As the saying goes, shoes make the man. Or, given the day and age and Sex and the City, shoes make the woman, more likely. Let's face it. Women have shoe fetishes like never before. Sexy heels have come to constitute the most important part of a woman's wardrobe. No evening is complete without the perfect pair of heels to complement the outrageously expensive dress. Many women claim that they feel more in charge of situations when perched atop heels. They feel attractive and confident of themselves. Even the pain in an uncomfortable pair of shoes adds to their sense of power, in being able to endure suffering. And the extra four inches don't hurt. Yeah, yeah…..doctors say heels aren't good for you. But what's a little bit of pain for style, right?
The painful truth:
Wrong. Ladies, maybe it's time to stop, breathe and read this article. Heels are not good for you! Studies have proved that wearing high heels for prolonged periods of time wreaks havoc on the feet, ankles, back and knee joints. Sensory detection in an experiment showed that there is strain in front of the knee, the kneecap and in the medial compartment of the knee joint. Incidentally, these are the areas that are affected in case of arthritis. And, statistics in the United States of America have revealed that osteo-arthritis of the knee is twice as common in women as in men. The strain of walking in heels increases the normal torque forces in the knee by as much as 23 per cent and stretches the lateral knee ligaments. Bursitis (inflammation of bursae or small sacs of synovial fluid) may also be caused.
Heels alter the normal functioning of the ankle. So, the body compensates at the knee and the hip to maintain stability and progress when walking. The footbones are in the weakest position during this, increasing the chances of an ankle-twist or falling on an uneven surface.
Faultily designed shoes force the toes to be pushed down in an uncomfortable position at an awkward angle. This may lead to toe deformations. The increased pressure on the heels may also damage tissue, or in worst cases, the nerves.
Wearing high heels a lot also takes its toll on the back. Prolonged wearers have complained of lower back pain. This is because the design of heels force the body to move forward from the pelvis, leaving the back with no support whatsoever. This unnatural position of the body also creates new pressure points, distorting the body's natural alignment, centre of gravity and gait.
Need more cons? Regular wearers of high heels usually have overworked or injured leg muscles, and may suffer from bunions, stress fractures, joint pain in the back of the ball of the foot, Morton's neuroma (enlargement of the nerve in the third interspace between the third and fourth toes), “pump bumps” (enlargement of the bony area on the back of the heel), corns and calluses, toe-nail problems and tight heel cords (shortening or tightening of the Achilles' tendon).
All is not lost:
But of course, this does not erase all the pros altogether. I mean, it's difficult to argue against sexy legs and the best offset to a perfect dress. So, my advice is wear heels all you want! But not for more than three hours at a time. And make sure the heels are absolutely comfortable before you buy them. So, go wild but be safe when you're putting your best foot forward.
