Click, clack, click, clack, click, clack. The sound of high-heeled shoes striking the floor is one that I have grown accustomed to hearing. As I arrived at the recent event honoring young leaders, it was a sound that I and many other women made as we crossed the hotel lobby.
Just as I had done on many other occasions, I changed from my flat driving shoes into my heels just before getting out of my car. The shoes I wore that night were a metallic pewter-colored leather and they were making their debut. I paused briefly before putting them on and wondered if I would regret wearing the new, 3 ½ inch heels to a 2-hour event where I would stand most of the evening. Over the years, I’ve learned not to sacrifice comfort for style but it can be difficult to predict how comfortable a shoe will be after standing for hours. A shoe that feels comfortable during the few minutes that you are trying on shoes before buying them. Nonetheless, I put on my new shoes and tossed my flats in my purse, just in case.
After about 45 minutes of standing, my feet begin to ache a little. With no empty chairs in sight, I decided to lean on a nearby table to see if I could avoid more pain. There I stood, again wondering if my feet would pay the price because I wanted to wear fabulous shoes. Unfortunately, temporary foot pain is not the only issue I could suffer due to wearing high heels.
Podiatrists have warned of the potential foot problems related to high heels for many years. Among the issues related to high heels are ingrown toenails, hammer toes, stress fractures and nerve damage. But how could something some beautiful be so harmful?
According to the American Podiatric Medical Association, there is a long list of health conditions associated with high heels. Because high heels change the natural position of the foot, pressure is placed on the different parts of the foot. This creates a domino effect because you then have to change the way that you walk which can result in serious injuries such as stress fractures and arthritis.
Some of the problems associated with frequently wearing high heels are:
- Ingrown toenails. Constant pressure on your toes and nail beds from being forced against the front of your shoe by a high heel can lead to nail fungus and ingrown toenails.
- Corns and calluses. Thick, hardened layers of skin develop in areas wear the shoe and foot rub. Painful rubbing can occur from wearing a high heel that slides your foot forward in your shoe.
- Hammertoe. When your toes are forced against the front of your shoe, an unnatural bending of your toes results. This can lead to hammertoe — a deformity in which the toe curls at the middle joint. Your toes may press against the top of the toe box of your shoe, causing pain and pressure.
- Tight heel cords. If you wear high heels all the time, you risk tightening and shortening your Achilles tendon — the strong, fibrous cord that connects your calf muscle to your heel bone. Over time, the Achilles tendon shortens to the point that you no longer feel comfortable wearing flat shoes.
- Stress fractures. Tiny cracks in one of the bones of your foot, stress fractures, may result from the pressure high heels place on your forefoot.
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Some of the negative effects of wearing high heels can be avoided by limiting the amount of time you wear high heels. It’s also important to choose sensible shoes. Choose shoes that have a wider heel base for more support and select materials that are more flexible. Also, foot size often changes over time so get your foot measured every few years.
