, or simply stop wearing them!
And ladies...do you really have to walk around shopping with all that toe-wrapping after your pedicure? I know its a means to show off, to show off that yes, I just got my gnarly feet tended to. Aren't you special.
Its gross!
19
I had no idea flip flops could have such an impact. Your comment has inspired me to wear flip flops more often. Thanks!
37
Disagree. I am on my feet about 8.5 miles a day. About half of it running. I wear shoes the least amount I can get away with and never at home. Our house has hardwood floors. My point is that if the muscles in your feet are strong, flip flops or other sandals are perfectly fine. It is only when you cocoon your feet in shoes for 9 months of the year and then expect your feet to be able to handle basically being bare foot. They only thing flip-flops really protect you from is the heat.
47
Chacos for me are fantastic. After a long recovery from PF they are all I wear unless I’m running (with Powersteps inserts in my Brooks).
Foot anatomy varies greatly so I’m not saying this is a formula for everyone. But if you’re ever suffered through a bout of plantar fasciitis you take footwear choice very seriously - it’s worth it.
6
Hard to beat Keens for hiking. Great support and toe protection. Only a shoe, however, keeps the gravel out.
1
If one uses their big toe properly, flip flops are not the culprit. Over time you walk on the outside of your feet. One begins to lose contact with the big toe. It is no longer projecting you from behind when you walk. Then comes, p.f., bunions, flat feet, hammer toes, etc. Consider that pounding the life out of your arches comes with a price. My clients from 16 - 78 have changed their feet with proper training, massage and the will to relearn the basics. Bow legs come from big stomachs and improper foot placement and can also be straightened. What does it take? A highly dedicated Pilates instructor who specializes in physical therapy and weight loss. I use flip flops to help heal p.f. Thats how I train them to use their big toe by engaging it to keep the flip-flop on their feet. The arch heightens and contact with the heel bone on the correct spot is now possible. Don't wait until you destroy your ankles and or feet. Your doctor wants to operate on your stiff, sore feet. Sell you ridiculous ugly shoes or custom insoles that really do not help. Please do the work, keep them flexible and in use, properly removing fascia returning range of movement in the toes. Learn to walk, stand and sit all over again. One has to persevere in docility and acceptance, but change does happen. It doesn't heal overnight. It can take as long as two years but it beats getting an operation. Use flip -flops and every foot ware properly, that is up to you.
13
Interesting. Can you provide link to your practice? Or name, so I can contact you?
@Ms M.
I want to know more. Where's a link to these exercises (and more)?
4
I really don’t understand the need for supportive shoes. I mean we are meant to walk and run barefoot our feet are engineered for that. Supportive shoes are something created less than 300 years ago and our feet evolved thousand years ago so this doesn’t make sense
I tend to think that modern shoes weakened our feet
30
@Emma, streets and sidewalks were not made for our bare feet. Have you ever walked around Manhattan barefoot?
10
I have been wearing shoes with arch support or some kind of orthopedic support for many years. In my late 20s, I started getting foot pain for the first time - it would happen whenever i went for long walks, in sandals or any shoes. The pain was severe enough that every step would hurt badly - it was mostly arch pain.
Since then, I made the switch - and nowadays I don't wear any "normal" shoes anymore - since they never have proper structure or support. BZees is a wonderful affordable brand - I have a bunch of their casual shoes, including slides and sneakers, which hold up fine even when I am walking miles at a time. More expensive/ upscale options for super comfortable shoes include Mephisto and Naot. I never got PF - but I have relatives who did, and they eventually ended up getting treatment, and switching to shoes with orthopedic support of some sort.
2
Our feet are meant to be strong enough and flexible enough to walk without the structure of a shoe.... any show with no structure is good for my feet...I am trying to train my feet to be stronger... now, shoes like birks make my feet dependent on that structure and then it hurts to walk barefoot....so let's opt towards minimalism....less structure.... take the time needed to train our feet to handle on its own..... -words from an 11-time marathoners and 3-time ultra runner.
9
I've been running in structureless zero-rise "barefoot shoes" for some years now (not the ones with the stupid toe booties of course), and I've had no problems at all. However I wouldn't wear sandals without a backstrap. I don't need an article like this to tell me they strain my leg muscles, they just feel wrong when I try to walk in them.
8
Sorry but birkenstocks are simply brutally painful....
9
@SW Not in my experience.
From someone who really knows what can happen:
If you do a lot on your feet (walk, run, rollerblade etc) do what ever you can to wear shoes that give your arch support.
In 1999, I race walked or roller bladed every day. I got severe tendinitis of the tendon under my arch. To keep it simple, I am still limited in how much I can walk or carry.
My doctor said that rollerblading is like taking a 100 pound person and magnifying the pressure on the arch as if you are 300 pounds.
5
I wish plantar fasciitis were the only problems people could acquire with poorly fitting footwear. Shoes that fit poorly include those with too little support for some, too rigid a degree of support for others, and worse yet, a combination of both. Wearing old shoes with uneven wear or broken-down arches, etc. is even worse. They WERE great shoes, but no more. Thinking that your 60 year-old feet can handle the same shoe styles you wore at 20 is a fool's game.
Foot pain isn't something to ignore. Respect pain or you will pay the price. Get a good evaluation from a physical therapist or orthopedist, and then go to a great shoe store with educated salespeople.
