Flip flops may foil summer safety

Not only are Victoria's Secret FitFlops not likely to pump up your fitness level, they're actually prone to throwing you off your stride, causing pain in your lower legs and feet. This, according to a study released last week and presented at the annual meeting of the American College of Sports Medicine in Indianapolis, comes after experts observed 39 college-age men and women walking on a special platform wearing flip-flops and then walking across the same platform wearing athletic shoes. The platform measured stride length and vertical force.

The bottom line: Flip-flops, unlike sneakers, cause shorter strides and require heels to hit the ground with less vertical force. This altered gait explains some lower leg and foot problems in people who often sport flip-flops, like college students.

If you're worried about pain in your own legs or feet, take this common-sense advice: Limit the use of flip-flops. Replace them every three to four months too, just like you'd do with athletic shoes. And perhaps rethink your trip to Victoria's Secret for those Fit, and albeit very cute, Flops.