If you’re like me, you did tons of research before moving to Atlanta. I quickly discovered that there are lots of things to get into…great restaurants, exciting professional sports teams, charming boutiques to shop, and arts events every night of the week. So I strategically chose an apartment in Atlanta to be close to it all. I wanted to be able to walk to all my favorite places. I forgot that I have one pair of tennis shoes in my closet. All the rest were high-heeled shoes…
What Women Think…
In general, high-heeled shoes give the illusion of longer, skinnier, toned legs. Walking around on 4-inch stiletto heels engages your leg muscles and can even make your calf muscles more defined. Plain and simple, women want to look taller and they want to look slender. High heels do both.
High heels have been proven to cause foot pain and injury. Many women admit to regularly wearing shoes that are painful and uncomfortable to walk in. So why is it that high-heeled shoes are a wardrobe staple for so many?
What Doctors Think…
High-heeled shoes force the foot into a painful position. Slanted forward, weight is concentrated on the ball of the foot instead of distributed across the arch. Toes are bent upwards and crunched together. And, the raised position of the heel causes the Achilles tendon to shorten. This causes a whole host of problems, not only in your foot, but throughout your body.
Common Problems From High Heels…
- Shortened, tighter and more painful Achilles tendon
- Metatarsalgia- joint pain in the ball of the foot
- Morton’s Neuroma- nerve and sensation problems
- Foot deformities like hammertoes, corns and bunions
- Altered posture and back pain
- Knee osteoarthritis
If You Just Can’t Live Without High Heel Shoes
When you go shoe shopping, you should focus on fit. This can be difficult because shoe sizes can vary greatly depending on the style of the high heel and depending on the manufacturer. So start with the shoe sizers in the stores, and take into account the width of the shoe as compared to your foot, the thickness of the heel and the shape of the toe.
- Wear shorter heels, 1 ½ to 2 inches, reduces the severity of pain and stress on your body.
- Wear high heels to events where you will be seated or not on your feet for long periods of time.
- Bring extra, more comfortable, shoes with you when you wear heels so you can change shoes if necessary.
- When possible, put comfort insoles and cushions in your high-heeled footwear.
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