13
If one uses their big toe properly, flip flops are not the culprit. Over time you walk on the outside of your feet. One begins to lose contact with the big toe. It is no longer projecting you from behind when you walk. Then comes, p.f., bunions, flat feet, hammer toes, etc. Consider that pounding the life out of your arches comes with a price. My clients from 16 - 78 have changed their feet with proper training, massage and the will to relearn the basics. Bow legs come from big stomachs and improper foot placement and can also be straightened. What does it take? A highly dedicated Pilates instructor who specializes in physical therapy and weight loss. I use flip flops to help heal p.f. Thats how I train them to use their big toe by engaging it to keep the flip-flop on their feet. The arch heightens and contact with the heel bone on the correct spot is now possible. Don't wait until you destroy your ankles and or feet. Your doctor wants to operate on your stiff, sore feet. Sell you ridiculous ugly shoes or custom insoles that really do not help. Please do the work, keep them flexible and in use, properly removing fascia returning range of movement in the toes. Learn to walk, stand and sit all over again. One has to persevere in docility and acceptance, but change does happen. It doesn't heal overnight. It can take as long as two years but it beats getting an operation. Use flip -flops and every foot ware properly, that is up to you.
6
Different people have different feet and therefore have different requirements. Blanket statements like advice to avoid sandals you can bend in half are irresponsible. Not everyone benefits from more "structure" (which seems as though it could mean a variety of things). As a physical therapist, I see patients with stiff feet and stiff shoes who either don't pronate enough or can't advance well enough over their great toe, both/either of which can lead to foot, ankle, shin, knee, or back pain. Stiff shoes are not appropriate for them. But sure, wearing flip flops can lead to problems for some people depending on a number of factors.
17
I love my running shoes. I wear them all the time, even at work, and can't imagine ever finding anything better for my feet. I also get them 1/2 size big to accommodate downhill running when my toes would hit the front and in case of any swelling after a long day out. Even though the shoes aren't built for rocky conditions, I still use them for that and have been doing the Devil's Path trail for years in them.
I got PF once when I worked in a plant that required boots. The boots seemed comfortable enough but I got pain and numbness in my left foot after a couple of months. I got rid of it by taking two weeks off and mostly staying off my feet. Then, I returned to work, trying out three other types of boots until I found ones I like. Then, I left the place anyway, lol.
2
I am not a runner and have never worn flip-flops, but years ago I developed plantar fasciitis. As best as I could figure out, it developed after a period of walking with loafers, which had a hard surface. A doctor fitted me with a customized insert ($350) and gave me a shot of cortisone (without asking me), but I later learned that store-bought inserts could do the trick. This condition was painful, prevented me from walking as much as usual and took about six months to resolve. Shortly after this recovery, the same condition started in my other foot. Since then I wear inserts in comfortable shoes and sneakers ($30). My advice is to do all you can to avoid developing this condition.
7
I started having plantar fasciitis type pain when I bought Tieks and wore them to work each day and walked a few miles in them. They have no support and also restrict foot movement. I'm fine in flipflops.
3
The idea that we should be constantly 'supporting' our feet is absurd. The problem isn't flip-flops -- it's that we've coddled our feet to the point that normal stressors (i.e. walking barefoot, or in flip-flops) are strenuous.
42
@Jason Bourget I agree but they are not posting my comment.
2
@Ms M. Another in total agreement...waiting 2c if they'll print my rebuttal...doubt it.
Hmmm, as a Physician who sees a lot of plantar fasciitis, I agree with the observation: flip flops are often the culprit for anyone who gets plantar fasciitis this time of year. It's the advice I strongly disagree with. You should wear flip flops, just give your feet some time to get used to them. Our feet are marvels of construction with five layers of muscles designed to tolerate all kinds of abuse. Let their muscles build up gradually by going bearfoot or in flip flops so they get nice and strong and consider keeping them strong by doing the same indoors for peroids in the winter. Let your kids run barefoot or in flip flops too, so they develop strong feet muscles. Just do it gradually. Most of the patients I see with summer plantar fascitis went out and walked for hours on the beach or boardwalk for the first time and that's when the problem started. By always wearing restictive shoes you are weakening these muscles and setting yourself down the wrong path. If you already have the pain, then go with the the Birkenstocks until they heal, but then don't think you are stuck in them forever.
68
@Rob I'm not a runner, but (regrettably) an overweight walker. I have multiple pairs of OOFOS, which I first discovered perhaps 10 years ago when I had a painful condition where my toes meet the ballon my foot. These were the only thing that offers relief. One foot orthopedist recommended surgery; I declined. OOFOS An day time healed all. Slides. Clogs. Flip flops. I have and wear them all.
5
As a Sports Podiatrist I am disappointed by this article. Full disclosure, I am a paid consultant for Oofos recovery shoes. Our research conducted at The University of Virginia’s Speed Lab, actually proved that while wearing the Oofos original sandal ankle power was decreased significantly. Ankle power is the force needed for us to move forward. Thus our conclusions that the Oofos original sandal does make walking easier! Claims should be backed by evidence based studies and not opinion. Like many others in this group I cringe when I hear that being barefoot or in minimal shoes cause pathologies like plantar fasciitis. These type of conditions are caused by a multitude of factors to include, age, weight, activity, muscular imbalance, structural deformity to just name a few. I teach my patients to strengthen their entire body and to work on mobility. This includes hips, lumbrosacral core as well as foot core. We should educate our patients how to strengthen our plantar foot muscles so that they are ready to wear the least amount of shoe that is comfortable for them!
27
OOFOS sandals are amazing! I have very high arches and OOFOS are the most comfortable and supportive shoe I’ve tried. If my feet hurt from being on them a lot (in a less supportive shoe), OOFOS helps them recover. My daughter also has high arches and is a dancer, so her feet take a lot of pounding— she loves them too.
3