If you think flip-flops qualify as barefoot-inspired minimalist footwear, think again. Any footwear that does not fully connect to the foot, such as slides, house slippers, mules, Crocs, clogs, and other slip-ons, will almost certainly adversely affect your natural gait. When you proceed through a stride with loosely connected footwear, bones and tendons must move in various unnatural ways in order to maintain contact with the shoes. This can create chronic tension in certain muscles and joints and cause inappropriate impact trauma. You can sense this easily by taking a few really slow steps in flip-flops: notice that your toes clench a bit on each stride in order to keep the sandals from flying off your feet.
In addition, when you’re wearing flip-flops, there are subtle dysfunctions that happen throughout the lower body, such as extra tension in anterior tibialis muscle and an alteration in the way the hips and quads operate during the stride. Biomechanist and bestselling author Katy Bowman contends that this clenching action “is the same muscle pattern that deforms toe joints into the ‘hammertoe’ position.” Of course, if you are using your flip-flops to walk from your hotel room to the pool, it’s no big deal. But if you’re walking significant distances in loosely connected footwear, it can create some real problems.
The category of “sport sandals” made by companies like Luna, Xero, Unshoes, and others are better because they strap your feet to the sole. It’s great to see people walking around in these shoes—some even wear them in the gym or while long-distance running. Alas, sport sandals offer minimal protection against obstacles and may be fashion-inappropriate in many situations, such as restaurant dining and office work.
With the Peluva Strand and Strand ATR models, we provide a tiered level of comfort and protection with the most authentic barefoot-inspired footwear experience. The Strand ATR is a buffed-up version of the versatile Strand model, with a robust tread pattern and a durable, water-resistant mesh upper. Save your flip-flops for pool and backyard use, go barefoot whenever possible in your home and other safe areas, and choose appropriate footwear for a barefoot-inspired lifestyle. For detailed guidance, download our free PDF guide called The Definitive Guide To A Barefoot And Minimalist Shoe Lifestyle at Peluva.com