Important Facts About High Heels ...
Women know high heels aren't good for their
feet, and they don't deny that they're uncomfortable. But the fact is, women
would continue to wear high heels, even though they did not think them
comfortable. Mark it up to the price of beauty.
Feet aren't made for
heels
Despite what you're willing to tolerate as a lover of heels, you
may be underestimating the damage that high heels can cause, beyond just having
sore feet at the end of the day.
Not surprisingly, doctors of podiatric
medicine (foot doctors) and orthopaedic surgeons see no value in high heels,
which they generally define as pumps with heels of more than two inches.
Among the litany of problems to which stilettos and their sister heels
contribute are knee and back problems, disabling injuries in falls and shortened
calf muscles, not to mention an awkward, unnatural gait.
While most high-heel fans aren't so willing to totally abandon their high pumps,
studies indicates that many might be willing to make some adjustments - to a
point.
A study by the American Podiatric Medical Association, 39 percent of women still wear high heels daily. This is down from the 60 percent who wore high heels back in 1986. This same study showed that 42 percent of women would wear uncomfortable shoes and that 73 percent had shoe-related foot problems.
Common ailments from wearing high heels are:
* Calluses and heel pain
were the top shoe-related foot ailments.
* Women also complain about such
conditions as bunions, swelling of the joint at the base of the big toe;
hammertoes, a permanent bend in the middle joint of a toe; neuromas, nerve
problems that cause shooting pain into the toes; ingrown toenails; and even
stress fractures.
Nail problems also are common from the constant pressure of toes being pressed
against the end of the shoe. That can cause the nail to thicken and promote the
growth of foul-smelling fungus. Plus, if a person has curved toenails, it can
induce or exacerbate painful in-grown nails.
Changing your heel habits
If you just can't imagine life without heels,
we suggest choosing styles with squared-off toes and shorter, chunkier
heels instead of stilettos. Limit the time you wear heels.
If a wide-heeled shoe isn't you anyway, then follow some of the other
tips for female shoe shoppers:
* Look for thicker soles for absorbing
shock better and putting less pressure on the foot as well as an upper material,
such as leather or microfiber, that will give a little to allow the foot to
swell without pinching.
* If you simply must wear high heels, then limit the time you wear them.
Alternate between high heel and low heel shoes to prevent the Achilles tendon
from tightening. Wearing flatter shoes or tennis shoes for walking long
distances, such as to and from the office and then changing into your heels once
you get to work.
* Shop for shoes at the end of the day to accommodate the foot's normal
swelling.
* Give your feet a nice massage or soak them in lukewarm water at the end of the day.
If you want to want to be good to your feet, then consider following the American Podiatric Medical Association's recommendation on "perhaps the best shoe you can buy from an orthopedic point of view" - a walking shoe with ties (not a slip-on), a Vibram-type composition sole and a relatively wider heel, no more than a half or three-quarters of an inch in height.
