Skip the Flip! Part 3

The flip-flop excels in terms of significantly altering the biomechanics of your gait and the anatomy of your foot. The problem is that this footwear seems so innocuous! Who would have thought that such a simple shoe is the reason for so many pathologies and resultant office visits!?

            This summer footwear alters your gait patterns adversely, provides zero support for your lower extremity, does not offer shock absorption (leaving your poor foot to deal with stress all on its own), yields no traction on level surfaces, and may result in strain and sprain injuries! In addition, wearing flip-flops will cause back, hip, and knee pain and overuse injuries at the level of the ankle! It is almost unbelievable that the wearing of flip-flops wreaks such havoc on your body and is responsible for so many abnormalities! 

            But, there’s more! Unlike other shoes, flip-flops do not hold onto the foot and so it becomes necessary to use your muscles and tendons to clutch them in place.  If you have a high-arched or flat foot type, wearing flip-flops is particularly bad because you are likely to develop problems related joint stability and tendons. Depending on the length and duration of wear, you may develop chronic tendinitis!

            Most flip-flops are constructed with a springy, elastic sole. As your foot hits the ground when wearing normal shoes, it rolls inwards or everts. Flip-flops actually allow the foot to roll inward even more than usual! This eversion of your foot is called pronation and too much pronation will lead to many foot problems! Your arch is supposed to lock in place in order to absorb shock every time your foot hits the ground. Pronation of the foot opens your arch and loosens its locking mechanism. If this happens, you will encounter problems in various foot areas: toes, forefoot, arch, and heel!  

The open style of flip-flops also predisposes your feet to environmental factors such as friction, heat and moisture which can lead to the formation of blisters, warts and athlete’s foot!

So before you rush to your closet and chuck out all your flip-flops, keep this important idea in mind: moderation! Do not wear flip-flops for long periods of time for walking and do not wear them while driving (since flip-flops are not anchored to your feet, they may get lodged under your brakes or gas pedal). This summer, just wear them to lounge by the pool or play in the sand while on the beach!

Central Florida Foot & Ankle Center, LLC
101 6th Street N.W.
Winter Haven, FL 33881
Phone: 863-299-4551
http://www.FLFootandAnkle.com

Skip the Flip! Part 2

            In addition to soaring stilettos and towering high-heels, the down-to-earth flip-flops are now considered to be notorious footwear! Why exactly is this the case? 

The number one reason that flip-flops cause the problems that they do is due to misconception! Many people believe that flip-flops are footwear designed to relieve the stress on your feet! However, nothing could be further from the truth!

To understand how dynamic feet are, think about all their functions:

1)     They are essential for our mobility

2)     They help with preserving our balance

3)     They bear our full body weight

 As a result of trying to maintain their many roles, our feet are subjected to many stresses.

            As mentioned before, wearing flip-flops will overwork your feet and lower extremity because flip-flop laden feet lead to change in gait patterns. So now along with a change in your walking, your feet have to readjust themselves to make sure they still maintain your mobility, keep your balance, and support your full body weight!

Another reason that flip-flops are no good in terms of foot health is because they provide zero support. Athletic shoes, for example, have excellent cushioning which assists the heel in shock absorption. Since flip-flops do not have shock-absorbing capabilities, the foot will take on the stress which over time can lead to pathologies like tendinitis.

Furthermore, the foot is well-confined in an athletic shoe and consequently does not deviate in different directions. A flip-flop has open sides and as a result, the foot has the ability to maneuver itself in any direction it sees fit. Excessive and improper movement of the foot diminishes its shocking-absorbing capability since the foot is now not in the proper position to take on the stress.

Additionally, many flip-flops provide poor traction on smooth surfaces. For that reason, people are more prone to falling and slipping. When you walk on a wet surface in flip-flops, your foot may slip off of the actual shoe and twist, causing a painful strain or sprain. If you step off of a sidewalk incorrectly while wearing flip-flops, there are no sides to a flip-flop available to support the foot or ankle. Now pair that with the fact that the foot has the ability to move in any direction it wants while you are in such footwear. You are setting yourself up for a potentially serious injury since flip-flops make it easy to take that wrong!

