Wearing High Heels

High heels have become an iconic image of modern womanhood, from pin-up and movie posters to album covers, fashion magazines and closets and women’s living rooms worldwide.

High heels come in all forms, sizes and materials imaginable; from stiletto-like stilettos to chunky heel styles – correct fitting is essential regardless of heel height.

They Can Damage Your Feet

Wearing high heels alters how your feet function and strains the ankles, knees and hips – leading to instability and posture issues that cause pain throughout the body.

Heels exert pressure on the balls of the feet, forcing toes together in tight spaces that can lead to bunions, hammertoes and Morton’s neuroma – painful, debilitating conditions that can worsen with long-term wear. They should only be worn as needed.

They Can Damage Your Knees

Wearing heels puts added strain and pressure on the knees, which may result in pain and lead to the condition known as Chondromalacia Patellae (deterioration of kneecap).

Heels may cause the calf muscles to shorten, increasing the risk of bunions and hammertoes, and cause the lumbar spine of your low back to flatten out and hyper-curve, which places additional strain on both your hips and knees.

Studies have revealed that young women who wear high heels are at increased risk of osteoarthritis of the knees later on. It is particularly evident among overweight women.

They Can Damage Your Hips

High heels add glamour and class to any ensemble, yet they can cause painful issues for your feet, knees, hips and back. Wearing high heels shifts body weight forward onto the ball of the foot, causing hip flexor muscles to shorten and tighten as your weight shifts forward onto the toes and balls of the foot, which causes hip flexor muscles to shorten and tighten further.

They Can Damage Your Back

High heels look fabulous on many women, yet they put undue strain on both the back and legs. Heels shift your weight onto the balls of your feet, affecting stride length, posture and calf muscles over time. Over time this can lead to tight calf muscles with shortened tendons leading to hip flexor tightness, back pain and an unusual flattening curve called Kyphosis in your spine.

If you enjoy wearing heels but want to avoid back pain, consult a physiotherapist for an assessment. They can help stretch and strengthen lower back and leg muscles to avoid discomfort caused by heel wearing.

They Can Damage Your Legs

High heels shorten calf muscles, leading to issues like shin splints. Shin splints are an intense burning or throbbing pain below your knee.

Heels may cause overcrowded toenails, resulting in ingrown or hammertoes that become visually unpleasant and potentially painful. While these issues are superficial, treatment must be sought to rectify them quickly, or they will persist and worsen over time.

They Can Damage Your Toes

Wearing heels makes walking harder and can shift your foot’s weight forward and force all of your toes into an overly-small shoe opening, leading to painful friction on both balls of the foot and toes, which may lead to painful bunions or hammertoes.

Pointed-toe shoes crowd your toes, increasing the risk of bunions and hammertoes. Furthermore, this pressure on the toes can irritate and inflame nerves – leading to conditions such as Morton neuroma.

High heels may not be the most comfortable footwear option, yet many women still choose them for various purposes. Understanding the risks of high heels will allow you to make informed decisions when selecting or wearing them and reduce any damage to both feet and body.

They Can Damage Your Ankles

Wearing heels shifts your weight onto the front of your foot and ankle, altering its biomechanics and potentially leading to pain or injury in your foot, knee, hip or lower back.

Extra pressure from high heels can strain or break ankle ligaments. Clumsy people often trip or fall while wearing them, leading to potential ankle-twisting incidents. Heels also cause the fat pads on your feet to atrophy, decreasing cushioning ability and leading to heel pain, hammertoes and bunions; as a result, heel pain has even been identified as a risk factor for osteoarthritis in knees.