5 Reasons why most sandals are ruining your feet
11/19/2024
Spring has sprung, and we’re not shocked to see that sandals and especially thongs are trending. To be clear, we don’t have an aversion to an Aussie staple, but we think you should know … they’re ruining your feet! When it comes to finding a sandal that is good for your feet, we’ve got you covered, thanks to our in-house Podiatrist. So before you let those little rubber wonders wreak havoc on your toes, let's talk about the five reasons why thongs and some sandals might be a bit of a “flop” for your foot health.
1. Forever no to flat soles
A lot of sandals have very thin, very flat soles, making it cause extra strain on your foot and lower leg when you walk. Thongs are the biggest culprit of all! The good news is that every pair of Bared have a minimum 12mm heel pitch - this slight elevation of the heel reduces strain on the calf muscles, Achilles tendon and plantar fascia. Another fun (well, we think so) aspect of our shoe design is the addition of a cushioned midsole which provides shoe absorption (for comfort and longevity). We’ve even hidden an extra layer of cushioning within our midsoles for optimum comfort.
2. Lack of support is never fun
We all love a bit of support in life, especially with our footwear. Sandals often have a low profile, which means that they can be quite minimal in their design and lack appropriate support for your feet. All of our sandals have a built-in footbed which includes features such as our heel cup with aperture (to support the rearfoot and provide cushioning to the insertion of the plantar fascia), medial arch support + our small cuboid notch to help stabilise the medial and lateral (inside and outside) aspects of your foot. In laymen's terms, this means our shoes are effortlessly full of support, so you can confidently stride everywhere with them.
3. Where’s the heel counter?
Shoes without backings can cause lots of problems, not only for your feet, but higher up the chain (knee and hip) as well! A lot of cheap sandals have a completely open back and this can be a big contributor to foot pain. We recommend a sandal with a firm heel counter to help support your rearfoot. A sandal with an adjustable sling-back strap is also a good alternative.
4. Narrow around the toe is not the answer
As we know, a lot of sandals have a completely open back which means they flip-flop around (pun intended!). To compensate for this, they usually have a tight or narrow strap around the mid and forefoot area to try and hold the shoe on to your foot. However, this often means that the straps are very tight and narrow which can cause pain and problems around the toes such as corns and calluses. All of our sandals have appropriate width and depth which will help prevent any pressure around the front of your foot and your toes.
No fastening, no happy feet
Lastly, if your sandals don’t have anything that you can tighten or loosen, then you may not be able to get the right fit for your foot shape. Without a proper fastening, your toes might need to work overtime to try and grip on to the ground to keep you stable, which can lead to problems with the big toe, little toes and your arch.
Luckily, all of our sandals have a fastening, whether it be buckles, adjustable straps, laces or velcro. These are all considered to be suitable fastening to ensure that the sandal is secured onto your foot.
So, as the warm weather calls your name, make sure you don’t answer it with poorly crafted summer footwear! Think of these five reasons, and we promise your feet will thank you later.
Written by Jordyn, a Podiatrist with 8 years of experience.
