The Honest Truth About Flip Flops and Foot Pain
Every summer, the same thing happens. Women come into my podiatry clinic with heel pain, arch ache, and sore knees — and when I ask what footwear they've been wearing, the answer is almost always the same.
Flip flops.
I'm not here to make you feel guilty about your favourite summer sandal. But I am going to be completely honest with you about what they're doing to your feet — because most people genuinely don't know, and that's not fair.
The truth is: most flip flops are one of the worst things you can put on your feet. Not because they're open-toed or casual, but because of what they lack structurally — and what that forces your foot to do to compensate.
What actually happens to your foot in a flip flop
When you wear a flip flop, your foot has to work constantly just to keep the shoe on. Because there's no strap around the heel or ankle, your toes — specifically your flexor tendons — grip and claw with every single step to stop the sandal flying off.
You probably don't notice yourself doing this. But your tendons do.
Over time, this gripping action:
- Overloads the plantar fascia (the band of tissue along the base of your foot), increasing your risk of plantar fasciitis
- Causes the toes to adopt a clawed or hammered position — which becomes harder to reverse the longer it goes on
- Changes your gait — most people shorten their stride in flip flops without realising, which affects the knees, hips and lower back
- Strains the Achilles tendon, because the completely flat sole offers no heel lift and no shock absorption
"But they're so comfortable"
I hear this constantly, and I understand it — flip flops feel comfortable because they're lightweight, airy, and there's nothing constraining your foot. That feeling of freedom is real.
But comfortable to wear and good for your feet are two completely different things.
A completely flat, completely unsupported surface feels easy to stand on for the first ten minutes. What it doesn't do is support your arch, stabilise your heel, or absorb shock through the forefoot — any of which your foot needs to stay pain-free over hours of walking, standing, or being on your feet in summer heat.
The comfort you feel is the absence of restriction, not the presence of support. Those are not the same thing.
The "I've worn them for years and I'm fine" argumen
Some people genuinely have worn flip flops for years without noticeable pain — and they'll tell me so. Here's my honest response to that:
Firstly, some people have biomechanics that tolerate poor footwear better than others. If you have naturally higher arches, good ankle stability and strong foot musculature, you may compensate more effectively.
Secondly, foot problems are often cumulative. The damage builds slowly — a slightly shortened plantar fascia here, a little more arch drop there — and then one day you step out of bed and can barely walk. The flip flops didn't cause a sudden injury. They contributed to a gradual one that finally tipped over.
Thirdly: pain is not the only measure of damage. Changes in gait, progressive arch flattening, and Achilles tightening can all be happening without significant pain — until they aren't.
Are all flip flops equally bad?
No — and this is worth knowing. The problem isn't the open-toe, backless style per se. It's the absence of:
- Arch support — a flat footbed means zero support for the medial arch
- A heel cup — nothing to stabilise or cushion the heel bone
- A firm midsole — most flip flops have a completely pliable sole that offers no resistance to the ground
- A secure fit — without a backstrap, the foot is never properly held in place
A sandal that addresses all four of those things — even if it's open-toed and backless in style — is a fundamentally different product to a flip flop, even if it looks similar at a glance.
This is actually the distinction I built Moffootwear around. The open sandal aesthetic that women love in summer, with the structural underpinning that a flip flop completely lacks.
So what should you do if you love the flip flop look?
You don't have to give up open sandals. You just need to be more selective about what's underneath your foot.
When you're choosing a summer sandal, check for:
- A contoured footbed that follows the shape of the arch — not just a flat surface
- A deep heel cup that holds the heel bone stable
- A sole you can't twist easily along its length (the twist test — if it folds in half, it won't support you)
- Straps that keep the sandal securely on your foot without your toes needing to grip
And if you do wear flat flip flops — for the beach, by the pool, around the house — try to limit how long you're walking in them. They're fine for short bursts. They're not designed for hours of walking on hard surfaces, however good the weather is.
When to see a podiatrist
If you've had a summer of flip flops and you're now noticing heel pain (especially that first-step-in-the-morning sharpness), arch ache, sore balls of feet, or knee pain that wasn't there before — please get it checked. Plantar fasciitis and Achilles tendinopathy are both very treatable in the early stages and much harder to shift once they become chronic.
Don't wait until autumn to deal with it.
You can also check out my podiatry website if you're needling more lower limb information here.
Why I designed Moffootwear
This gap — between the flip flop look women want and the support their feet actually need — is exactly why MOFF exists.
I designed the MOFF footbed as a podiatrist, around a true biomechanical last: contoured arch support, deep heel cup, metatarsal offloading, and a firm sole structure that doesn't collapse under body weight. In genuine leather. In styles that look like a considered choice, not a clinical compromise.
You shouldn't have to choose between looking good and looking after your feet. That's the whole point.
[Browse the Moffootwear collection here.]
Written by Millie, HCPC-registered podiatrist and founder of Moffootwear. This article is for general information only and does not replace individual podiatric assessment. If you are experiencing foot pain, please book an appointment with a registered podiatrist.