While the trend for XXL shoes reigned supreme in 2023, thin soles are making a comeback in the spotlight. Names like Onitsuka Tiger, Adidas Samba, Gazelle or Veja share one thing in common: they are flat. Having become viral on TikTok and worn by celebrities such as Brad Pitt and Hailey Bieber, these shoes completely shake up the situation and replace the previous trend.
Good news for our feet, perhaps? Not necessarily. 20 minutes conducted the survey with Romain Vayer, podiatrist and member of the French Foot Health Union (UFSP), to determine if this trend is really beneficial for those who have abandoned their wedge shoes in favor of models with thin soles .
It all depends on the environment and our habits
“So, is it good to go walking with a very flat shoe without cushioning on a bitumen that is very hard? Not necessarily,” explains Romain Vayer to 20 minutes. The podiatrist reminds us that the primary function of a shoe is to protect the foot and explains that it is necessary to adapt the shoe to the environment in which we operate. In town, on a bitumen floor, the foot must be cushioned by its sole in order to offer you comfort if you want to walk a minimum.
“Switching to a shoe that protects less, that has less cushioning, that no longer has heels, you risk getting injured,” he adds, specifying: “It all depends on the age of the child. the individual and their footwear habits. ” And for good reason. If you’re the type to wear heels all the time and you’re thinking about drastically changing your style to follow the flat sneaker trend, watch out! The risk of injury is high, simply because you have accustomed your foot to holding itself in a certain way.
The podiatrist simply recommends varying the pairs of shoes to avoid any risk of sudden changes in footwear which could injure you.
Suitable shoes for children
For toddlers, “what is recommended is to have shoes as close to the ground, with as little cushioning as possible,” explains podiatrist Romain Vayer. And this makes sense, because “they need as little cushioning as possible for natural development of the foot, strengthening of the muscles and proprioception, that is to say the perception of the ground, whether it is hard or soft. , hot or cold. »
So, for young children, following the flat shoe trend is even recommended for good body development, so that “the sensors in the foot develop in the best possible way”.
So if your children want to adopt the fashionable look, no worries! But be careful for adults in the city, walking in flat shoes is not always ideal, it can cause foot pain. Especially if your feet are not used to it… watch out for blisters