High heels are a fashion staple for many women, but wearing them regularly for extended periods can damage your feet. Most women can’t deny that flats and sneakers feel more comfortable.
However, that doesn’t mean you have to give up your heels forever. It’s important to know how heels affect your feet over the long-term and consider making some adjustments for the health of your feet.
Foot and ankle specialists Andrew Bernhard, DPM, and Kaitlyn Bernhard, DPM, diagnose and treat a full range of conditions that affect the feet. Our team wants patients concerned about their foot health to know how regularly wearing heels can harm your feet.
Let’s discuss some ways high heels can damage your feet and tips for choosing more foot-friendly footwear.
High heels shift your body weight forward, causing the ball of your foot and your toes to absorb all the strain when you walk or stand when wearing high heels. High heels generate a shock wave through your body, starting at your feet and traveling up your spine.
This causes stress in the balls of your feet. Your feet are in an unpleasant position even when you wear shoes with shorter heels. Three-inch heels shift a significant portion of your body weight to the balls of your feet. The ligaments and tendons in the feet may become irritated, and inflamed and problems can arise over time.
Here are just a few of the ways that wearing high heels can impact your feet:
High heels present a double-whammy because the toe box is typically narrow. This forces your forefoot to bear the weight of your body, which can cause an ingrown toenail. Inflammation, pain, and occasionally surgical intervention occur when the edge of your toenail grows into the delicate skin around it.
When you add a high heel to a pointy toe, your risk of bunions increases. A bunion is a bony growth that develops on the big toe joint. It happens when a few of the bones in the front of the foot move out of place. The joint at the base of your big toe sticks because the tip of your big toe is tugged in the direction of your smaller toes. In some cases, bunions require surgery.
High heels are unstable. Walking in heels requires somewhat of a balancing act, and your risk of twisting an ankle and sustaining an ankle sprain is higher when you wear high heels.
It’s best to avoid wearing high heels for an extended time. If you choose to wear heels, we recommend having a pair of comfortable walking shoes with you so that you can change out of them after a certain time.
Shoes that press your toes together and apply pressure on the balls of your feet compress the nerves between your third and fourth toes. When compressed, the tissue surrounding the nerves can thicken, which can cause a type of neuroma.
Neuroma triggers a sharp, burning pain and an abnormal sensation, such as tingling and numbness.
Look for shoes that support your feet most of the time. Characteristics of supportive shoes include:
Keep in mind that you don’t have to ditch your favorite shoes forever. Instead of wearing them daily, opt to wear them less often and for shorter periods. Doing so can keep your feet healthy and happy.
For all of your foot health needs, give our team a call to schedule a visit with Tussey Mountain Foot & Ankle Specialists today.
