Many people believe that getting rid of footwear with heels will save feet from problems and pain. But orthopedists couldn’t disagree more on this. They say we need heels for proper function of our feet. The question is how high this heel is supposed to be. So what should be considered when choosing a pair of everyday shoes?
Ideally, the heel height should be no more than 1 inches. According to scientists, 2 inches is a line in the sand for the heel height. Footwear with this kind of heel does not cause serious deformations in the feet. Die-hard high heels wearers eventually wind up in suffering from premature joint problems (they face them 10-15 years earlier).
Many women are trying to cushion the “impact” by going for broader heel base. But orthopedists say that this strategy solves one problem by getting another one – now instead of your feet, knees are suffering. Besides, high heels lead to poorer blood circulation in the feet, resulting in swollen ankles. When we wear high heels, our lower leg muscles work less than they are supposed to, but it is these muscles that pump venous blood through. Result is that you get thrombophlebitis and spider veins.
If the heel height is greater than 2 inches, it shifts the pressure to the toes while Achilles tendon, without enough stress, grows weaker. This may cause deformations in feet and flatfoot. More than that, ladies who are accustomed to soaring heels might feel discomfort wearing flats. And that’s because their feet have become deformed. The only solution here is wearing orthopedic footwear, or sometimes surgery is required.
Walking on high heels, we instinctively move our body backward to prevent falling forward. Such posture not only leads to misaligned pelvic bones but also puts more pressure on the spine. This may trigger a curvature of the spine and displacement of abdominal organs. It negatively affects urogenital system in the fist place, resulting in chronic cystitis, the inflammation of adnexa, drop in sexual desire and even infertility.
So what can be done? Walk around in slippers? Health experts are not that tough in their suggestions. They say women should know the limits. High heels have always been a weapon of seduction. But do you really need to use this weapon every day? Rather keep your favorite stiletto shoes for special occasions like dates and parties.
If you’ve developed a habit of wearing high heels every day and all day long, it’d be smart to kick it. You may not notice it, but your body gets hurt. Wear slippers or flats at home. To maintain your health, keep a pair of comfortable shoes in the office (or even in a car) and unburden your feet when there is a chance.
Whenever you have an opportunity (on the seaside, out in the country or at home) walk barefooted. It seems that there is nothing special about it, but your feet get so much needed massage.
Exercises for Feet Health
It’d also be good for the feet to do a couple of simple exercises, barefoot.
- Stand with your legs shoulder-width apart. Place your hands on hips. Stand on your toes and then roll to your heels lifting toes up.
- Stand upright. Point the toes of your right leg inward and bent the knee slightly. Do circular motions first with your right leg, then with the left.
- In a sitting position, clench and unclench your toes. To make this exercise harder, grasp small objects with your toes off the floor and move them to another place.
Source of the image: flickr.com/photos/pinkspleen.
