I’m a foot doctor — this popular summer shoe is a scary health risk

Take a step in the right direction with your foot health this summer.

A podiatrist has shared the warm weather shoes he wouldn’t recommend due to their impact on overall foot health — and flip flops are at the top of his blacklist.

Singapore-based foot doc Paul Macaulay, better known as @paulthepodiatrist on TikTok, warned viewers to never wear ultra-flat flip flops.

Not only do the casual sandals lack proper arch support, but they lack security as well, he said in a clip online.

“Your foot likely wants to have to grip onto it,” he said, gesturing at the shoe.

“With some people, you wear them for prolonged periods of time over many years, and your toes can start to stiffen and claw up, and then that can be hard to reverse,” he added, showing a photo of a foot with a curled toe.

Claw toe, according to the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, is often caused by wearing shoes that squeezes the toes or do not offer adequate support.

Wearing shoes with an extra strap around the heel is one way to prevent the disorder, said Macaulay, who boasts over 17,000 followers on the app.

“This will give more stability to the ankle and hold the foot in place,” he explained. “Or, you could even choose the style which has a strap coming over the front, which holds the foot down.”

Safety — or lack thereof — is another problem accompanying the thong sandals.

Namely, for those with diabetes, Macaulay said, flip flops allow the feet to become too dry, leading to cracked heels in some cases.

Then, he added, “those cracks can turn to wounds,” and for people who have diabetes, that is a “high risk” situation, as they are more prone to infections.

The Post has reached out to the podiatrist’s office, My Foot Dr., for further comment.

In a subsequent videos, Macaulay describes the best footwear for women in the summer months and the shoes he would never wear as a podiatrist: slip-on loafers, stilettos, ballet flats, soft slip-ons and, of course, flip flops.