5 common sandal mistakes that can lead to foot pain

Medically reviewed by Sarah Richards, DPM

Key Takeaways

• Avoid paper-thin soles that fail to protect your arches and heels from repetitive pavement impact.
• Choose everyday styles with ankle or heel straps to prevent toe-gripping, which strains foot muscles and changes your gait.
• Monitor recurring foot soreness or special health conditions, and know when to seek guidance from a clinician.

Choosing the wrong everyday sandals can cause foot fatigue, muscle strain, and painful conditions like blisters or plantar fasciitis. Fortunately, simple adjustments to your footwear’s support, security, and fit can protect your long-term foot health and keep you moving comfortably.

1. Choosing Thin, Flat Sandals

Minimalist sandals or flip-flop footwear often have little to no cushioning between your feet and hard pavement, which means your feet absorb the brunt of every step.

Without adequate shock absorption, repetitive impact can place excessive strain on your heels, arches, and the balls of your feet. Over time, this lack of structural support can lead to conditions like plantar fasciitis (inflammation of the tissue along the bottom of the foot) or metatarsalgia (pain and inflammation in the ball of the foot).

Instead, choose sandals that:

• Focus on everyday protection: Reserve paper-thin summer shoes for brief, low-impact wear, like stepping outside to grab the mail or sitting by the pool.
• Support natural movement: For daily walking or standing, choose sandals that feature a contoured, thicker midsole to absorb shock while allowing your foot to move naturally.

2. Wearing Loose-Fitting Sandals

Backless sandals (slides) and standard flip-flops force your toes to continuously grip the footbed to prevent the shoe from slipping off while you move.

This constant bending of your toes alters your natural gait, shortens your stride, and overworks the tendons in your lower leg and foot. Over time, this can contribute to tendonitis, shin splints, or toe deformities like hammer toes (where the toes bend permanently downward).

To help prevent this:

• Stabilize your daily gait: For normal everyday activities or extended periods on your feet, rely on sandals with adjustable straps or a dedicated heel strap to hold your foot securely.
• Limit loose-fitting styles: Treat flimsy sandals or flip-flops as situational footwear meant strictly for short trips to the beach, locker room, or shower.

3. Wearing Sandals That Are Too Stiff or Too Flexible

Proper everyday footwear requires a precise balance of structural rigidity and natural flexibility to protect foot health.

An overly flexible sandal that folds completely in half fails to stabilize your arch, while a completely rigid sole interferes with your foot’s natural rolling motion from heel to toe. This restriction forces your ankles and knees to compensate, which can cause repetitive stress injuries, muscular strain, and pain in your feet, ankles, or knees.

To avoid this:

• Check the natural flex point: Ensure your everyday sandals bend primarily at the ball of the foot, matching the natural movement of your feet. Daily activity in minimal footwear that works with your biomechanics can increase foot strength.
• Look for stable arch support: Avoid completely flimsy or rigid styles for all-day wear; the midsection should stay relatively firm to properly support your body weight, especially if you have flat feet.

4. Wearing the Wrong Size

When a sandal is the wrong size or shape, your toes may hang over the front edge or your heels might extend off the back, leaving your feet vulnerable to direct impact bumps and cuts.

Furthermore, a footbed that doesn’t match the natural contours of your foot can crowd the forefoot, causing friction that can trigger painful blisters, calluses, or ingrown toenails.

To ensure proper fitting:

• Account for natural foot changes: Be mindful of how your sandals fit later in the day because feet naturally swell with activity. This is especially true for individuals prone to peripheral edema (fluid retention and swelling in the lower limbs).
• Maintain a protective boundary: Ensure your entire foot shape rests completely within the borders of the footbed, leaving a small sliver of space around the entire perimeter to prevent friction blisters of the feet.

5. Keeping Old Sandals Too Long

Over months of wear, supportive foams compress permanently, built-in arch supports flatten out, and bottom treads wear completely smooth. Walking on worn-out sandals compromises your stability, forcing your ankles and deep stabilizing muscles to work twice as hard to keep you balanced, increasing your risk of ankle sprains.

Common signs it’s time to replace your sandals include:

• Arch or heel fatigue
• Smoothed-out tread on the bottom
• Uneven wear patterns

What to Look for in Supportive Sandals

A good everyday sandal should have:

• Moderate cushioning
• Arch support
• Adjustable straps
• Flexible forefoot
• Proper fit

When to See a Healthcare Provider

While minor foot soreness after an unusually long active day often resolves with rest, you should schedule an appointment with a clinician or podiatrist (foot specialist) if you experience:

• Chronic heel or arch pain that persists for more than two consecutive weeks.
• Localized foot pain that consistently recurs every time you wear open-toed shoes.
• Persistent numbness, tingling, or a “pins and needles” sensation anywhere in the feet.
• Unresolved swelling in the feet or ankles that does not improve with rest or elevation.
• Severe pain that noticeably alters your gait or makes walking difficult.

People with diabetes, peripheral neuropathy, circulation problems, or a history of foot ulcers should also talk with a healthcare provider about choosing appropriate footwear, since even minor foot injuries can become more serious.

Read the original article on Verywell Health