Flip Flops and arch and calf pain/tightness

I wear birkenstock sandals all the time. They have good arch support. At home, these work for me:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07CHGMTWM/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I've had arch and calf issues without supportive footwear. It feels like compartment syndrome, but it went away after about 8-9 weeks.

flip flops are bad , caused lots of plantar issues for me. now i wear custom orthotics in my Vans , but no need to wear them in trainers. took a couple months to sort out.

I don't agree with the arguments against flip flops. Sure, some flip flops don't work for some people, but that goes for any other footwear. There is also a large variety of flip flops, and they fit, feel, support or not support differently. I've also had feet and calve issues heal while wearing flip flops extensively.

zzzz wrote:

I don't agree with the arguments against flip flops. Sure, some flip flops don't work for some people, but that goes for any other footwear. There is also a large variety of flip flops, and they fit, feel, support or not support differently. I've also had feet and calve issues heal while wearing flip flops extensively.

The big issue that I’ve read against flip flops isn’t so much lack of support, which is so true for many of them, but that they cause you to curl your toes for grip to keep them on your feet. It’s the curling or scrunching of the toes that can cause foot issues and this happens even if there is arch support.

Anyway, I understand that some people may never have issues from wearing them. However, it seems to make some sense they would contribute to foot/calf issues and am was just wondering if anyone else has had issues, stopped wearing flip flops and slides and if they noticed any improvement.

Flip flops have been the shoes on my feet for 90% of my shoe-wearing life and I have no problems from them. I am of the opinion that it is all of the other technology folks think is essential now years which does you the most harm and keeps you injured. Go barefoot more. If you can't go barefoot, go as near to barefoot as you can (flip flops). Ditch all the arch support bs and motion-control and orthotics and the rest of it. Develop the musculature which nature intended to be in your foot, and all of these problems disappear.

Also, there is no need to curl your toes or 'grip' the sandals to keep them on your feet. A good test of this is how loud are your flip flops slapping against your feet when you walk? I walk in mine so that they do not slap against the soles of my feet at all, completely silent. Relax your toes and learn to walk quietly in them. If they fly off your feet without you hanging onto them with your toes, you're doing something wrong.

Ultra Runner Chick wrote:

I was recently reading about how bad flip flops are for your feet.

It's the lack of support in a majority of flip flops that is the issue.

Take a look at some recovery sandals from Oofos or Hoka. Or, if you want an everyday look, check out Chacos. They have comfort and great arch support.

Curling and scrunching your toes is part of the cure for most foot problems. The muscles involved are slow twitch and you can curl and scrunch them all day IF you get used to it. What you want to get past is the need for support not blame flip flops. Lots of people in many parts of the world live in flip flops.

Most injured runners run around trying different things and blaming different things ,but slapping on some cozy shoes and then running and never properly recovering /rehabbing and then maintaining a proper balance of maintenance and appropriate training to stay healthy. the feet being crucial . Nothing is going to overcome training errors and too much hard or too much long running with not enough fitness in the feet and not enough rest. That's a recipe for retirement from running.

zzzz wrote:

I don't agree with the arguments against flip flops. Sure, some flip flops don't work for some people, but that goes for any other footwear. There is also a large variety of flip flops, and they fit, feel, support or not support differently. I've also had feet and calve issues heal while wearing flip flops extensively.

How old are you?

How old is zzzz?

If you have any type of lower leg or foot issues get out of flip flops immediately. People that tell you that "I've worn flip flops my whole life" remind me of the people that tell you that smoking cigarettes is not bad for you because they've smoked their whole life.

Kickapoo wrote:

zzzz wrote:

I don't agree with the arguments against flip flops. Sure, some flip flops don't work for some people, but that goes for any other footwear. There is also a large variety of flip flops, and they fit, feel, support or not support differently. I've also had feet and calve issues heal while wearing flip flops extensively.

How old are you?

I'm 50.

I don't have to curl or scrunch my toes to keep them on. They fit well.

My last pair, after the sole compressed and the thong part between the toes loosened up, I had to adjust that thong shorter. I yanked them out and hot glued them in to a good/shorter length.

Wore my Reef Phantoms around 400 miles before the straps tore. Wore my Sanuk Beer Cozy Lights about 550 miles before they wore out.

Hi Ultra Runner Chick,

I've had similar problems with calf soreness in the last year or so. I was prepping for the SD Rock n Roll Half Marathon earlier this year and was on a good routine for a while but then my calves tightened up running up 6th Ave in Balboa Park. This goes uphill for about .5 miles and is a few blocks from where I live so I ran it often. I had to stop running and get complete rest for a number of weeks. I still rode stationary/assault bikes and elliptical but had to stay away from running.

The tightness eventually went away but started up again after a few days of running even after daily muscle rolling, massage gun, ice, compression, heat, epsom salt bathes, etc.... I began to think about my every day regular routine and I used to wear flip-flops to work everyday as well (not much walking but standing a lot w/ stand up desk). So I stopped running and instead of flip flops I wore a pair of running shoes to work with custom insoles from Road Runner that always give good support. This overall helped the most.

I was able to finish the Rock N Roll half but my calves definitely were aching after about mile 7-8 or so... my knees also ache at this point a lot but was able to finish up.

I love flip flops but now I know I can only get away with wearing brand new ones for a couple of months before I notice the support slights gives and the tightness again in the calves.... unfortunately, I'll have to switch up my foot gear in order to avoid the calf inhibition.

Hope this helps and let me know if you or anyone else comes up with any solutions!!

-Takrok

I work at home and live in a warm climate and I wear oofos flip flops all day and they’re life changing for my feet. They also have shoes and slides. Try rolling your calves ore run and before bed. I get right calves here and there from just life and running and this helps