The health dangers of wearing slippers around your home – ankle instability and curly toes
Bunions: Expert explains causes and treatments
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“Slippers are convenient, feet go in and out within seconds,” Christophe Champs acknowledged. “But this doesn’t make them the healthiest form of footwear.” Champs continued: “Ideally, anything you have on your feet for a long period [of time] should offer proper support and protection.” Slippers, on the other hand, do not – “their shape is not supportive”.
“Providing your feet, which make up one quarter of your skeleton, with minimal support can negatively affect your ageing body (however young you are),” Champs stated.
Every step taken in slip-on shoes, such as slippers, forces the toes to claw down on the material.
“Your toes are forced to grasp the slipper to lift it off the ground and carry it until your next step,” Champs clarified.
“This is because your heel is not grabbed by the footwear,” he explained.
Wearing slippers should be “an occasional treat”, said Champs.
Instead, if you want something on your feet while at home, Champs recommends “supportive and lace-up shoes”.
“Save walking barefoot for sandy beaches or your freshly mowed lawn, and slippers for putting your feet up in front of the TV.”
Podiatrist and biomechanics expert Christophe Champ works on behalf of PODO Clinic and Workshop.
While the forefoot is “beautifully designed to change direction and adapt to uneven surfaces”, this skill “should never be overused”.
By wearing slippers every evening, for example, you are putting too much pressure on the toes.
Over the long term, people who wear slippers may develop toe deformities, such as hammer toe and bunions.
Hammer toes
The NHS notes that hammer toes occur when one or both joints of the toes “bend abnormally, pointing upwards”.
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During the earliest of stages, the affected toes can still be straightened when pressure is applied to the “bend”.
As time passes, the toe can become permanently bent and rigid; corn and calluses can form, which can become “very painful”.
Bunions
Bunions are bony lumps that form on the side of the feet – and surgery is the “only way to get rid of them”.
If they become painful, you are advised to take painkillers and to use an ice pack on the bunion for up to five minutes at a time.
Champs warned that wearing slippers can also lead to hard skin developing under the ball of your feet.
“Slippers aren’t just bad for your feet – the impact can also be felt around the ankle and upwards to your knees, hip, back and even your neck,” Champs cautioned.
Moreover, slippers can contribute to falls, which can be particularly dangerous in the elderly.
“Think of slippers a bit like chocolate. Yes, really. Lovely, but not good for you if you have it every day.”
Wearing slippers should be “an occasional treat”, said Champs.
Instead, if you want something on your feet while at home, Champs recommends “supportive and lace-up shoes”.
“Save walking barefoot for sandy beaches or your freshly mowed lawn, and slippers for putting your feet up in front of the TV.”
Podiatrist and biomechanics expert Christophe Champ works on behalf of PODO Clinic and Workshop.
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