High heels are a fashion staple, but what kind of
damage are you doing to your body wearing them every day?
The high heel is probably the one thing that every
woman has at least one pair of in her closet. More women are wearing heels, and
they're wearing them for longer, especially as the shoes are seen as the staple
for office wear.
However, significant long-term damage may be the
result of women donning high heels for longer periods. As many as a third of
women are already suffering permanent problems because of the fashion
statement, and it is almost a certainty that the effects will be felt with more
seriousness in later life.
The cause of the damage is the higher pressure placed
on the ball of the foot, and the higher a heel is, the greater the pressure. A
woman's entire centre of gravity is pushed forward, and, although this provides
us with the more attractive 'boobs-and-butt-out' shape desirable by men, more
pressure is placed on your spine, the nerves in your back and feet, leg
muscles, and neck muscles. This is not to mention the constant risk of slipping
and twisting an ankle, or falling.
Here are some of the health risks you face if you're
one of the one in ten women who wears a high heel shoe at least three days of
the week.
Twisted Ankles or Torn Tendons
If you aren't used to wearing heels, or are wearing a
different height of heel, you may often twist your ankle by mis-stepping or
misjudging the heel. If the heel is very high, twisting can result in serious
damage, such as torn tendons. Also, you might be more injured depending on
where it is you fall - down the stairs would not be a good idea...
Sciatica
Sciatica is a condition that is quite painful: it sees
nerves in the legs and hips become trapped between bones, muscles or ligaments.
Remember, the pressure is distributed throughout your entire body, so there is
any number of places a nerve could be trapped. The entrapment results in pain
and numbness as far down as the feet.
Pump Bumps
Pump bumps are bony enlargements on the back of the
heel where the hard backs of heels or the heel's straps constantly rub. If you
suffer from blisters in that region often, it is a sign that your shoes are too
tight at the back.
Back Pain
Because you compensate for the change in your centre
of gravity by leaning your torso forward and pulling your shoulders backward,
your back muscles become strained, constantly trying to keep you upright.
Bunions
Bunions are bony growths that form at the bottom of
the big toe. They are caused by shoes that don't fit quite so well. Because of
the growth, the toe begins to lean towards the other toes. The bump soon
becomes painful and unsightly.
Knee Pain or Osteoarthritis
The body is thrown forward when you wear high heels,
and this puts more pressure on the inner knee. The pressure could be over 25%
more than if you were wearing flats. This can lead to degenerative joint diseases
such as arthritis.
Morton’s Neuroma
If your heels have narrow toes, squeezing your feet
into them may result in Morton's Neuroma, or a thickening of the nerves inside
the foot. This causes a lump on the bottom of the foot, and also causes pain
and numbness in the toes.
Damaged Leg Tendons
The Achilles tendon and the calf muscle are designed
to be flexible, so that the foot can lie flat or point. When the foot points,
these muscles are contracted, and if you wear a high heel often - since you're
constantly pointing your foot - your muscles can actually shorten. This can be
avoided by wearing heels no higher than 1.5 inches.
Posture Problems
Wearing heels places the heel above the toes. This is
an unnatural posture, and in the long run can cause serious pain in the lower
back and the lower leg, as well as in the neck.
Hammer Toes
Hammer toes occur when you squeeze your feet into high
heels that don't fit quite so well. The toes curl up to fit into the shoes -
shortening the toe muscles - and eventually all the toes become so misshapen
that they can't be straightened.
Neck Pain
If you're wondering why your neck is always sore, it
might also be because of the heels you wear. When your heel is sitting above
your toes, your entire body is under pressure, leading to a stiffening of the
back muscles, the shoulder muscles, and the neck muscles. If this takes place
for a prolonged period of time, your neck may remain sore.
Heel Pain
Constant pressure in your foot can result in pain in
your heel as well, although most likely not to the extent that the ball of your
foot would be sore
Pain When Not Wearing High Heels
Eventually, after many years of wearing high heels,
the muscles in your legs are so shortened that you might not even be able to
put your feet flat at all. This is why some elderly people are seen teetering
in high heels, because not walking in high heels is actually quite painful.
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