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Keep Your Feet Pain-Free

Hint: Ditch the flip-flops for comfy sneakers

By Drew Nelles,  Newser Staff

Posted Jun 24, 2008 8:42 PM CDT

(Newser) – Watch out for those summertime flip-flops and ballet flats: Prolonged use could give you a painful foot condition, a podiatrist tells NPR. Shoes without enough arch or back support put too much strain on an important piece of tissue called the plantar fascia. Fashionable or not, it's better to go with a lightweight, comfortable pair of running shoes.

Another podiatrist, who merged her profession with Pilates, says it's best to be proactive about foot care and recommends starting each morning with a few minutes of foot-and-toe stretches. “We ask a lot of our feet,” she says. “And in order to give them the attention they deserve, spending a little time every day can be so beneficial.”

We ask a lot of our feet, a podiatrist tells NPR.
"We ask a lot of our feet," a podiatrist tells NPR.   (Shutterstock)
One podiatrist tells NPR that, while the barefoot movement is gaining momentum, the days of bare feet also saw life expectancies of about 30 years.
One podiatrist tells NPR that, while the barefoot movement is gaining momentum, the days of bare feet also saw life expectancies of about 30 years.   (Shutterstock)
One podiatrist-turned-Pilates instructor tells NPR that the foot has 26 bones and 33 joints.
One podiatrist-turned-Pilates instructor tells NPR that the foot has 26 bones and 33 joints.   (Shutterstock)
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