I can't wear them Fiona, the post always seems to rub on my toes and makes them sore. I see some really pretty ones in the shops and am often tempted but I know I wouldn't wear them. It's not a phobia with me though.

I do like a foot massage though and especially when in the far east I treat myself to all the massages on offer.

My husband thinks I have the world's worst feet so its probably as well he can't touch them!
I would so like to try a foot massage but I just can't and that's difficult when I go to places where these are so cheap and good.

I never used to be able to walk in flip flops as I seemed to scrunch my toes up to keep them on. I too felt the toe post made the skin between my toes sore. Then, all of a sudden I was ok I did at first put some sun lotion or cream between toes until my feet got used to the post, that seemed to help.

My mam is the same as you Fiona, she hates her feet being touched and will lash out if someone tries to touch them

I cant wear them either and think its because I havent a gap between my big toe and the next one.
I go for comfort now rather than appearance and will still be packing my Crocs to take on holiday.

I wear toe - post sandals all the time, even in the house - I find them so easy to kick off and get back on.
I usually smear some Vaseline in between my toes when the 'shoes' are new and the toe-post is quite hard, until I get used to them.
I bought some Scholl ones a couple of years ago, they weren't cheap, and they took some 'breaking in' because the toe post was made of stiff plastic that wouldn't 'give' and become supple as quickly as it should have.
Over the years this has lead to me not liking anything on my heels, so I wear 'proper shoes' as little as possible.

Sanji x

Are there any that really gentle between the toes? Even after about ten minutes getting them on I just couldn't abide the feeling of them.

I rarely wear flip flops because I don't find them comfortable and toe post sandals with a strap around the heel are impossible for me to wear because my toes are slightly webbed.

However, I love having pedicures and foot massages - my regular personal treat is having a home visit from my chiropodist every 6 weeks. My feet always feel marvellous afterwards and it's worth every penny of the £30 it now costs. I haven't cut my own toenails in years.

SM

Fiona wrote:

Are there any that really gentle between the toes? Even after about ten minutes getting them on I just couldn't abide the feeling of them.

You can get cloth ones Fi

I love flip flops, especially my suede fit flops, but my physio has banned me from wearing them because they caused tendonitis in my foot

I love flip flops as well, my preferred holiday sandal. Got all sorts from the kind you get in accessorize with rubber soles and beaded tops that are waterproof to leather ones from river island, next etc

Now I am older I no longer have what I consider pretty feet, but still plod on with them, on a villa holiday I could stay in them all day until we go out for a meal in the evening when we tend to posh up a bit and I cram myself In to something uncomfortable for three or four hours.

My idea of heaven is a foot massage, preferably one I don't have to pay for

I've never worn flip flops as I find them far too uncomfortable, neither can I wear mules, as I can't keep them on and all flat shoes make my calves ache. This means I'm stuck with medium heels or wedges and if not a full shoe at least a strap round the back of my foot.

I wonder if it's something to do with the bone structure of our feet?

I have an incredibly high instep. As a child thousands of years ago my mam would save up to buy me Clarks shoes. She would then have to save, from her student nurses wage, to pay extra to get the leather bar lengthened in order for it to reach the buckle over my instep.

I still struggle with 'off the peg' shoes & can't buy boots that don't have an ankle length zip as I can't get my foot 'down & under' in so I can get get the boot on

As a child it was a military operation to put my wellies on, then a surgical procedure to get the burgers off!! Still the same today I could make a successful comedy sketch about boot putter oners and taker offers

Don't wear flip flops but slip on sandals , have a leather pair that are currently in use and comfy , did have a lovely leather pair bought in Bali but exchanged for local crafts in Zanzibar ( another story ) ! They were really nice and extremely comfortable , had foot massages and pedicures in Thailand ....simply unbelievable and very cheap , a travesty not too .

I can't wear then either - the post hurts like hell after a couple of steps.

Glynis, I would say based in my own experience that it is definitely linked to the shape of your feet. Some people have flip flop shoEd feet and some of us just don't!

I do usually have one basic rubber or plastic pair for use around the pools holiday because I don't want to ruin a good leather pair of sandals but I usually have to buy a size bigger than my standard shoe size. It's the only way to make us that the toe post isn't pulled really tight against the fleshy area that I have between my big toes and the neighbouring one because of the slight webbing. I'm dreading the time when the current pair (from Accessorize) give up the ghost because they are the only pair that I have ever had that I have been a ble to spend any time walking around in. One of my nieces has the same problem and she splashes out on Havianas but I'm too mean that spend that sort of money for the little time I actually wear flip flops for.

So it could well be the case that having a high instep has the same effect on you as the webbing has on us - it pulls the toe post in very tight to where your toes join and making chaffing more likely?

I do feel envious of the lovely bejewelled toe post heeled and wedge sandals that many of the Asian women I know wear when dressed to the nines. They look gorgeous but just the thought of putting them on makes me wince. I know that the way my foot would slide down the slope, so to speak, would put intolerable pressure on the area between my toes. It's bad enough with absolutely flat poolside ones but it would be agony doing anything but sitting around in them for me - I know without even trying that I wouldn't be able to walk in them.

SM

My friend has lymphoedema Sma so her feet (& legs) are extremely swollen, she can get away with men's Croc toe posts as her husband gently shaves away the post so that it's thinner.

Think I prefer the alternatives rather than wear customised men's Crocs

Seriously, if and when the 'old faithfuls' disintegrate I was thinking that I would give pool sliders a go instead. There seems to be a lot more choice around at the moment with some quite nice ones starting to come into the shops, so I was thinking that this was the time to look out for a pair.. Leave it until I actually need to replace the current flip flops and the chances are that there will be nothing in the shops that takes my fancy!

SM

Glynis HT Admin wrote:

I wonder if it's something to do with the bone structure of our feet?

I have an incredibly high instep. As a child thousands of years ago my mam would save up to buy me Clarks shoes. She would then have to save, from her student nurses wage, to pay extra to get the leather bar lengthened in order for it to reach the buckle over my instep.

I still struggle with 'off the peg' shoes & can't buy boots that don't have an ankle length zip as I can't get my foot 'down & under' in so I can get get the boot on

As a child it was a military operation to put my wellies on, then a surgical procedure to get the burgers off!! Still the same today I could make a successful comedy sketch about boot putter oners and taker offers

Never occured to me the problem could be connected to my high instep, Glynis, but I have the same problem with boots and shoes as you do, so that's probably the reason I can't wear flip flops. OH alwayshas to help me pull my boots off.

SMa wrote:

Think I prefer the alternatives rather than wear customised men's Crocs

Seriously, if and when the 'old faithfuls' disintegrate I was thinking that I would give pool sliders a go instead. There seems to be a lot more choice around at the moment with some quite nice ones starting to come into the shops, so I was thinking that this was the time to look out for a pair.. Leave it until I actually need to replace the current flip flops and the chances are that there will be nothing in the shops that takes my fancy!

SM

She doesn't have a lot of options bless her and you can't tell that they are men's. I suppose they are wider than the women's.