High heels hurt and can cause significant health problems, like bunions, hammertoes, heel pain, and trapped nerves. Aren't you tired of wearing shoes that hurt your feet? A 1993 survey of 620 women found the majority were dissatisfied with their shoes, even though most spent between $50 to $200 on dress shoes.
"Shoes that are fashionable are expensive and come with hidden costs," says Ayman M. Latif, DPM of Connecticut Foot Care Centers. "You'll first spend the $150 on the shoes, then you pay for the taxi because you can't walk to work, and then you pay for the medical costs from the toll they put on your feet."
The total cost for this avoidable surgery is $2 billion annually. With an average time lost of work of 4 weeks per person, the cost of time lost is about $1.5 billion, making the total of medical costs and lost work time $3.5 billion, just for shoes.
You take on average 10,000 strides per day, and high heels shift the force of these strides to take pressure on the ball of the foot and metatarsal heads (bones at the base of the toes). A 3 inch heel creates 7 times more stress on the forefoot than a 1 inch heel, increasing the possibility of foot problems with every step you take.
Even a minor misstep in spike or stiletto heels can have a disastrous effect: women are twice as likely to sprain an ankle while walking in heels. Frequent wearers of high heels shorten the Achilles tendon over time, causing you to lose range of motion in the foot and suffer other foot problems.
Any heel over 2 inches is highly discouraged. If you are going to wear shoes higher than 2 inches do not wear them for longer than 2 to 3 hours. In other words, wear them to the restaurant and take them off when you get back in the car.
The American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society's 1993 study of 386 women showed that an astonishing 88% wore shoes that were too small for their feet. 80% have pain and discomfort and 72% already had foot deformities. The average women had not had her foot measured in over 5 years.
Forcing your foot into shoes that are too small and then subjecting it to the force and pounding of your every day walking creates deformities over time. Bunions, hammertoes, mallet toes, and claw toes are often the result of being a fashionable shoe lover.
Women should look for low, shock-absorbent heels with a rounded toe box that fits the shape of your foot.
For a dramatic representation of poorly fitting shoes, stand on a piece of paper and have a friend draw the outline of your weight-bearing bare foot. Now take the dress shoes you most commonly wear and place them over the tracing. If your forefoot is much larger and rounder than the toe box of your shoe, you may be setting yourself up for a painful bunion or hammertoe in the future.
If you are suffering from a painful foot deformity like a bunion, hammertoe, or neuroma, call our Glastonbury or Middletown office to make an appointment.
Ayman M. Latif, DPM
Connecticut Foot Care Centers
Foot Deformity Doctor in CT
Podiatrist in Glastonbury and Middletown, CT
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High heels cause the gluts to tighten thus enhancing the appearance of the woman's derriere and the calves to tighten so the lower legs look more fit.
ReplyDeleteBut you can wear it sometimes!!
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ReplyDeleteHeels will not cause any foot or back related problems if they are selected form a trusted brand. There are many online stores for women shoes from where we can purchase quality pair of heels.
ReplyDelete