This kind of "shit-stepping feeling" shoes, with monthly sales exceeding 10,000, is gradually destroying your feet...

I believe that friends who have shopped online must have heard of the term "stepping on shit feeling". In recent years, a simple search for "stepping on shit feeling" shoes on e-commerce platforms will result in sales of more than 100,000.

"Stepping on shit feeling", this "very interesting" marketing term, vividly describes the softness of the soles - after putting them on, it feels like stepping on "shit". In the introduction of the merchants, the shoes with "stepping on shit feeling" are soft, light and elastic, and they feel as comfortable as being naked when stepped on, or even like stepping into bread.

To be honest, these shoes do feel very soft and comfortable when you first put them on. But these "shit-like" shoes that look and feel very comfortable to wear may be destroying the health of your feet.

The force mechanism of the foot

If you want to know how "shit-like" sandals affect the health of our feet, you must first understand how our feet generate power. Don't underestimate the feet as the lowest "employee" of the human body. When we start exercising, they are the "key parts" that drive different parts of the body to generate power.

It is not until around 18 years old that all the bones and ligaments of the foot are fully developed to form a mature arch structure. The arch is a convex upward arch composed of the arched combination of tarsal bones and metatarsal bones, as well as the ligaments, tendons and other elastic and contractile tissues on the sole of the foot. It can be divided into longitudinal arch and transverse arch, and the longitudinal arch can be divided into medial longitudinal arch and lateral longitudinal arch.

The normal and fully developed medial longitudinal arch has a large curvature and strong elasticity, just like a small shock absorber. Every time we take a step or jump, it can buffer the pressure from the bones and joints of the whole body, allowing the foot to provide sufficient support to the body, so that we can run and jump without pressure.

For people with normal arches, the sole of the foot will activate the winch mechanism: tighten the instep, tighten the plantar fascia, and tighten each bone (even though it is small, there are 26 bones), so it is like a fully drawn bow, which is not only more stable, but also can better drive the body muscles to move. If there is a problem with the arch of the foot, diseases such as plantar fasciitis and hallux valgus that cause foot pain or even deformity are more likely to come.

"Shit-stepping" shoes

It's destroying our feet step by step

1

The sole of the shoe is soft and thick.

"Shit-feeling" sandals have flat, soft, and wide soles, and lack the support in the middle to support our feet and lower limbs, making it impossible for the feet to find the correct fulcrum for walking.

Image source: an e-commerce platform

Although the arch of the foot is fully developed in adults, if the fulcrum is not correct for a long time, it will cause the plantar fascia to relax or contract, leading to arch collapse or plantar fasciitis (which we often call heel pain), which will lead to the deviation of the ankle joint force line, causing ankle joint degeneration, and even causing X-legs, lumbar pain, scoliosis, pelvic tilt and other problems, resulting in poor posture.

2

Poor heel wrapping

"Shit-feeling" sandals are generally designed to be very wide, especially the forefoot part, so the feet can swing back and forth in the shoes. In addition, the soft soles will weaken our control over the feet and cannot fix the ankles, making it difficult to stand steadily.

If things go on like this for a long time, the risk of sprains will increase, especially for people who already have foot problems such as inversion or eversion, the risk of sprains will be even greater.

3

Poor quality material

At present, many low-quality Crocs on the market are made of recycled plastic or artificial rubber, which can irritate the skin and easily cause allergies, contact dermatitis and other diseases. In addition, these shoes have poor anti-slip properties, making it easy to fall on rainy days and causing blisters. In summer, the soles of the feet are prone to sweating, and "shit-like" shoes are generally made of plastic. Although they have many holes, they are actually not breathable at all. Sweat stains and foot mud stick to the soles, which are damp and hot, and easily breed bacteria, leading to skin diseases such as athlete's foot.

Researchers have found that the cheap Crocs that have been very popular in the market in recent years also contain polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and phthalates. The odor they emit increases the risk of cancer, and long-term contact with the skin also increases the risk of cancer. In addition, some Crocs have also been found to contain heavy metals such as chromium, cadmium, and lead that pollute the environment and may be harmful to health.

So, what kind of sole hardness is most suitable for us?
This is like looking for a "golden key", which needs to be determined based on each person's foot shape, weight, activity level and other factors . But generally speaking, a good sole should be able to provide sufficient support and have a certain degree of elasticity to relieve the pressure on the sole of the foot.

Planning and production

Author: Deng Ting, attending physician of orthopedics department of Changsha Third Hospital

Reviewer: Ji Gang, deputy chief physician of orthopedics, the First Hospital of Hebei Medical University

Planning丨Yinuo

Editor: Yinuo

Proofread by Xu Lailinlin