I grew up in Cyprus, which meant I spent the best part of 5 years wearing flip-flops. The air was too hot for shoes, the ground was too hot to go bare-foot: there was no alternative. But when I think back, what springs to mind are the little annoyances. The way the thong plastic stretched, edging my toes over the front so the ground nipped at them when I walked. The strange dull ache in my ankles. The criss-cross sunburn.

In fact it's easy to argue for and against flip-flops. On the one hand, they're light, they allow air between the toes, they're fun and of course they're very cheap. And on the other? In today's world, "cheap" equates to "disposable" - and flip-flops are usually made of eco-unfriendly plastics. And that ache in my ankles? It wasn't in my head. A recent study by Auburn University (via Moms Speak Up)  concluded that wearing toe-thonged footwear permanently altered the way you walk, putting unnatural strain on feet and ankles and resulting in the "flip-flop shuffle".

So what's the answer? The first is easy: don't wear them for long-distance walking. Treat them like beach slippers. If you're going further afield, wear some light, well-supported shoes - or invest in a pair of the new molded sports sandals that hug the length of the foot. (Teva's Kayenta seems a good choice). Your best bet is a beach walking shoe that adjusts to fit you, not the other way round. And finally? Beach footwear rests against sensitive skin - so don't sacrifice safety to save a few dollars. What's good for the environment is usually good for you, too. Worth the price, in my opinion.

Image: JAIRO BD