We love them because they look great. We love them because they make us look good. We love them because they are “oh so cute!” We love them because we believe the guys love them. Yes, I am talking about high heels here. They come in so many shapes, sizes, styles, and colors. They come in the form of stilettos and in comfortable pumps. Even when they don’t feel very comfortable, many of us still choose to wear them because one, they go perfectly with our new outfit and two, they make us look hot.
However, there can be a downside to this long-surviving fashion statement. I spoke with my podiatrist here in Kansas City to get his take on high heels. Dr. Michael Nicholas, DPM, of Podiatry Associates, is one of the leading podiatrists in the Kansas City area. He has been my podiatrist for years and has even surgically treated hammertoe problems and bunions on my feet. I am sure he would be delighted to know that it has literally been years since I have donned any form of heels. While I am not wearing my “grandma shoes” just yet, I do prefer shoes that aren’t nipping at my toes.
According to Dr. Nicholas, “High heels put the foot in an unnatural position, thereby creating abnormal pressures on the bones and soft tissues. Most women in their 20s and 30s can get by without symptoms, but the damage is spread out over a long period of time.”
He went on to explain that typically women in their 50s tend to favor the proverbial comfortable footwear over high heels. In fact, he noted that if you were to inquire of most women exactly how comfortable high heels are, many would claim that, no, they are not comfortable, but aren’t they just so cute?
In short, he believes that high heels are not good for the function of the foot, but they are not harmful when worn for short periods of time. So, here I stand, in front of my mirror, admiring my sexy high heels from days gone by. Five minutes later, I take them off. “That’s enough for today. Now, where are those flip flops? With a good pedicure and some cute nail polish, I can still pull of sexy, right?” (And I won’t fall flat on my face in doing so, either. I’m not good on stilts!)
Can high heels do damage to your spine? Well, the problem with heels has more to do with your muscles than with your bones. Did you know that for every fraction of an inch you add to your heels, the rest of your body has to compensate in some way to remain upright? Thus, bone structure, your posture, and your core muscle strength affect how your body reacts to those sexy stilettos.
If you absolutely want to wear high heels, then here are some guidelines to help you decide just how sexy and stylish you want to be:
*If you have flat feet, well, there’s not much you can do about that. Make friends with flats and find a way to make them your personal fashion statement. If you do not have a high instep and loose enough tendons to allow your feet to comfortably flex in various ranges of heel height, well, you probably won’t need to purchase that cute pair of heels in the window.
*Can you bring your big toe into a straight line with your knee when you point your toes? If you cannot do so, then you may want to choose a lower heel. Alternatively, invest in some yoga classes that help you to stretch. If that foot of yours decides to stay at nearly a 90 degree angle with your leg, say good bye to those really high heels and develop a passion for lower ones.
*Do you want to find out if your tendons are naturally loose? Hold one of your palms down in front of you, using your other hand to lift your pinkie as far back as it will go (ouch!) Were you able to make it go more than a 90 degree angle with the rest of your hand? If so, you might have loose tendons. Now, try to get your thumb to touch your forearm…and I don’t mean take the right thumb over to the left forearm! Actually see if your right thumb can touch your right forearm…or your left thumb to your left forearm. (Darn! I am definitely a flats kind of gal!) If you can touch your thumb to your forearm, you will probably feel right at home in those sexy high heels. Beware, however, that loose joints can cause you to slump when you are relaxed, and that can contribute to back problems.
In doing further research, I learned that high heels can damage your spine and your knees. When wearing heels, you can sustain ankle injuries, hammertoes, or bunions (been there, done that). If the straps are ill-fitting, you can end up with a twisted ankle.
Also, when you wear high heels, you force all of your weight onto the balls of your feet which hurts over time. Sure, it’s the perfect excuse to ask your partner for a foot massage at the end of the day, but if you let that pain continue, you can suffer from metatarsalgia, a common problem that occurs from the pain of joints and bones in the metatarsal. Did you know that pain in the knee joint increases by 26 percent while wearing heels, and that this will increase as the heel height increases?
So, what’s a girl to do? For starters, you can look for shoes that have thicker soles that will help to absorb the impact as you walk. You gain valuable time that way before you start to feel the familiar pain of heels. It may get you through a night of dancing.
If you know you will be walking or standing for an appreciable amount of time, bring a comfy pair of shoes with you. Then, when the urge strikes, you can change your shoes. Have you seen how cute sneakers and even ballet flats can be these days?
When driving, wear sneakers and then change into your fun high heels when you get to your destination. This will help you to avoid the pain and fatigue of constantly wearing heels.
When you do go shopping for shoes, and I know you will, do so at the end of the day. Your feet will be slightly swollen then. You will have a better idea at that point of how the shoe will actually feel and how much you can tolerate.
Also, alternate between low and high heels. Wow--I just gave you another excuse to buy more shoes!
You can still be stylish and sexy; you just have to be smart about it. Or, if you are like me, you can go barefoot half the time. (Mmmmm…I wonder if I could paint some high heels on my feet? Illusion is everything, right?)
(Some information for this article was found at
http://www.helium.com/items/335162-how-high-heels-affects-the-spine and
http://www.bodycare.becomegorgeous.com/top_to_toe/wearing_high_heels__pros_and_cons-1823.html