FOOT SOLDIER

It is not just wearing high heels that can be a pain. Your feet suffer from flat footwear too. Read on to know why
Doctors warn that wearing a pair of flat shoes can be just as harmful as wearing high-heel shoes.nbsp;The trouble starts when one switches from one type of shoe to another after a long period. 8220;A slightest change in the type of heel can cause harm. If you have been wearing a type of shoe, say boots, for a month and then you suddenly switch to sneakers, it will end up damaging your feet or knees,8221; says Dr Ramesh H Dhumale, orthopedic surgeon, Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals. 8220;It8217;s important that you ease your feet into a new type of shoe. Wear them for an hour the first day, two hours the next and let your feet settle in slowly,8221; says Dr Dhumale.nbsp; nbsp;

Surprisingly, a comfy pair of flip-flops is not the best thing for your feet. In a study at Auburn University in Alabama, researchers studied the biomechanics of flip-flops and found out that wearing flat flip-flops can result in sore feet, ankles and legs. The researchers recruited 39 men and women in their early 20s and asked them to either wear flip-flops or athletic shoes. They were then asked to walk on a platform that measured the vertical force as their feet hit the ground. The researchers found that those who wore flip-flops took shorter steps and their heels hit the ground with less vertical force than when the same walkers wore athletic shoes. This showed that they walked on their toes not heels and had difficulty walking fast.
8220;Flip-flops are the worst form of shoes as they provide no support to the heels,8221; says Dr Manuj Wadhwa, orthopedic surgeon, Fortis Hospital. However, flip-flops should not be avoided completely. 8220;They can be worn for short periods of time. Since they are not designed to properly support the foot and ankle, wearing it all day may result in long-term damage,8221; he adds. Wearing flip-flops for long periods can cause the skin tissue at the soles to tear. As people tend to drag and grip flip-flops with their toes, it can result pressure for the entire foot leading to sore ankles. nbsp;

If worn constantly, flip-flops can lead to plantar fasciitis, a painful inflammatory heel condition that can take as much as 18 months to heal. 8220;This happens because flip-flops provide no shock absorbency and very little heel support,8221; says Dr Dhumale.
Doctors say that the best way to protect your feet from any such damage is to alternate between different kinds of shoes. 8220;One should avoid wearing a particular pair all day, every day,8221; advises Dr Wadhwa. So, if you wear a pair of high heels one day, switch to a pair of flats the next. 8220;The idea is to not wear the same heel for long periods of time as the feet don8217;t react very well when you change,8221; says Dr Dhumale.
Low heels of one-half to three-quarters of an inch are good for both the front and back of the foot. Square-toed shoes with a roomy toe box help prevent the pinching and scrunching of the foot that can lead to lots of painful problems.