Are your thongs a health hazard ?

They may be Australia's most popular summer footwear, but is it time to say so long to those thongs ?

Whether you call them thongs, flip-flops or jandals, the simple rubber sandal has become an Australian symbol that's almost as iconic as Vegemite and the Hills hoist. Once the preserve of daggy beachgoers, thongs are now a fashion statement. Footwear company Active Casual estimates Australians buy almost three million pairs a year. Kylie Minogue even sat on a giant thong in the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games closing ceremony. However, an article in the New York Daily News which highlighted the fact that thongs could be a breeding ground for bacteria had the body+soul team wondering if we should hang up our beloved Havaianas for good ...

Dirt alert

The paper tested two reporters' thongs, worn around the city for four days, and found a bacteria called Staphylococcus aureus on both pairs. "[Staphylococcus aureus] can make you pretty sick if it gets into a wound and into your blood," Dr Dennis Kinney, the microbiology laboratory manager, told New York Daily News.
"If you didn't treat it with antibiotics you could die from it." The bacteria thrives in warm, moist environments. "Thongs allow easy, direct access to oxygen, skin cells and oils, dirt and moisture, [which make it easy] for the bacteria to grow. A cut is enough to allow it to breach the skin barrier, replicate and cause disease," says Dr Renato Morona, associate professor in microbiology and immunology at the University of Adelaide.
The bacteria can cause abscesses and boils, as well as more serious infections such as pneumonia, meningitis and osteomyelitis (infection of the bone and bone marrow). That may sound scary, but if we put things in perspective, you won't need to adopt the socks-and-sandals look just yet.
"Eighty per cent of the population already have Staphylococcus aureus on their skin, in their nose and armpits," says Cheryl Jean Power, a lecturer in the University of Melbourne's microbiology and immunology department. "It can be very dangerous in hospitals because it can acquire resistance to antibiotics. But in normal, healthy people, it's not a problem." The key to protecting yourself, say Power and Dr Morona, is hygiene. If wounds are cleaned and well covered, the bacteria will not be able to enter your body. If it does and your immune system is robust, it is not likely to be a problem.
"We probably have little cuts and sores on our bodies all the time, and 90 per cent of the time your body gets rid of the bacteria without you even knowing," Power says. "If you're someone who wears thongs all day, are surrounded by lots of dirt and moisture and don't look after yourself properly, it is likely the bacteria could cause an infection. But if you shower every day, it's unlikely." If you keep your shoes and feet clean and dry, the likelihood of contracting an infection from your thongs is pretty small.

Save your soles

Thongs may be great if you're nipping down to the corner shop, but you may need to reconsider your footwear if you plan on wearing them for a long trek. "Thongs are great for going from the car to the beach or the pool. They're not suitable for long walks as they offer no support or stability," says Trevor Proskewitz, a podiatrist at Sydney's Foot Injury Clinic. "And the foot has to work harder because your toes are gripping on to the shoe."
Proskewitz says he often sees injuries such as foot strain and collapsed or dropped arches as a result of people walking too far, for too long, in their thongs. Other common injuries that can result from long-term thong use include tendonitis (inflammation of the long tendons that control foot function) and shin pain, because the muscles at the front of the shin, used to slow you down, have too much pressure put on them.
But others aren't so damning of the humble thong. Podiatrist and University of Sydney researcher Angus Chard says there could be an upside to flip flops. "The latest research has found that there is more motion within the arch of the foot than previously thought," he says. "It might be the case that flexible thongs can assist in developing the 16 muscles within the foot."
Chard says some experts now believe that shoes should mimic barefoot conditions as much as possible. He has just begun a study into the effects of thongs on children's foot and leg function. Proskewitz says that while he welcomes research in this area, he doesn't believe wearing thongs is similar to being barefoot because your toes are gripping the shoe.
He also doesn't believe thongs assist with muscle development. "Only certain muscles work harder," he says. "The rest end up taking it too easy." If you insist on wearing thongs all day, Proskewitz says the orthapaedic varieties that are currently flooding stores by brands such as Maseur are definitely preferable. "Your toes cling on to a lesser degree because the foot is supported."

Happy feet

Ever suffered the agony of sunburned feet? Thongs may be the beach footwear of choice, but it's important to slather on the sunscreen before wearing them. Professor Ian Olver, Cancer Council Australia CEO, says people tend to forget about protecting their feet from UV rays.
"There's nothing wrong with wearing thongs," he says. "It's just that people forget to reapply sunscreen every two hours. It's more likely to be washed off your feet than elsewhere, and washes off very quickly in the water and on the sand."
In addition, open shoes don't lend themselves to smooth soles, as they expose the feet to too much air, which can dry the skin, especially the heels. If you want to avoid ugly flaking heels, remove dead skin with a pumice stone and moisturise.

Keep it green

We love our thongs because they're cheap and cheerful, but you won't score points with environmentalists if you buy 10 pairs every summer. While some thongs are made from rubber, these days, the majority are made from polyurethane, a plastic derived from crude oil. Plastic thongs can end up as landfill and take many years to decompose. Opting for rubber thongs may be the best choice.

So what's the verdict?

Sure, thongs may not not win the orthopaedic shoe of the year award, but with a little caution, they're still a summer sizzler.