How to start off on the right foot

Experts tell Tanith Carey how popular footwear styles can put the health of your feet at risk

- 

OVER the course of your lifetime, you'll walk an estimated 75,000 miles - the equivalent of circumnavigating the globe three times. So to stay on the move - and keep fit and healthy - it's essential that you look after your feet.

This means wearing footwear that supports these remarkably intricate body parts - which each contain 26 bones, 33 joints and more than 100 muscles, tendons and ligaments, working together to keep you mobile. But not all of the shoes we love are good for our feet. Here, we get the lowdown from experts about how popular styles can affect your steps and how to tread more carefully.

Flip-flops

Lightweight and airy, they may feel easy to slip on in the summer months. But they're not friendly with your feet, thanks to their flimsy, flat plastic bases that offer no arch support. Researchers at America's Auburn University (2009) found flip-flop wearers take shorter strides - and don't lift their feet as much to keep the sandals on. This increases the risk of tripping and creating tension in the feet and ankle joints.

Consultant podiatric surgeon Kaser Nazir of Jorja Healthcare Group, says: "The lack of arch support and shock absorption can lead to foot problems such as plantar fasciitis (when the tissue at the base of your foot gets torn or inflamed). - as well as pain in the knees, hips, and back. Also the open nature of flip-flops also means your feet are more at risk of injuries, like stubbing your toe as well as cuts and grazes."

How to put your best foot forward:

"Flipflops are fine for the beach - but wear them all day, and your feet will pay the price," says podiatrist Bharti Rajput (@thefootexpertclinic_).

She suggests slider-style sandals, which have a thick panel crossing the front of the foot and thicker soles contoured to your foot arch. They also don't cause as much chafing between the toes, and you can wear them with socks.

Ballet flats