High Heels: Undermining Your Foundation
If you are one of the many women who have been wooed by Jimmy Choo or Christain Louboutin, you may need to reconsider your romance. The beauty of these designer shoes is possibly blinding you to the problems they cause your feet. Wearing sky-high heels, while glamorous, can really put a strain on your foundation. Before you don your high heels again, you need to evaluate the condition of your feet.
Bunions
Bunions are frequently caused by wearing too-tight shoes. The problem is exacerbated by high heels that push the foot into narrow toe boxes. The pressure causes the base of the big toe to get larger and stick out. Bunions are unattractive, but more importantly, they can cause severe foot pain. Your big toe can point toward your second toe and sometimes be pushed under it. You can also develop conditions such as arthritis and bursitis. In all, it's not a pretty picture. If the bunion gets too bad, you may have to have an orthopedic surgeon operate on your big toe to get it back into the correct position. While surgeons can work wonders on damaged feet, you should still try and alleviate as much pressure on your toes as possible.
Body Misalignment
High heels can adversely affect your body's alignment since they throw off your center of gravity, forcing your feet forward and putting too much weight on the balls of your feet. To regain your balance, you must lean backward, which strains your hips, knees, and lower back. s. You may experience one vertebra slipping over another, a condition known as spondylolisthesis, that, in the most severe cases, can require spinal fusion surgery.
Solutions
If you cannot bear to give up your high heels, you can at least minimize the damage by following a few rules. First, try to keep heels at no higher than two inches and limit the number of hours you are in them per week. Stretch your leg muscles before and after you wear them. Also, give up pointed-toe shoes entirely. Choose a variety of footwear that does not restrict your foot. Also, shop for shoes in the afternoon when your feet are slightly larger.
Your best course is to completely give up your high heels. More sensible footwear can still be stylish while being comfortable. An amazing array of flats is available as well as many low-heeled models. Suffering to be beautiful is highly over-rated, so give your feet a break and retire the stilettos. For more advice, talk to a professional like Town Center Orthopaedic Associates.