Flip 'em off!

Lately, I've been a bit hobbled.

Not really because I've been running too much. In fact, I've been running less than I want to because of my schedule. But I hadn't really thought too much about the discomfort I felt while walking.

It was odd when I finally realized I was feeling discomfort, but even then I didn't think too much of it.

Until I saw a story in The Other Mag.

The story had six different sets of footwear and had pros and cons of each. Among those featured included high heels (which I've never worn), crocs (nope) and thin-soled shoes, flip-flops to be more precise. I have a pair of those. Mrs. LB bought me flip flops a few months ago as part of some new summer clothes she was awesome enough to pick up for me. I'd never worn flip-flops much in the past and figured I'd give them a try.

I instantly fell for them. They were lightweight and I felt quite comfortable in them. So I wore them. A lot. Perhaps too much.

The story says to wear them "If it's for a short period of time, you won't be walking around a lot or you don't have a history of foot injuries."

Conversely, it cautioned against them: "They offer no arch support, cushioning, or shock absorption, which can lead to plantar fasciitis and shinsplints."

Oh no! What did I do?

That was on Saturday, when I realized that I'd been wearing flip-flops almost exclusively for the past month-to-six weeks. It took its toll on my feet. Now, I'm back to my old sandals, which have far more cushioning and padding and have never given me problems.

It's kind of a shame because I really do like my flip-flops but now I just have to be more selective in how I wear them.