Flip flop sandals are a popular choice during summer – but they can lead to foot pain and problems for many wearers. They provide no arch support and generally have a much thinner sole than other types of footwear.

For a lot of people, flip flops are the perfect choice of footwear during the summer months. They are bright, fashionable and cheap – and a lot of them come with floral or glittery adornments. When they are worn for relatively short periods, at the poolside or at the beach for instance, flip flop sandals can provide protection from rough, or hot, surfaces. However, many wearers find that wearing flip flop type sandals for extended periods can lead to arch and heel pain.

If you like the freedom of flip flop type sandals and you really wish to wear them for prolonged periods of time, then it might be worth your while to cast your eye over the FitFlops range. At first glance, these look very similar to standard flip flop type sandals – but they incorporate a specially shaped sole, which is thicker and provides extra support. These are much better for you than normal flip flop sandals. The American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA) has even issued FitFlops with a seal of acceptance.

The sole’s special design encourages your lower body muscles to work a little bit harder as you walk around during the course of your daily routine. FitFlops are toning shoes and they use something that the makers refer to as “microwobbleboard” technology. It’s supposed to operate on the same principle as one of those balance boards that you can find at the gym.

This special sole introduces a small element of instability when you walk in your FitFLops. Your lower body muscles will attempt to re-establish your body’s natural balance – which means that they do a little more work than normal. The upshot of this is that every single step that you take whilst wearing your FitFlops helps you to trim down your butt and tone up your legs. You are effectively getting a free lower body workout as you walk around – but without the need for a trip to the gym, and also without the monthly membership fees.

FitFlops come in a very wide choice of styles and colors. In fact, as a result of customer demand, the range has grown to incorporate sneakers, winter boots, slippers and clogs. All of the shoes in the range are bright, colorful, fashionable and chic – but it’s the sandals which give you the freedom of flip flops with no injury risk and which help you to get into shape at the same time.

If FitFlops aren’t quite to your taste – which seems unlikely given that they now have such a large selection – there are a variety of other toning shoes available that you might want to have a quick look at. Skechers Shape Ups are the clear market leaders right now – but Reebok Easy Tones or MBT shoes might also take your fancy.

Tags

Health and Fitness