Wearing high heels – what is the problem?
If you are one of the majority of women who sees high heels as a necessity in life you may be oblivious to the problems that this type of shoe can cause. As with many beauty and fashion traditions over the years, looking good tends to take precedence over health and physical comfort.
The aim of this article is to show you the damage you could be doing by wearing high heels on a regular basis. We are also going to talk about what you can do to resolve the problems you may experience.
Pain in your joints
This is one of the main side effects from wearing high heels. The problem with wearing this type of shoe is that there is no real shock absorption present. Your knees and ankles are constantly forced to absorb shock while you are wearing the shoes. This leads to aches and pains in your joints, which can be really uncomfortable.
Hardening of the skin on your feet
This occurs more often when the high heels you wear have pointed toes. Your feet are constantly being forced into the restricted space. Over time this can lead to a hardening of the skin on your feet. This can be uncomfortable, and it looks pretty bad; not a great thing if you want to wear open toe sandals during the summer months.
Problems with your Achilles tendon
You will probably be shocked to learn that wearing high heels can cause your Achilles tendon to shorten. This shortening is caused by the positioning of your foot in the shoe. You will feel the effects of this when you wear low heels, and the tendon is forced to stretch. This is often painful.
Problems with your toenails
The shape of most high heels is such that your toes are squeezed into the tip. This can eventually cause your toenails to grow inwards, causing you pain.
Issues with balance
The position of your feet in high heels is not a natural one, and it causes issues with your balance. No matter how confident you think you are, walking in high heels, it can always be dangerous. Falls and sprained ankles are both common injuries for women who wear high heels.
What can you do to solve the problems
Of course, you can always stop wearing high heels altogether. For most women who wear high heels, this is not something they want to do. There are steps you can take to limit the damage from wearing high heels.
- Stretch your legs and ankles, before and after you wear the shoes.
- Limit the amount of time you spend wearing high heels.
- Choose platform heels if possible, so that the ball of your foot is also raised.
- Vary your shoe collection to include flats as well as high heels. There are some great fashionable flats around. Check out CROCS shops in your area and go take a look at the different designs.
- Wear orthopedic insoles in your shoes, to provide more support.
All of these tips can help you to reduce the adverse effects of wearing high heels.
We know that high heels are here to stay, but you do need to be aware of the risks you take if you wear them. Hopefully, you now recognize the problems and can take steps to avoid them.
