What Do We Think About Wearing Thongs in Summer?

Being in Australia, thongs, also known as flip flops, are a type of shoe that nearly everyone owns and uses at some point during the year. Whether it be wearing thongs to the beach, around the pool or on a daily basis in summer or winter.

We want to look at what these thongs are doing to our feet.

Wearing thongs gives the feet no arch or heel support and causes the toes to claw or grip onto the thong and hold it on as we walk.  Therefore, we are changing our gait style and causing the thong to slip off our feet.

Sometimes you can see people not exactly with their foot sitting over the thong but on the inside or outside of the thong. Overall wearing thongs for long periods and even some short periods can cause a myriad of issues including;

•         Heel pain
•         Blisters
•         Shin pain
•         Retracted digits
•         Change in gait style
•         Hard skin formation
•         Muscle pain and aches
•         Shooting pain in the legs
•         Pain in the ball of the foot
•         Pain in-between the toes

In some cases, podiatrists will suggest you wear thongs but when is this the case?

•         Around public pools to protect the bottom of the feet from bacterial and fungal infections
•         In public showers to protect the bottom of the feet from bacterial and fungal infections

Finally, we do not suggest wearing thongs as a day to day shoe or a sometimes shoe, it is important to wear a good, comfortable and supportive shoe and only allow yourself to wear thongs when you are around pools to prevent any nasty tinea infections.

If you are suffering from any foot issues or are wishing to get some advice on suitable footwear. Don’t hesitate to come visit our friendly podiatrists who will assess and address any issues for you and your needs.

This article was written by Alex, one of our skilled Podiatrists. To book in with Alex either give us a call or book online and select ‘Alexandra’ as your practitioner.