High heels are fashion’s most double-edged sword.
A killer stiletto can make or break an outfit, adding the perfect dose of sexiness.
Or there’s the classic pump, which is incredibly chic.
But have you everactuallywalked in heels?
They can bemurderon your feet.
Every time I wear a pair, I love how they look.
But after an hour, I am ready to set them on fire and exchange them for sneakers.
The next day, my toes hurt.
My calves are sore.
The balls of my feet are tender and hard to walk on.
Why do we wear heels when our bodies react so adversely to them?
After you learn what they do to your body, you might rethink your position on pumps.
The body does this by forward bending at hips and spine."
This will weaken the knee joint and ligaments around it.
This also translates to tighter hamstring muscles, and ultimately affecting low back and posture."
Anyone else reaching for a pair of sneakers or flats?
Kousouli, who wrote the bookBe a Master of Maximum Healing, warns that wearing heels worsens posture.
Per Dr. Kousouli, hips and shoulders will further sag with this combo.
It’s clearly not just a pair of shoes and a purse.
The fibers in your calves will become shorter and your Achilles tendon can stiffen and get thicker."
But here’s the kicker.
“The feet take a permanent ‘Barbie Doll’ position,” she said.
“The Achilles tendon shortens after just three hours of heels a day.”
Ever play with Barbies?
The foot is beyond arched, because she is a manufactured toy, not a living person.
Having the foot become unnaturally formed should be reason enough to have you rethinking heels.
Can you say high maintenance?Dr.
It’s a practice called roll, release, and restore.
Kneuer recommends stretching calves after wearing heels to minimize negative consequences, while podiatrist and Vionic Innovation Lab MemberDr.
There really is quite a cool down period that comes after wearing heels.
It also seems likea lotof extra work just to wear a sexy shoe.
They are dangerous
Let’s face it.
Not all of us are Rihanna, who can walk over a subway grate while wearing stilettos!
you’ve got the option to easily take a tumble and twist your ankle or sprain it.Dr.
Alexis Dixon, orthopedic surgeon at DISC Sports & Spine Center, says, “Falls aren’t uncommon.
Ankle fractures, likewise, can occur via the same mechanism, and sometimes require surgery.”
Still thinking about all heels all of the time?
Don’t go higher than two inches, and don’t wear them more than three hours per day.
Keep those heels in your wardrobe with limits, and with your health and body taking priority.
