Slipping or tripping and falling can leave you with just mere bruises or it can leave you seriously injured. Falling can be caused by problems with footwear or by a hazard on the ground, but there are things you can look out for in your shoes before leaving for class. If your area is snowy or icy, you should especially take care when selecting your footwear, as college campuses are not always fully de-iced.
When you are selecting your shoes, look for ones with good treads and water resistance, especially if there is snow on the ground. The depth and pattern of the treads matters in this case; if they are too shallow or too close together, they will not be able to properly disperse liquids and may end up increasing your chances of falling.
High Heels
The long-term effects that wearing high heels can have on your body have been well documented. They are known to cause back problems, strain on the legs, foot problems, and much more on a lengthy list. In spite of this, they have remained a popular choice of footwear for people around the world.
These shoes are also well known for causing their owners to slip and fall, and hundreds of people end up in the emergency room every year because they wore heels. The most common injury is a sprained ankle, but you can end up in a much more severe injury if you are not careful. These shoes are especially impractical when sprinting to your 7 a.m. math finals.
If you are not walking on a completely flat surface, you will have serious issues balancing. Stepping over a small rock can feel like scaling a 10-foot wall when you are in six-inch heels. Falling can lead to serious injuries, depending on how you fall and your location when you fall; you may be facing just some bump and bruises, broken bones, or even a concussion if you land wrong. The way the heels position your foot puts all of your balance on the ball of your foot, which is not enough surface area to give you a safe and stable balance.
The higher the heel, the greater the risk of falling; once you get above three inches, you have an even greater risk of falling. Stilettos are especially risky to wear, because the heel is so small and skinny that you have an even smaller surface area to balance on than you have while wearing pumps.
Platforms
Platform wedge shoes are dangerously inflexible for a shoe that has that high of elevation. The design prevents your feet from moving naturally, which can make you unstable when walking.
The injury most common in this shoe is the foot falling off the wedge and onto the side of the foot, which can result in a stress fracture. Since these shoes are so inflexible, the foot is forced to fall the way the shoe dictates.
Flipflops
People love their flipflops, but they are not a good shoe to wear. They have a high risk of injury from tripping and falling, as well as joint misalignment. Flipflops can also lead to damage to the musculoskeletal system, either temporary or permanent.
The lack of support these shoes provide is one of the biggest problems with them; to keep the shoes on, your toes have to curl downward to keep the shoes on. The ankle is also sitting at a different angle in flipflops, which can interfere with the way you walk and the way your feet rotate.
Cowboy Boots
These shoes are known to cause foot and ankle problems, and they are so difficult to remove that they can cause lower back problems when attempting to remove them. The triangular toe is also bad for your foot shape, causing its own issues.
The awkward shape of cowboy boots is known to cause balance issues and falls, making them a bad show to wear if you are carrying an armful of heavy books on a rainy morning.
Clogs
This shoe is often recommended by doctors to people with foot problems, and is praised for its arch support, the strange sole shape, and the heel elevation. They have become popular as being good for your feet, though this is untrue.
When wearing clogs, because your feet slip around in them, you have to actively focus on your balance, and your ankles will attempt to buckle. Your feet have to work much harder when you walk in them to make up for their structural instability.
They are known to destabilize your arch and cause toe deformities or other tow problems. They also make it difficult for you to receive tactile feedback from the ground.
Ballet Flats
These shoes are popular for women, especially women on the go, because they fold up in your purse so easily. However, this is a really bad shoe style to wear. Ballerina flats do not have any structural support to offer, which puts the foot in a vulnerable position.
While wearing these shoes, you have a high risk of twisting or spraining your ankle, and the thin sole does not protect your feet from puncture wounds. Since there is no traction on these shoes, you have a great risk of slipping and falling when you step in any liquid or ice.
Gladiator Sandals
While the ankle straps will help keep the shoe on, giving it a slight leg up on flipflops and clogs, it is still not much of an improvement. These shoes are still either flat or high heeled and offer no arch support. They still offer little to no traction, meaning you have a high chance of slipping and falling from wearing them.
Conclusion
There are other types of shoes that are risky to wear, not just for the fall risk, but also for your feet and body overall. When choosing your shoes, it is a good idea to keep your feet in mind instead of focusing on fashion; look for good structural support and traction to help keep you from falling.