Summer is the season of flip-flops and sandals. But are you ignoring the health of your feet for the sake of popularity?

In summer, let the feet come out to let the wind and air out! Roman sandals, flip-flops, Birkenstocks…, with thin shoulder straps, shorts, long printed dresses, it is cool. But while pursuing the trend, perhaps you should also think about how to wear it to take care of the health of your feet at the same time.

“A pair of healthy and strong feet can adapt to any shoes and any ground. However, after the feet have been domesticated for a long time, the toes, ligaments, and tendons are not strong enough. Problems caused by the wrong way,”

Flip flops

Advantages: easy to put on and take off, suitable for short walks
Disadvantages: Lack of support, the body’s center of gravity is in the front, and the posture is easy to tilt; and the toes clamp the shoes, unable to relax, and the skin is broken and blistered. In severe cases, the tibial anterior muscles are easy to fatigue and even cause metatarsal pain. The joint angle is limited and the ankle is easily sprained.

》How to wear it correctly?
1. Short-term walking may be OK, long-distance walking is not recommended, especially to avoid wearing pincers and drag exercises.
2. It is best to choose shoes with wider straps and longer extensions, which will have higher stability.
3. A thicker and harder sole may be better. The bottom is too thin and does not have any shock absorption function. After walking for a long time, the soles of the feet will begin to ache, which can cause plantar fasciitis; the soles are too soft, and the foot support is not enough, such as the feet have been deformed, inclined, or skewed. The problem may be more serious.
4. It is best to change a pair a year. Canadian podiatrist Roy Mathews suggests that if you like to wear flip-flops, you’d better change one pair a year instead of wearing the same pair all the time.

Flat sandals

Advantages: Compared with slippers, sandals provide heel covering to improve support for the feet. The foot shape is more natural and will not cause abnormal bending of the instep like high heels, or shorten the Achilles tendon and elongate the plantar fascia.
Disadvantages: Flat shoes are not necessarily healthier than high heels, but are related to the thickness, softness, and hardness of the sole. If you are accustomed to wearing high-heeled shoes, wear flat shoes all at once and pull the Achilles tendon, which is more likely to be injured. And flat shoes with no heel at all have a poor cushioning effect, causing pain due to repeated pressure on the heel and sole. “Flat feet are especially unsuitable.”

》How to wear it correctly?
1. The sole should not be too thin. It is better to choose a slightly thicker and low heel. But it shouldn’t be too thick; Zhu Jiahong reminded that platform shoes have poor ground feedback and are bulkier. The propelling force is reduced when walking, and it is easy to get stuck and fall.
2. The sole cannot be so soft that it can be folded up. The sole is harder, and the upper cover more forefoot, or there is a choice of straps, which can make the force of the foot more evenly.
3. Matthews suggested that you can choose shoes with arch support. But not everyone is suitable for arch support; soft flat feet are very comfortable because of the inner arch to help support them, but when the arches are very protruding, the over-stiff flat feet will be uncomfortable to wear such shoes.

Roman sandals

Advantages: Sandals provide back heel covering to improve the support of the foot; plus more straps, the more even the lifting force on the foot, and the better the stability of the shoe.
Disadvantages: It depends on whether the foot shape is conformable, otherwise it is easy to get blisters; if you have high heels, it is not recommended to wear them for too long. The straps should not be too tight to compress the instep. There have been many cases abroad because the sandals are too tight, compressing the capillaries, causing swelling of the calf, and even varicose veins.

》How to wear it correctly?
1. Take a “two-finger” test when buying shoes: Luis Navarro (MD), the medical director of The Vein Treatment Center in New York, suggests that when trying on, stretch your index finger and middle finger under the strap. The fingers can be slid easily without getting too tight.
2. Don’t catch the fashion, just wear it every day. Flat shoes, sandals, and sports shoes are interchanged to give your feet a chance to rest.
3. It is best to loosen the strap every few hours to reduce pressure. Also, don’t lift your feet, it will compress the blood vessels more and make your feet more swollen.

Birkenstock

Advantages: Among summer shoes, Birkenstocks may be the healthier choice in the eyes of many podiatrists. It has an arch support design, the bottom is also harder, the overall support is better, and the toes are not easy to fatigue. It would be better if you choose sandals with a covered heel.
Disadvantages: The weight is heavier, and the slippers are not suitable for long walking.

》How to wear it correctly?
1. The same advice, don’t wear a pair of shoes every day, but occasionally wear your old high heels for a walk around. Podiatrist Hillary Brenner mentioned that Birkenstocks allow the muscles and bones of the foot to be better stretched, thus changing the muscles and force points used by the foot. When you put it back on high heels, some people will feel the change. I’m too tight to adapt

2. People who have too much pressure on the foot caused by protruding bones, the arches are too low and hard, or the more serious high arched feet, diabetic feet, etc., due to poor blood circulation, especially neuropathy, may not be suitable for hard wear Shoes with low soles are prone to foot pain, and there are even cases of ulcers.
In fact, in addition to the function of walking, shoes also cannot ignore people’s aesthetic needs for shoes. Just look at the occasion and choose the right shoes. Wear the right shoes. High heels and flip-flops are still good fashion accessories.