Side Effects of Wearing High Heels that will make you Hate Them!
15-11-2018 | Posted By: Shagun Parasher | 3819 View(s)
High heels have been a symbol of a sophisticated woman. Heels are the kind of accessory that every woman wishes to have in her wardrobe, at least a single pair if not many. They are timeless fashion statement pieces, and you can see from Marilyn Monroe to Carrie Bradshaw, every fashion-minded woman has been wearing them for a very long time now. Heels are synonyms of luxury and style. But how often do we talk about their side effects? The pain, the problems they are capable of causing are neglected in front of the style and luxury. Let us talk about the Unhealthy Side Effects of Wearing High Heels.
Top Side Effects of Wearing High Heels
Unlike any other accessory, this one comes with its downfalls. And as per the old saying, “Beauty is pain” high heels can have a lot of long-lasting adverse effects too. Sadly, these health effects are not only limited to the feet but they also the spine, posture and hips.
Here are 7 Unhealthy Effects of Wearing High Heels you must know if you are someone who wears heels quite often.
1. Hip Pain
Hip pain and high heels have an old relation. It can be caused due to the height and the angle of the foot. This shifts the centre of gravity of your body and forces us to walk in a way that our body is not made to handle.
Your feet cannot correctly operate when you wear high heels. Due to this, other body parts like hips compensate for this. The bones become over-worn and cause pain. This is one of the most common side effects of hip pain. If you experience hip pain, consult a doctor.
2. Knee Pain
Due to the overwork that is led by wearing heels for prolonged times, your knees are likely to be affected as well. While walking in heels, women tend to move, i.e. bend the knees more, and the amount of weight put on the knee joints increase. This condition can lead to trapped nerves and increased fractures.
3. Muscle Pain and Spasms
Some women wear heels on a daily basis. Wearing them is common for fashion models and office going women. Long-term wear of heels can shorten the muscles in your back and calves. This change of nerves can lead to muscle spasms and pain.
4. Worsens the Bunions
If you have pre-existing bunions then, beware, wearing high heels can worsen the situation. If you do not have any idea what bunions are, don’t worry. Bunions are the bony protrusion that forms just near the toe joint. Heels exacerbate the problem because the bodyweight is put forward, which forces the toes towards the front of your shoe. As a result, the big toes are forced against other toes, and the bunion is worsened.
5. Spondylolisthesis
This is a common injury that happens in the lower back from too much hyperextension, i.e. arching the back. This is a condition when one vertebra slips forward over another.
6. Foraminal Stenosis
This is a spine cum nerve problem that occurs when the anatomical abnormalities reduce the spaces from where the nerves travel through as they exit the spinal column. These spaces are called foramina and when foramina get blocked, the nerves are squeezed. As a result of the squeezing of nerves, pain is caused and radiated through the buttocks to down the legs. If you experience tingling, shooting pains, numbness, muscle weakness, cramps and spasms in your under-waist region, then most probably you have got Foraminal stenosis.
7. Sciatica
The sciatic nerve is the longest nerve in the body. It runs from the bottom of our lumbar spine to down the legs. When this nerve gets compressed, it causes radiating pain, tingling and numbness and muscle weakness in the legs. This pain can also be experienced in the feet.
What can you do to overcome the Side Effects of Wearing High Heels?
There are certain things one can do to avoid the pain caused in the body due to high heels. They are listed below:
• Choose a shoe that has a moderate heel height. The heel should not be above 5 centimetres and have a fastening system over the instep.
• Wear high heels for a shorter time duration. Always keep a pair of flats in your bag for the times when you can’t take it anymore. Also, if you have to walk for a long time, prefer wearing flat shoes.
• Wedges are believed to be the most comfortable sort of heels. They reduce the load under the front of the foot and therefore, don’t ache your feet and back.
• Pay attention to the “slope and pitch” of your heel. Some very high 3-4 inched heels will give you a straight drop down to the flatbed portion of the shoe whereas others will provide you with a more regular shape. This might be easy on the arch and can help you relieve some pain.
• Wear open toe heels to ease the pressure on calluses and corns. These open-toe shoes take the pressure off the inflamed areas.
• Cushion! Buy the kind of heels that have cushioned padding. If your pump does not have it, then you can buy one from your nearest supermarket and use it to get a good shock absorption system.
• Do a calf muscle stretching exercise every day to maintain the flexibility of the ankle.
• Avoid running in your high heels, even if that is at the lowest speed possible. Do not walk too fast as well. The pressure under the foot increases considerably when running.
• Wear heels that fit your feet perfectly. Loosely fitted heels tend to make the front of your feet fly forward, leaving a big gap. This causes more pressure and pain and also your posture is not right anymore.
This was about the Side Effects of Wearing High Heels and how these can be alleviated. We hope that you liked this article. Do not forget to share the article with your family and friends. Also, if you have any queries in the comments section below, do let us know. We will get back to you with another fascinating article. Until then, stay healthy, stay happy.
If you experience any problems like hip pain or back pain, consult a doctor and get a health checkup done.