Central Florida Foot & Ankle Center, LLC
101 6th Street N.W.
Winter Haven, FL 33881
Phone: 863-299-4551
http://www.FLFootandAnkle.com

Skip the Flip! Part 1

           Everyone has heard that certain footwear can be damaging to your foot health, but that fact has always been associated with sky-high stilettos! However, recent research investigating flip-flops has uncovered evidence that may take away that spring in your step! Did you know that podiatrists have said flip-flops have been to blame for more health problems than any other type of shoes?! With warm weather fast approaching, you may want to rethink your choice summer footwear.

Health professionals have noticed that during the transition from summer to fall, they found an increase in patient complaints concerning lower leg pain. Incidentally, this pain seemed to coincide with a footwear change from flip-flops to athletic shoes related to the seasonal change.

            The typical American walks a total of 10,000 to 20,000 steps a day! So it is no wonder that small changes in walking patterns can quickly add up to significant injury!  Experimenters discovered that flip-flops actually alter the gait patterns in the individuals wearing them. It was found that this summer footwear lessens stride length and increases the ankle angle in individuals. (The ankle angle is the measurement between the top of the foot and anterior leg).The studies also showed that people wearing flip-flops exhibit a concern about hitting their toes when they swing their leg during gait.

Consider this: when walking in flip-flops you may have noticed that you try and keep the flip-flop on your foot so it does not launch into the air as leg sways forward. In addition, you also keep a watchful eye on your toes as your foot swings through so you do not stub them on the ground. In order to prevent the above two phenomena from occurring, you change the angle of your ankle during your stride in flip-flops.

Pain is not just confined to the lower leg region when you are wearing flip-flops. You may experience aches and pains in other body areas as well! The heel of your foot serves as a cushion for shock absorption. If the interface between the heel and the ground is not supported, then the heel will not absorb shock as well as it should and the foot will have to work harder! As a result of overworking your foot, knee, hip, and back problems can occur!

Central Florida Foot & Ankle Center, LLC
101 6th Street N.W.
Winter Haven, FL 33881
Phone: 863-299-4551
http://www.FLFootandAnkle.com

Do you have "Pump Bump"

Haglund’s Deformity is a protrusion of bony growth off of the top of the calcaneus, or heel bone.  This can often lead to a painful swelling of the bursa between the calcaneus and the Achilles tendon, also known as bursitis.  The bursitis is caused by the Haglund’s Deformity rubbing up against the soft tissues of the back of the ankle, usually from a pair of poorly-fitting shoes.  In fact, Haglund’s Deformity is sometimes called a “Pump Bump”, because women’s pump-style shoes will often irritate the soft tissues.  Young women that wear this style of shoe make up the largest group of patients with bursitis due to Haglund’s Deformity. 

Symptoms of Haglund’s Deformity include inflammation and redness of the back of the heel, swelling in the area that the Achilles tendon attaches to the calcaneus, and a noticeable bump on the back of the heel.  This bump is the bursa sac between the Achilles tendon and the heel bone that has become inflamed.  These symptoms can be seen on either or both heels.  Your foot and ankle specialist may diagnose Haglund’s Deformity by taking x-rays of the effected area to rule out other possible causes. 

Haglund’s Deformity, to a certain extent, can be attributed to heredity.  A person with high arches will have a heel that is tipped backwards towards the Achilles tendon, which predisposes the person to excessive rubbing of the heel against the bursa.  Other factors include the types of shoes that people wear, such as tight fitting pumps or high heels.  Pain from Haglund’s Deformity is also frequently seen in runner’s, especially those with poorly-fitting running shoes that put extra pressure on the back of the heel.

Once your doctor diagnoses Haglund’s Deformity, there are several non-surgical options of treatment that may be suggested.  Medication, such as a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) and ice may help in alleviating the pain and inflammation.  Certain exercises that strengthen the muscles of the leg will help to alleviate some of the tension on the Achilles tendon, and physical therapy may help as well.  Your foot and ankle specialist may suggest heel pads, heel lifts, or orthotics to help prevent the rubbing.

Of course, the option of surgery may be suggested if the non-surgical methods of treatment fail to relieve the pain.  Surgery on Haglund’s Deformity involves removing the piece of the bone that is rubbing against the bursa sac and the Achilles tendon.

Central Florida Foot & Ankle Center, LLC
101 6th Street N.W.
Winter Haven, FL 33881
Phone: 863-299-4551
http://www.FLFootandAnkle.com