The World’s Most Threatening Foot Wear

Aching knees. Strained leg tendons. Back and neck pain. Spinal problems. Injuries from a day of hiking? Think again. All of these injuries can occur from wearing high heels. The problems caused by high heels go way beyond a pair of aching feet at the end of the day. Major back and spinal problems can occur as well. The hamstrings attach to the pelvis and low back, which is why wearing high heels can make your back ache along with your feet. Also, walking on the balls of your feet will shift your center of gravity forward, forcing you to arch your back when you stand and further contribute to back pain.

Here are a few tips to prevent short- and long-term injury:

• Take time to stretch your legs, feet and back after removing your heels. Pull your toes up toward your knees so you stretch the calf back to a normal position.
• Wear soft insoles to reduce the impact on your knees.
• Limit wearing high heels to special occasions.
• Make sure your shoes fit snuggly so the foot doesn’t slide, putting even more pressure on the toes.
• Avoid extremely high heels or stilettos. Choose a shorter, thicker heel to spread the body’s weight more evenly.