We all have them, those adorable, had-to-buy-them, high
heel shoes hiding in our closet. In fact, many of us have
hundreds of pairs! They are torture devices made by men for
women because they make our butts look good. We also like
the way they make us feel tall, in charge, and yes, sexy!
High heeled shoes are seen as a career woman's six-gun, but
what are we doing to our feet?
High heeled shoes have been linked to many foot ailments
like bunions, hammer toes, neuromas, metatarsalgia,
Achilles tendonitis, ingrown toenails, and corn and
calluses. Chronic knee pain and back pain can also be
linked to high heeled shoes. Is this the price we have to
pay for cute shoes? What is a fashion conscious woman to do?
As a podiatrist, I see twenty-something-year old women
every day complaining of pain in their feet. Often, they
attribute their pain to their exercise regimen or running
shoes. After a thorough history examining their pain, we
often realize that the shoes they run in are not the
problem. It's the shoes they wear to work everyday.
Wearing high heels changes the biomechanics of walking and
can have an impact on the entire structure of the foot and
the relationship of the knee to the ankle, as well as your
lower back. But there are steps (so to speak) you can take
to minimize the damage from your killer heels!
1.Buy shoes that fit! Sounds like a no-brainer, but most
women wear shoes at least a half a size too small. Measure
your feet every time you buy shoes, even just a few extra
pounds can make your shoe size larger. Remember that the
number is just a suggestion, different brands can size
completely differently.
2.Wear a wider shoe than you think you need. The shoe is
not going to stretch that much when you "break it in". Most
women also but their shoes too narrow!
3.Always buy shoes in the afternoon or at the end of the
day. Your feet swell throughout the day, so you will get a
better, realistic fit if you buy in the afternoon.
4.Buy leather shoes, not synthetics. Leather is more
forgiving.
5.Beware of the pointy-toed, high heeled shoe! These are a
double-whammy! Try to avoid the severe point and go for
more of a taper or square toe box.
6.If you have bunions and hammertoes, a silicone protective
sleeve can help your pain from rubbing in your shoes. Make
sure your toe box is wide enough to accommodate the padding.
7.If you have two different sized feet (and most people
do), shoe stretchers can be used to stretch the toe box if
one foot is only a little bigger than the other. If you
have significantly different sized feet, some stores and
websites will sell you two different sized shoes.
8.Try to avoid really high heels. Your feet (and knees)
will thank you if you adjust your heel height to lower than
3 inch heels.
9.Try to wear a consistent heel height. Going up and down
in height can be quite a pain in your Achilles tendon.
10.Chunky heels are much more stable than stilettos. Try to
wear a wider, more supportive heel or even convert to
platforms!
11.If you have to wear heels and have a flexible flat foot,
try "Insolia" insoles. They are relatively inexpensive and
can make a 3 inch heel feel like a 2 inch heel by
distributing stress from your forefoot to the middle of
your arch.
12.If you have constant knee pain, avoid heels all
together! One study showed a 26% increase in stress on the
knee joint in heels higher than 2 inches. Osteoarthritis in
the knee has been linked to chronic wearing of high heel
shoes.
13.Always have a pair of running shoes or casual shoes in
the car or in your desk. You never know when you need to
make a mad dash for the airport or get stuck running
errands. Always have a pair of comfortable shoes on hand
for emergencies.
14.Applying lotion to your feet daily can help with corns
and calluses. An emollient lotion with an exfoliant can
help with thick, hard skin caused by shoe pressure.
15.Get a regular pedicure. Having a regular pedicure and
keeping your toenails in tip top shape can help with
ingrown toenails, also caused by shoe pressure. Make sure
your pedicurist is using sterile instruments and never let
them cut your corns and calluses with a sharp blade!
16.Never perform bathroom surgery on your corns and
calluses. Also, never use those over-the-counter corn
removers; the acid plaster in these products does not know
when to stop and can cause nasty sores and infections!
17.Get a regular massage. Massage can really help with
delayed muscle soreness and fatigue from the abnormal
stress from high heeled shoes.
18.Toe stretching exercises can be very helpful after
taking off your shoes. This helps increase the circulation
to the poor little tootsies that are cramped in your shoes.
19.Stretch your Achilles tendon and calf muscles at least
every day if not twice a day. Regular stretching can help
combat the shortening of the Achilles tendon that occurs
from chronic wearing of high heel shoes. This shortening
can lead to tendonitis and heel pain!
20.Core strengthening exercises can help stabilize your
feet and decrease the stress from high heeled shoes. Every
woman should do core exercises at least three times a week.
They help with back pain, knee pain and foot pain caused by
instability.
21.See your podiatrist if you have any pain that last more
than five to seven days. A few aches and pains are normal
from high heeled shoes, but if you have pain, numbness or
burning that persists for more than 5-7 days, you have an
injury. Simple solutions are available at your podiatrist
if you seek help early. A delay in treatment can lead to
needing surgery or worse......
Women have been wearing high heeled shoes for centuries,
but there are a few things we can do to make our feet more
comfortable if we are slaves to fashion....and aren't we
all?
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For more information on foot and ankle health, visit our
website at http://www.faant.com or my blog at
http://www.myrundoc.com . For a podiatrist in your area,
visit the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons
consumer website at http://www.footphysicians.com .
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