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A few months ago, I did a post on how stilettos effect your feet and the way you walk. Since I've gained a large amount of weight, walking in stilettos is no longer an option for me simply because wearing heels are painful. I do not wear them hardly at all anymore and when I do it's only for a short period of time. I make an entrance in the club or whatever function I'm going to and once I say hello to everyone I'm headed to sit these dogs down and whip out a pair of flip flops out my purse and that's what I wear the rest of the night.

Little to my knowledge, flip flops are not only just as bad as wearing heels they are worse. According to the American Podiatric Medical Association, flip flops can change they way you walk. Wearing them for long periods of time can put a huge strain on you calf muscles and even cause pinched nerves in the hips and back due to the fact they have no grip. They also provide little to no arch support or shock absorption leading to a number of ailments, including but not limited to blisters and toe jams.

Here are some do's and don'ts for wearing flip-flops:

• Do shop for a flip-flop made of high-quality, soft leather. Leather minimizes the potential for blisters and other types of irritation.
• Do gently bend the flip-flop from end to end, ensuring it bends at the ball of the foot. Shoes of any kind should never fold in half.
• Do ensure that your foot doesn’t hang off of the edge of the flip-flop.
• Do wear a sturdy pair of flip-flops when walking around a public pool, at the beach, in hotel rooms and in locker room areas. Walking barefoot can expose foot soles to plantar warts and athlete's foot.

• Don't re-wear flip-flops year after year. Inspect older pairs for wear. If they show signs of severe wear, discard them.
• Don't ignore irritation between toes, where the toe thong fits. This can lead to blisters and possible infections.
• Don't wear flip-flops while walking long distances. Even the sturdiest flip-flops offer little in terms of shock absorption and arch support.
• Don't do yard work while wearing flip-flops. Always wear a shoe that fully protects feet when doing outside activities such as mowing the lawn or using a weed-eater.
• Don't play sports in flip-flops. This practice can lead to twisting of the foot or ankle, as well as sprains and breaks.