Most of us have put away the boots in favor of summer sandals. But some of those sandals may be to blame for your aches and pains.
Stepping away from flip-flops could be hard for avid wearers. There's so much love out there for so little sandal:
"I wear flip-flops probably 300 days a year!"
"I've had mine for about four years."
"Pretty much for all my life -- it's that or I go barefoot."
However, Podiatrist Dr. Richard Green warns that flip-flops aren't necessarily good for your feet no matter how comfortable or desirable.
"It's good for getting back and forth to the shower and the beach but I wouldn't suggest anybody use it for long walks," he said.
Flip-flops can cause leg, knee, hip, and back pain because of their design. They cost between $2 to upwards of $80 a pair. However, price doesn't necessarily make it a better fit.
"It has no torque support, it's got no arch support, and although it is rubber and you would think it has good cushioning, it doesn't even have that good of a cushion," said Green.
A new study from the American College of Sports Medicine found flip-flop wearers tend to take smaller strides and alter the way they walk just to keep the sandals on.
Fans of the flip-flop take them everywhere they go:
"I walk long distances in them, I walk my dog in them."
"It doesn't matter that there's no arch support. I love them!"
As long as flip-flop wearers choose a pair with arch support, a thick sole, and a heel stopper, they will avoid foot pain.
"The difference in where it bends -- it's supposed to bend at the ball of the foot [instead of] bending in the middle of the whole thing!" said Green. "The torque control is better, the cushioning [is better], and it's got a little heel seat, so your heel won't slip off."
He said if the shoes don't hurt, it isn't a problem, but he doesn't advise anyone to wear them full time.
Most of us take 10,000 to 20,000 steps a day, so you want to make each one as comfortable as possible.
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