Your sciatica symptoms arise when 1 of the 5 sciatic nerve roots near your lower spine is compressed or irritated. Ordinarily, an underlying medical condition is to blame for symptoms like the burning sensation in your calf or numbness in your foot—but walking in your flip-flops can also aggravate your sciatica.

When you walk in flip-flops, you typically curl your toes to keep your sandals from slipping off your feet. Walking with curled toes shortens your strides and decreases the amount of time your feet are in contact with the ground. In turn, these changes to your gait may aggravate your sciatica by increasing the pressure on your lower spine.

Do you have to stop wearing flip-flops?

Flip-flops may not only provoke your sciatica, but they’re also associated with a number of foot and ankle problems. Because of this, it’s a smart idea to give up flip-flops altogether. But if you’re not ready to go cold turkey, here’s how you can minimize the negative impact of flip-flops:

Limit the amount of time you wear flip-flops. In general, you can avoid sciatic pain if you only wear your flip-flops for short periods of time.

Purchase a rigid pair of flip-flops. It is easier to curl your toes with a flexible pair of flip-flops. To help minimize your sciatic pain, purchase a rigid pair of flip-flops—or ditch your flip-flops altogether and try a pair of sandals with adjustable straps.

Never run. As bad as walking in flip-flops can be for your sciatica, running is typically worse. Avoid increased pressure on your lower back by always walking at a moderate pace in your flip-flops.

Reference: http://www.spine-health.com/blog/why-flip-flops-are-bad-your-sciatica?source=3tab

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