High heels are woman’s friend .Since the 1500s, high heel shoes have been one of the cornerstones of a woman’s wardrobe. High heel Footwear accentuates the wearer’s calves and changes the wearer’s posture and gait, making her appear “more attractive. Hence millions of women wear high heels on a daily basis. I know you women love your heels and as a man, I can appreciate how good it can make a woman look and feel. It makes you taller, more confident, and gives your feet and legs a very feminine charm and appeal.
However, wearing high heels on a regular basis can have severe long-term effects on your body that are not so appealing:
Posture – Heels can alter the entire alignment of the body, moving pressure to the small part of the front of the foot that cannot handle all of the pressure.
Arthritis – Altered walking with heels can create arthritis points in the joints like the knee and ankle.
Muscle shortening – Though the back of the leg looks sexy in a good pair of heels, the shortening of the calf muscles lead to serious problems like plantar fasciitis.
Morton’s Neuroma – The pressure of the pointy toe box in high heel shoes can pinch the nerves between the toes, leading to pain and numbness.
Achilles Tendonitis – The big tendon in the back of the calf tightens up and puts a lot of strain on the heel that causes heel pain.
Bunions – Bony growths at the base of the big toe are definitely not sexy and they hurt.
Hammertoes – The muscles to the toes get weak and short over time, causing them to look scraggly even without shoes.
Pump Bump – The strap at the back of the heel can cause the bone togrow causing what is called a Haglund’s deformity.
Ankle Injuries – High heels create imbalance, increasing the risk of atwisted ankle or torn ligament.
Metatarsalgia – Prolonged use of heels can lead to pain under the ballof the foot. Now here’s the good news.
There are 6 things you can do to minimize the adverse effects of high heels:
Wear heels less – This is one of those “well duh” pieces of advice, but it is worth mentioning. Don’t wear high heels unless you absolutely have to. Save the heels for the weekends or evenings of going out.
Wear shorter heels – If you stick with heels no taller than two inches, you can minimize the changes in posture.
Massage your feet – Do foot massage at the end of the day by placing a golf ball under your foot and rolling it around with different levels of pressure for one to two minutes.
Stretch your legs – Sit on the ground with your legs in front of you and put a towel over your foot and gently pull back, stretching the calf and Achilles tendon. Hold for about twenty seconds before gently letting go and moving the towel to the other foot. Do this three times on each foot.
Get some custom spinal pelvic stabilizers – A good pair of custom shoe inserts that support all three arches of the foot in addition to the heel can provide much needed balance, posture, and comfort for the entire body.