Most of us have been told throughout our lives that wearing high heels would ruin our feet or cause back pain or some other ailment, and most of us ignored the advice in favor of vanity.  A study conducted by the University of North Carolina Charlotte found that while wearing such shoes initially strengthens ankle muscles, those heels will eventually weaken the same muscles and cause instability. The heel forces the foot into a naturally unstable position.

 Injuries Occur from High Heel Shoes

In fact, more than a dozen injuries to the body can occur from wearing higher heeled shoes. These range from lower back pain, shortened calf muscles, to muscle fatigue and altered posture. Wearing these heels changes a woman’s gait and causes changes to her posture.  Said altered gait damages the knee joint and causes the load and weight on the knee to shift.  Plus, the higher the heel, the greater the force being placed on the ball of the foot.  The pinched toes from high heels can cause bone spurs on toe joints that have to be removed.  When removed, usually a full joint is lost.  Wearing open-toed shoes or more rounded toes allows for needed space.

I once knew a lady who could no longer tolerate regular shoes because of damage from years of wearing high-heel shoes.  The fatty pad that normal people carry on the bottom of the foot disappeared from the abuse and every shoe she wore caused great pain.

Damage to the Achilles tendon along the back of the ankle occurs as a result of changes in gait, sometimes creating a permanent injury.  Many women over 60 are still wearing high heels, because they can no longer walk in flat shoes because of the pain. Another sad fact is that age increases your likelihood of sustaining permanent damage to your feet from wearing  high heel shoes.

 

Prevent Further Damage to Your Feet

There are steps you can take to improve the condition of  your feet from wearing 3 inch or higher heels.  Going barefoot is one. Particularly, if your feel are swollen or have sores, not wearing shoes gives them a change to heal.  If you live near a beach, walking in sand is beneficial. Just be careful not to walk on broken shells, because you could end up with ugly cuts to go with your sore feet.

Get a pedicure!  The massage and exfoliation treatment that goes with it will make your feet feel so much better.

Soak your feet in hot water.  The heat will relieve aching muscles.

Wear flat-heeled shoes whenever possible with good arch support.

See a podiatrist if you have any foot problems, such as bunions, heel spurs or plantar fascitis.  Early treatment may prevent further damage.

Take care of your feet, because they can’t be replaced.