Podiatrists Are Coming For Your Summer Jellies (And 3 Other Types Of Shoes)

When it comes to foot health and shoes, a few things are paramount: proper fit, comfort and support. Unfortunately, many summer shoes are totally flat, so they don’t provide any support for your feet or a comfy platform on which to walk.

Podiatrists say you don’t have to totally give up cute yet unsupportive shoes, but you should limit the amount of time you spend in them — generally, no more than 2 to 3 hours. You should consider the kind of activity you’re doing, too; if you’re going for a long walk, you’ll want to wear sneakers.

And you should be cognizant of the fact that some popular summer shoes can actually lead to foot problems. Which ones? Here’s what podiatrists say:

Jelly Shoes

Dr. Lesly Robinson, the interim associate dean of academic affairs at the Temple University School of Podiatric Medicine in Philadelphia, said her number-one shoe offenders in summer are jelly shoes. Jellies are becoming increasingly popular among not only little kids but adults too, with styles such as heels and sandals.

“Jelly shoes are made of a PVC plastic,” Robinson said. “It’s not a breathable material, so you’ll tend to sweat more in these jelly type of shoes.”

This can make jelly shoes slippery and cause people to fall, she noted.

“Sometimes these jelly shoes… become very hot, so you can have chafing, blisters and the plastic environment of a jelly shoe can lead to foot fungus,” said Robinson.

Jelly shoes aren’t the only popular plastic shoes — Crocs seem to be more and more prevalent every year. Robinson said these can also make your feet sweat because of the material.

Dr. Chandler Hubbard, the clinical director at Western University of Health Sciences’ Foot and Ankle Center in California, said Crocs can be a good shoe to wear