With last week's plunge in temperatures in the Northeast, it seems hard to believe that beach season kicks off in a month from now. With that comes a return to less restrictive footwear, which for many of us means flip flops.
There are people in the world of rehabilitation and movement who think that flip flops are the root of all evil. I'm not one of them. In fact, I just returned from running some errands in my flops for the first time this spring. I am not one to speak in absolutes when it comes to injuries and prevention. Our bodies and movement strategies are just too variable to make declarations that something is "all bad" or "all good", including wearing flip flops. After all, if flip flops are so bad, then wouldn't everyone who dons a pair end up with plantar fasciitis, shin splints, posterior tibialis tendonitis, low back pain, or some other malady?
That being said, I do think that some simple mindfulness makes sense when it comes from transitioning from cold to warm weather footwear. As with many overuse injuries, it's a simple case of the demand being placed on your tissues overwhelming your ability to adapt to those forces. Another way to put it is that overload (too much, too quickly) may lead to injury. But the good news is that you can do something to diminish the risk of that happening.
I'm fortunate in that I spend the majority of my day without shoes on. This is a reflection of the nature of my daily work, which involves a lot of demonstration on gym matts. Oddly, nobody ever questions why I'm only wearing socks, but perhaps it's because I generally have them barefooted through their entire session too. However, I recognize that many of you don't have the luxury of walking around your offices without shoes.
Why does this matter? Many "dress" shoes are very restrictive. Toe boxes are too narrow. Soles are too rigid. Heels are too high. This prevents your foot and its intricate system of bones, ligaments, muscles and tendons from doing what they are intended to do. Then, when you put your feet into something like a flip flop, your body and brain are left wondering what the heck you want your them to do.
One of the criticisms of flip flops is that they place too much demand on your toe flexors. Every time you stride, your toes have to grip to keep the flop from flying off. The flexor hallucis longus and brevis (big toe flexors) and the flexor digitorum (2nd-5th toe flexors) muscles are responsible for gripping. To feel these muscles in action, try this quick experiment. Take your shoes off. Now gently begin to lean forward. As your center of mass displaces forward, your calf muscles will begin to kick in. Continue forward and you'll feel and see your toes attempt to "grip" to floor. These are the muscles that help keep those flops on. Overuse of your toe flexors could lead to pain in your foot and/or lower leg.
So, what do do about it, you might ask? Your goal is to train these muscles so that they don't ever feel that they're being "overused" in the first place. If you're a flip flop wearer, don't slip them on for the first time of the season and head out for a full day. Rather, I suggest you start to train your toe flexors by beginning to wear them around the house first. Gradually start getting them ready for the increased demand you're about to place on them for the next several months. This will allow your tissues to keep pace with the increased demand, rather than becoming overwhelmed by it.
As bipedal beings, ground reaction force attenuation begins at the feet. Keep them prepped and ready for all seasons so that you can enjoy them all without any pain.
No comments:
Post a Comment