Article by BR Amelia
Hands up who has beautiful high heels sitting in their wardrobe that they pull out and admire before picking up a pair of sensible shoes? Hands up who struggles through the day wearing heels before pulling them off when you get home and feeling nothing but sweet relief? Hands up who can wear heels without any issues whatsoever? (Hands up who’s jealous!?)
High heels can be works of art, and they can be works of torture too. Check out this amazing video from the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital.
It shows how a woman’s foot and ankle look when they’re wearing high heels. Not only does this video serve as a reminder of how wearing ill-fitting shoes can affect our body, (permanently clawed toes!? Eek!), but it also offers hope that this new technology can be used to create footwear that not only looks good, but doesn’t cause damage to our health. So just what happens to your feet when you slip on those sexy stilettoes or magnificent mules? Basically they cause the little bones on the front of your feet to take all of the weight of your body, upping the chance of you experiencing anything from blisters and bunions to bone damage. Not only that, they can cause your calves to become tight and uncomfortable, and trust me unbunching that particular muscle with a massage is no walk in the park. Extended wearing of high heels can even result in osteoarthritis of the knee, lower back pain and nerve damage.
But is it only high heels we need to be weary of if we want to keep our body in tiptop condition?
What about ballet flats? Can they damage your feet too? Yes, alas, they can. In fact flat shoes can be just as damaging as heels. The problem with ballet flats is that they provide no arch support and can cause shin splits and plantar fasciitis aka killer heel pain, as well as ingrown toenails, and pain in your knees, hips and back. Does that mean your uggs are safe? Nope. Jandals? Uh-uh. However you can make your super flat shoes better for your feet by slipping in orthotic inserts, and if you can find ballet flats with around two centimetres of heel height, then they’ll be kinder to your feet and body.
So what is the ideal shoe for foot comfort? Going barefoot would be great as it strengthens foot and leg muscles and, surprise surprise, creates a natural walk (and if you get a chance Google ‘earthing’ or ‘grounding’ for a fascinating pro-barefoot read). However, one would suspect that your boss or the maître D at your favourite restaurant wouldn’t be quite so fond of you strolling in shoeless, so ideally you need to find footwear with a little bit of a heel, that also offers cushioning and arch support, and you don’t want your toes to be squished up, so a round-toed shoe is best. Can’t imagine going through life without high heels? Try to find a pair that has a chunkier heel, like a wedge, as it offers more stability. Also look for heels that have decent padding at the balls of your feet, and of course the lower the heel the better – one or two inches will cause a lot less damage over time compared to five or six inches.
So will you be sticking to sensible shoes from now on? Will you wear heels only when you feel you have to? Or do you firmly believe beauty is pain, and longer leaner looking limbs are worth the owwies?
I have NEVER been able to walk in heals! I remember going to my senior prom and wearing heals to the function and as soon as we got through the door I had to take them off and spend the whole night in bear feet. I just can't do it, I guess that's. Good thing that I'm looking after my feet tho :)