I’m posting this because I live the flip flop hell. I ran around in flip flops and bare feet for years, managing an aquatic facility, teaching swimming lessons and training lifeguards. Then when I moved to Florida, it was year round flip flops. The only time I put real shoes on was when I had to. Now, I am paying the price. Heel pain. Not fun. My flip flop days are pretty much over. Now I wear them only when I’m going to the pool or to run short errands. Wish I knew then what I know now…….. Oh….one other thing on footwear. If you do water aerobics often, get a good pair of water shoes. Although it’s low impact, there is an impact.

Take good care of your feet girls……so you can keep wearing those 5″ heels when the situation warrants!

Once upon a time, flip-flops were cheap, rubber thongs that you wore to wash your car or schlep to the beach.

Nowadays, they-re a summertime craze. No longer just dull drugstore specials, the sandals with the V’shaped straps turn up everywhere in eye-popping shades, from hot pink to lime green. They come adorned with spangles, flowers, and college logos. One company even created flip-flops with a built-in bottle opener.

Fun and fashionable, flip-flops have their place in your shoe closet, experts say. But they-re not meant to be worn with abandon — or else you may be courting foot pain.

Flip-Flops: Good and Bad
Jackie Hartnett, a young Northern California woman, owns five pairs, including some with a Hawaiian motif and a black pair with polka dots. Come rain or shine, she wears flip-flops. “They-re really comfortable. I don-t like shoes because they-re so confining,” she says. Her boyfriend accidentally steps on her toes, but to Hartnett, that’s a small price to pay for the breezy feel of flip-flops.

“Flip-flops and sandals during the summer are very common and very popular,” says John G. Anderson, MD, a Michigan orthopaedic surgeon and American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society spokesman.

What’s their best purpose? “Flip-flops give you some basic protection to the bottom of your foot to walk around poolside or on a surface that may be warm during the summer,” says Jim Christina, DPM, director of scientific affairs for the American Podiatric Medical Association.

They can also help prevent you from catching athlete’s foot or plantar warts in public showers, according to foot specialists.

In contrast, it’s a bad idea to play sports or hike trails in flip-flops, foot pain experts tell WebMD. Here’s a quick primer on flip-flop safety.

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