A Marathon in Flip Flops?

Last week I read an article of a man attempting to break into the Guiness Book of World Records by running a marathon in flip flops. Unfortunately, he was unable to break the world record but he did develop pain in the balls of his feet, sore quadriceps and blisters.  In fact the article from Runner's World By Scott Douglas stated "By the following day, Levasseur said, the balls of his feet were "quite sore," in part because "with the minimal padding and inability to place my foot like I normally do, I had to slap the front of my foot quite a bit, especially on the downhills." Levasseur said his ankles and quadriceps were also more sore than usual because of his altered gait."  This reminds me how important having the right shoes for the particular activity is. Now maybe we do not go to the extremes as far as attempting to wear flip flops while running a marathon, but we have trouble wearing the appropriate shoes. For example, for the day "out shopping" in shoe boots look great but an hour into shopping, our feet may not think so. What can wearing the wrong shoes do to your feet?

First, blisters on feet are a common problem caused by friction from shoes or socks which rubs repeatedly on the skin. If the shoe fits improperly, the resulting friction can cause blisters on prominent areas of the foot such as the back of the heel or on the toes. By wearing roomier shoes, with wider toe boxes, and proper fitting shoes can prevent these problems. If you wear hiking boots ensure all seams are flat inside the boot. Take care of the boots, do not leave them on radiators or near heaters. This may cause the leather to shrink and cause the seams to protrude.  Keep feet as dry as possible. Wet shoes, boots and socks will cause blisters far quicker than dry ones. 

Ball of foot pain can develop with shoes without proper padding into the forefoot of the shoe. If you are a runner on a hard surface you need a shoe with a sufficient padding. Also, footwear with a narrow toe box forces the ball of foot area to be forced into a minimal amount of space. This can cause pain when walking. Another factor that can cause excessive pressure in the foot include shoes with heels that are too high. By purchasing shoes with a wider toe box and sufficient forefoot cushioning should eliminate ball of foot pain related to improper shoes.

Lastly, if you wear shoes without sufficient arch support you can develop ankle pain. The tendon that is the major supporter of the arch crosses the inside portion of the ankle as it attaches to the midfoot. This is the tibialis posterior tendon. If there is not enough support, the tendon can become irritated and inflamed as it works harder to support the arch. Behind the ankle the blood supply to the tendon is the poorest so this is the area most susceptible area to injury. By wearing shoes with good arch supports with an orthotic that will externally support the arch and take away the need for this tendon to work so hard.

I don't believe many people would wear flip flops to run a marathon but I don't believe we consider how appropriate our shoes are for our daily activities.

Dr. "Sandie" Grulke
http://www.podiatrycarespecialists.com/