Flip Flop Madness

Do you wear flip flops 365 days a year?  I did and I loved it but my for my ankles it was a different story.  Having worked for a Corporation for almost 20 years I was restricted to a dress code. The last day I came home from the office and everyday after, I wore flip flops.  Everyday for over two years now. Even in the brink of Winter when there was 5 feet of snow outside, I sat smugly inside with my flip flops on, only to deplore putting on "real shoes" when I was forced to go outside. Was this my way of out-lashing after having to conform to dress codes since high school? Possibly. 

Shoes are a multi billion dollar industry. Flip flops alone are billion dollar industry.  Whether your talking Havaianas, Reef, J.Crew, Sanuks, Teva, Hurley, Old Navy, Olukai, or Tory Burch they can range from $1 to $150. Every walk of life can wear them.  Rainbow Sandals is a private flip flop manufacturing company that started out of California and they make over 2 millions pairs of sandals each year and they offer a lifetime guarantee.  Choices choices choices, which one to chose? Which pair will support you the best without doing damage to your feet or ankles?

The American Podiatric Medical Association makes the following recommendations:

• Do shop for a flip-flop made of high-quality, soft leather. Leather minimizes the potential for blisters and other types of irritation.
• Do gently bend the flip-flop from end to end, ensuring it bends at the ball of the foot. Shoes of any kind should never fold in half.
• Do ensure that your foot doesn't hang off of the edge of the flip-flop.
• Do wear a sturdy pair of flip-flops when walking around a public pool, at the beach, in hotel rooms and in locker room areas. Walking barefoot can expose foot soles to plantar warts and athlete's foot.

• Don't re-wear flip-flops year after year. Inspect older pairs for wear. If they show signs of severe wear, discard them.
• Don't ignore irritation between toes, where the toe thong fits. This can lead to blisters and possible infections.
• Don't wear flip-flops while walking long distances. Even the sturdiest flip-flops offer little in terms of shock absorption and arch support.
• Don't do yard work while wearing flip-flops. Always wear a shoe that fully protects feet when doing outside activities such as mowing the lawn or using a weed-eater.
• Don't play sports in flip-flops. This practice can lead to twisting of the foot or ankle, as well as sprains and breaks.