STYLE MATTERS: Flip these 'sandals' back to the beach

Judie Schwartz and Evelinda Urman, Special to the Rocky

Published July 2, 2008 at 10:52 p.m.

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Evelinda: People think warm weather gives them the excuse to wear flip-flops everywhere - shopping, graduation ceremonies, even to the theater. What's with these humble rubber beach sandals? Why are they so popular? And are they good for your feet?

Judie: Historians believe flip-flops are the oldest form of footwear, dating back to 4,000 B.C. Egyptian pharaohs are shown wearing flip-flop-style sandals on tomb murals and have been discovered buried in temples with their golden flip-flops.

Evelinda: Growing up in Venezuela, I wore chancletas (flip-flops) because it was all we could afford. We couldn't wait to give them up. So in 2005, when some members of the Northwestern University women's lacrosse team wore flip-flops to the White House to meet President Bush, I was astounded at their poor taste.

Judie: No doubt these students wanted to have comfy tootsies while they waited to meet the prez. But research has shown the comfort of flip-flops is deceiving. In a recent New York Times article, researchers at Alabama's Auburn University studying the biomechanics of flip- flops concluded that they can lead to sore feet, ankles and legs and lower back pain. The authors of the study concluded that flip-flops are fine, but not for all-day wear.

Evelinda: The American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons has seen an increase in ankle problems, especially among 15- to 25-year-olds who love their flip-flops.

Evelinda: You'll never hear about this from flip-flop designers like Havaianas. Their embellished ones go for more than $100. The rubber is of higher caliber than, say, the kind you can buy at Rite-Aid, but folks, rubber is rubber.

Judie: We test-drove the newest flip-flop, called a Shape-Up shoe ($39 at shapeupshoes.com). It's a flip-flop on steroids. To wear, you must balance on the raised platform near the front of the sole of the sandal while attempting to stride normally. If they are worn for at least 30 minutes a day, Shape Up Shoes claims they'll improve posture, increase circulation, build lean muscle, burn calories and decrease lower back pain.

Evelinda: I wore them and developed horrible back pain. Judie twisted her ankle badly several times. The moral of our column: Unless you own a pair dipped in gold, limit your flip-flop wear and don your nicer, supportive sandals more often.

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