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Flip Flops: A Summer Danger?
By myfoxatlanta.com, myfoxatlanta.com
Published December 12, 2016
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As the weather warms up, the shoes are coming off. It seems like everybody is sporting flip flops. But there's a flip side to flip flops.
It's hard to beat the convenience of flip flops. It takes two seconds to put them on and you're good to go. But one foot specialist warns they could trip you up.
Foot surgeon Dr. Gary Stewart with Resurgens Orthopedics says if you can't stand the thought of summer without your flip flops, that's okay.
"People are going to wear the shoes they want to wear, it's just a matter of where, and when," said Dr. Gary Stewart.
Most flip flops offer total freedom but zero foot support. Their thin soles are usually just a piece of rubber. No cushioning, no shock absorption, no stability. Dr. Stewart says save your flip flops for chilling out this summer.
"So it's basically something you should wear when you're kind of hanging out. Kind of lounging, it's not all-terrain shoes. Put on your sneakers for that," said Stewart.
You have to squeeze your toes to hold flip flops in place and even then, they sometimes slip
so you can fall, or twist an ankle. If you're going to be on your feet a lot, walking on uneven surfaces you're prone to fall. Stewart says leave the flip flops at home.
"But it is hot, and I won't say I never wear flip flops but I only wear them around the pool. I won't wear them for a long period of time," said Stewart.
The wedges women wear, which are basically a flip flop with a stacked heel, aren't much better.
"People think those wedges are safer. Well in fact they're not because you're more likely to slip, you don't have the support, and you may again twist your ankle. But I've heard that's called the pain of fashion," said Stewart.
If you're going to be doing any heavy work like lifting, skip the flip flops and go with shoes that are going to protect your feet.
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https://www.foxnews.com/health/flip-flops-a-summer-danger