If you love wearing flip flops in the summer, you might want to think twice before slipping them on. Flip flops may seem like a convenient and comfortable choice for your feet, but they can also cause a lot of problems, especially if you have hammer toes.
What are Hammer Toes?
Hammer toes are a condition where one or more of your toes bend downward at the middle joint, creating a claw-like appearance. Hammer toes can be caused by various factors, such as genetics, arthritis, injury, or wearing ill-fitting shoes. Hammer toes can be painful and make it hard to walk or wear shoes. They can also lead to other complications, such as corns, calluses, blisters, and infections.
Are Flip Flops Good for Hammer Toes?
Flip Flops are not good for hammer toes. Because they offer no support, cushioning, or stability. They provide minimal support and can exacerbate the condition, causing discomfort and potential complications.
They force your feet to work harder to grip the shoe and maintain balance, which can strain your muscles, tendons, and ligaments. Flip flops also expose your feet to dirt, bacteria, and injuries.
Why Flip Flops Not Good for Hammer Toes
Increasing toe-curling:
When you wear flip flops, you tend to curl your toes to keep them from sliding off. This can aggravate the contraction of your toe joints and muscles, making your hammer toes more rigid and painful.
Causing friction and pressure:
Flip flops can rub against the tops of your hammer toes, causing irritation and inflammation. They can also press on the tips of your toes, forcing them to bend even more. This can lead to the formation of corns and calluses on your toes, which can be painful and hard to treat.
Altering your gait and posture:
Flip flops can change the way you walk and stand, because they do not provide adequate support or alignment for your feet. This can affect the distribution of weight and pressure across your feet, as well as the rest of your body. This can worsen existing foot deformities, such as bunions, and cause other problems, such as heel pain, arch pain, shin splints, knee pain, and back pain.
What are some Alternatives to Flip Flops?
If you have hammer toes, you should avoid wearing flip flops as much as possible. Instead, you should look for shoes that:
- Have a wide toe box: This will give your toes enough room to move and prevent them from being squeezed or compressed.
- Have a low heel: This will reduce the pressure on the front of your foot and prevent your toes from being pushed forward.
- Have good arch support: This will help stabilize your foot and prevent excessive pronation (rolling inward of the foot), which can contribute to hammer toe formation.
- Have a back strap or closure: This will help secure your foot in place and prevent it from sliding or slipping out of the shoe.
Some examples of shoes that are suitable for hammer toes are:
Orthopedic sandals
These are sandals that are designed with foot health in mind. They have features such as cushioned soles, contoured footbeds, adjustable straps, and arch support. They can provide comfort and protection for your feet without compromising style.
Sneakers
These are shoes that are made for athletic or casual wear. They have features such as breathable materials, flexible soles, shock absorption, and lace-up or velcro closures. They can provide support and stability for your feet without causing friction or pressure.
Mary Janes
These are shoes that have a low heel and a strap across the instep. They have features such as soft leather, padded insoles, round toes, and buckle or hook-and-loop closures. They can provide a feminine look while accommodating your hammer toes.
Conclusion
Flip flops are not good for hammer toes, because they can worsen the symptoms and complications of this condition. If you have hammer toes, you should avoid wearing flip flops and opt for shoes that are comfortable, supportive, and spacious for your toes. You should also seek professional help from a podiatrist to treat your hammer toes and prevent further damage to your feet.
