Thongs… Should we be wearing them?
Thongs… Should we be wearing them?
Tim Tams, BBQs, Boomerang, Vegemite, Pavlova, and Thongs… some of our favourite Aussie icons.
Thongs arrived on Australian shores in 1959 – since then you would be hard-pressed to find a home around Australia without a pair at the front door.
We love to wear our thongs for so many different activities.
But aren’t thongs bad to wear?
Yes, it is often true – the lack of support in thongs can be a problem for many different foot types.
Traditional flat rubber thongs such as the ‘double plugger’ can exacerbate existing foot function concerns and increase the risk of foot complications and pain. They encourage poor foot posture in flat feet that roll in; they offer little cushioning benefit to higher arched feet; and often, the too loose straps can require excessive clawing of the toes just to keep them on. All of this, especially when worn for extended periods can lead to trouble through the summer months.
Given this, as a rule, thongs have not been recommended by Podiatrists – Until Archies arrived at East Gosford Podiatry.
Ladies and Gentlemen, we have a game-changer!
Archies is an Australian company of Arch support thongs.
The creator of Archies set out to create a “normal-looking” thong while offering some of the support of an off-the-shelf orthotic.
Let’s be honest here, we are definitely not suggesting these are the first choice of shoe you should be reaching for as you begin training for your 1st marathon or head off for a ‘14hr day at the Royal Easter’ shoe.
But for holidays by the beach, backyard cricket on a sunny afternoon or for the quick dash to the toilet block as you drag your caravan around our beautiful country, we may have found a winner.
Why do we love Archies?
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Support in all the right places
Like orthotics or sports innersoles, Archies have been designed to contour into the arch of your feet, encouraging correct foot posture, providing you with a comfortable even distribution of pressure and support underfoot.
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No more hard foot straps
Don’t you hate the blisters you get under the thong straps if you have broad feet? Or the feeling the thong is about to fall off if you have a more slender foot type? – there is no such concern with Archies – as they have soft straps which are one-direction stretchable – to suit the size of your foot, giving you are a comfortable fit.
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Very comfy material
The material is so light you feel like you are walking on clouds, no heavy rubber here. Archies are made from a close cell form material – which is formulated to mould to and hug your foot.
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Blowouts are a thing of the past
No plugs on these thongs! They are an ultra-strong one-piece design that makes the thongs extremely durable and much less likely for a blowout.
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A small heel raise
Archies thongs have a small heel raise included that shifts your centre of mass slightly forward onto the balls of your feet. This can reduce pressure through your arch, heels, Achilles tendons and even your lower back.
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No toe clawing
You don’t need to hold on for dear life to make sure your thongs don’t fall off. Due to the design of the Archies – your toes don’t need to grip to keep your thongs on, allowing you to walk comfortably – all day – without overusing muscles and tendons in your feet
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You can’t tell them apart
That’s one of the great things about Archies – they look just like a regular thong when they are on your foot. So your feet will stand out for all the right reasons!
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For around the House
The support found within Archies footwear may help to support the foot in a more biomechanically appropriate position thereby easing the stresses and strains that would otherwise be transferred to the musculoskeletal system.
If, however, you have a current or preexisting foot injury or concern, these may not be the best option at your current point of recovery. It may be best to check in with one of our Podiatrists before making any major footwear decisions.
As so many of our beautiful houses here have hard floor surfaces such as:
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- polished timber
- floating floor panels
- tiles
- slate
we find many of our patients have pain when they walk around the house barefoot.
A pair of Archies, used as your ‘house shoe’ can offer the comfort and support you need, without having the weight and heat of a heavy shoe.
East Gosford Podiatry is the Central Coast’s original distributor of Archies. We have a massive range of colours and sizes available.
Why not come into the clinic and try a pair on! Then you will agree with us, they are the best thongs around!
Just wanted to say thanks to Andrew for the consultation this morning.
It was really informative, really genuine and really caring as a health professional.
The model of care used by the podiatrists profession as shared by Andrew is commendable.
Thanks mate!