Fashion Alert: High Heels A Health Hazard

How does wearing high heels damage your body?
1) Bunions: Wearing tight fitted shoes may cause a bony growth on the joint at the base of the big toe.
2) Calf muscle: High heels cause the calf muscle to contract as it is forced to adjust to the irregular angle. In the long term this can cause the muscle to shorten and tighten.
3) Achilles Tendon: The higher heels you chose, the shorter your tendon becomes. This in turn will create heel pain as the front of the foot moves downwards in relation to the heel your Achilles tendon tightens up.
4) Poor Posture: Holding a good posture is rare when perched in vertiginous heels. The heels push the center mass of the body forward causing the hips and the spine to move out of their alignment. Bad posture is also responsible for lower back pain.
5) Knobbly Knees: Walking in high heels alters the posture of walking as it places an excess of force and mass onto the inside of the knee.
6) Bad Balance: You are at a greater risk of falling over and therefore damaging your ankle (sprain or break) as high heels create bad balance.
7) Metatarsalgia: High heels force body weight to be redistributed. Wear over long periods can lead to joint pain in the ball of the foot, known as metatarsalgia.

Minimizing the impact:
1) Keep the height of your heel to 4 cm or below.
2) Variation is important. If you wear 10 cm heels one day, try no heel or a very low one on the next.
3) Avoid backless heels. The lack of support forces you to claw you toes as you walk.
4) Perform a series of calf stretches at the end of the day to keep your feet supple and counteract the shortening calf muscle effect caused by heels.
5) Choose a heel with a strap over the instep as this will hold the foot in a secure position and stop it from sliding forward.