Ballet flats are back. Here's why podiatrists don't like them — and how to pick a more supportive shoe.

Ballet flats have minimal cushioning and their lack of
straps or laces can also contribute to shin splints, stress fractures,
bunions and blisters.
(Photo illustration: Victoria Ellis for Yahoo News; photos: Getty Images)

Fashion month may be over, but the requisite, highly anticipated post-show trend discussion has only just begun. One of the more surprising fads flaunted down runways and across the streets of New York, Copenhagen and Paris fell in the footwear category: Gasp — ballet flats are back.

In retrospect, we shouldn’t be too surprised that the staple shoe of the aughts is making a return — Y2K fashion, in general, is increasingly popular. And although you can lament butterfly clips and low-rise jeans all you want, they at least don’t pose a ballet flats-level health risk. It may sound silly, but podiatrists have long waged war against the shoes, and for good reason.

Why ballet flats are bad for you

The problem is made clear in their name: They’re, well, flat — and often flexible to a fault. “They traditionally don't offer any arch support,” explains podiatrist Saylee Tulpule. “This lack of support can lead to common foot issues such as plantar fasciitis” — inflammation of the lower foot and heel tissue — “and can aggravate flat feet or joints in the midfoot,” she tells Yahoo Life.

By Kayla Blanton.

Full story at Yahoo News.