ask: I never wear flat heels - will I pay a price for that?

I had to respond to your post. I don't think wearing high heels a few hours a day will hurt your feet but if you are wearing them all day I would advise against it. When I hit my mid 30's I noticed the damage my high heels were doing on my feet, and I started to wear lower heels or flats. I do wear higher heels on occasion but not for longer than a few hours. I think there is a lot of evidence out there that wearing high heels for long periods of time (day after day) can really mess up your feet.

Kelley

4 inch heels are pretty high. High heels can cause problems for your spine, not just your feet. Save the spikes for dressy occasions, and be more sensible in your choice of footwear at work.

Dr. Warren P. Brown: 20 Spine Health Tips

Back Quiz for Women, North America Spine Society

Dangers of Wearing High Heels, Female Health Issues, U.K.

Intuitively I always shied away from high heels growing up and as an adult. First of all, I find them very uncomfortable and inpractical. I had to wear some heel when I was in the corporate world, but never went to high.

As Alysiak mentioned, medical evidence now shows that high heels cause problems to the spine, so why take any chances? What if during that short period of time you are wearing them your foot gets stuck or you lose your balance and fall, is it worth the risk? I think opting for a lower heel may be safer in the long run.

Here is another take on this!

How High Heels Boost Your Sex Life:
"Dr. Maria Angela Cerruto, a urologist at the University of Verona, Italy, found that the tippy-toe posture of heels can tone a woman's abdomen and pelvic floor."

Important to note:
- Study done on 3" heels (4" is too high!!) "Once you go over three inches regularly, your posture and back are going to suffer."

- Small study: conducted on only 66 women under age of 50 years.
(Wonder what study done on these women 10-20 years from now would say about their back health?)

"...a small heel is actually good for the posture, much better than ballerina flats. But truly high heels, and especially a wobbly stiletto, is bad for the back and a risk for twisted ankles."

Can you shorten the heel you are wearing?

How about if there is a platform on them? If there is a really high heel aswell as there being a platform, they are not really as high overall, right??
I HAVE to have my 5 inch platform heels! My life is barely worth living without them!!