What Impact Do Your High Heels Have On Your Feet?

While we are often drawn to high heels due to their pretty nature and their ability to make your legs look longer, we never really think what the effect of wearing high heels has on our feet and body in the long term.

From the moment you stand in high heels, nearly 2/3 of your body weight travels through the balls of your feet. As the height of your heel increases, the amount of forefoot pressure will increase with it. In order to compensate this pressure, the posture of your body will change to adjust and allow for the entire body to remain as balanced as possible. Then as the lower part of the body moves forward, the upper part of the body is required to lean back to maintain the balance. This can cause many complications, especially if you wear heels for a prolonged or extended periods of time as the hyperextension of the lower back may result in chronic back pain, back spasms, arthritis, impingements of the nerves and overall soreness. Poor alignment can result in muscles being overused and continuous back pain occurring.

Quite often it is found that high heels don’t allow your foot to function correctly, which often results in numerous foot conditions like hammertoe deformities, bunions, ingrown toenails, neuromas, calluses and corns.

The long term effects of wearing high heels may also cause pain in your calves and Achilles as well as stress on the knees and back. This discomfort may even occur when wearing flat shoes or no shoes at all, as the calf muscles tend to shorten and the tendons thicken, as wearing heels cause the inability of the muscle to stretch. It may also result in the incorrect realignment of the knee position, causing extra pressure on your knees which can ultimately lead to Osteoarthritis.

While high heels may be your go to shoe daily for work and lifestyle, the next time you put on your heels, you may think twice about the impacts that may affect your body both now and later down the track.

If you have been experiencing any of these symptoms come and visit us at Medical Pedicure for an assessment today with your Podiatrist. You can call our friendly staff on 8645 9888 or book an appointment online here.

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Melissa Biedak

Melissa Biedak

Podiatrist

On Key

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