October 1, 2009
High Heels or Healthy Feet?
Let’s face it.
Heels are hot.
They accentuate womanly features and add flair to any outfit.
Leslie Gallegos, a graduate student at the University of Florida, knows this fact all too well. She has the right state of mind when it comes to finding quality footwear.
“I want something that is a bold color and has a classic look,” Gallegos said. “I want something that is not cheaply made.”
But when it comes to the feelings of her feet, there are more important things on her mind.
“I want something that is going to make a statement,” Gallegos said.
And she is not alone.
According to an article on the British Broadcasting Corporation Web site, the Society of Chiropodists and Podiatrists found that 37 percent of women would wear shoes they thought uncomfortable, as long as they were fashionable.
Wearing sexy stilettos for one night out on the town won’t do much harm, but prolonged use of heels can cause some seriously problems.
According to the Washington Post, wearing high heels can cause bunions, hammertoes, and put the spinal cord out of alignment.
Bunions are one of the more infamous foot alignments caused by high heels. On the joint at the base of the big toe, tight fitting shoes can cause a bony growth to form. This causes the big toe to angle in toward the other toes, resulting in discomfort.
Hammertoes are caused when the second, third and fourth toe are shoved into a “bent position” because the shoe narrows at the toe. Eventually, those toes are unable to straighten, even when the toes are set free from the constrains of the offending shoe.
Talk about gross.
So how do you avoid these painful and unsightly foot aliments?
When finding the right fit, Footcare Direct recommends shopping for shoes in the afternoon because feel tend to swell the most during that time. It is also important to make sure all toes can wiggle in the “toe box”.
Regarding shoe construction, they say, “soles should be strong and flexible with a good gripping surface and arch supports distribute weight over a wider area. Rigid shanks also give added support.”
Margaret said,
October 1, 2009 at 3:36 pm
This article is so true! I have been wearing heels since 6th grade, and in my adult life, I have experienced the dreadful affects that heels can sometimes have on a person’s feet. The good thing is that if you buy the right shoe, you can avoid some of the problems you addressed in your post, but at the same time in the world of shoe-lovers sometimes pain is pleasure!