By: Nancy Howard, SparkPeople Blogger
3/31/2010 4:00 PM   :  186 comments   :  18,183 Views

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Last spring I wrote a blog about my obsession with my beloved flip-flops. With the exception of a few months during the winter, flip-flops are my primary spring, summer and fall shoe staple. I wear them almost every day, the only exception is when I am running or attending an event that requires closed toe shoes.

Flip-flops are notorious for receiving a bad rap from the medical community due to their flimsy construction and lack of arch support. In a recent study conducted by Chicago's Rush University Medical Center published in the February 2010 online journal Arthritis Care & Research flip-flops may actually be a better choice of footwear for individuals with are suffering from osteoarthritis of the knee .

In a study of 31 adults with symptoms of osteoarthritis of the knee, researchers analyzed the gait and peak knee loads of these individuals wearing four various types of footwear: Dansko Clogs, Brooks Addiction stability shoes, Puma H Street flat walking shoes and flip-flops. Surprisingly, the stability shoes and clogs led to greater knee adduction when compared to the flip-flops or even barefoot walking.

According to lead author of the study, Dr. Najia Shakoor in an article published in the Science Blog, heel height and inflexibility of the clogs and stability shoes could be a partly to blame for the increase in knee load.

But before you get ready to hang up your clogs and stability shoes for your favorite flip-flops, note that there are other issues with wearing flip-flops. Your risk for tripping and developing back and foot issues wearing these shoes have been noted in other studies.

So what is one to do? This is where you must find what works best for you and as with everything else in life, moderation is key.

Do the results of this study surprise you? Does this change your opinion regarding wearing different footwear?