5 Facts About High Heels Every Woman Should Know

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But regardless if you wear them daily or just on special occasions, there are things that every woman should know about them.

We can all agree that high heels aren’t really comfortable. According to The Washington Post, contribute to the $3.5 billion spent each year on women’s foot surgeries in the United States. That’s why it’s important for every woman to know the effect of high heels on your body. Here are five facts everyone who wears heals should know:  

1. Heels force your body to compensate

Because high heels throw you off balance, they force your body to compensate by bending your spine and hips. This adds strain on your leg muscles, hip, and back to remain upright. They also cause more pressure to be placed on the balls of your feet and knees. To put in in simple terms, wearing high heels forces your body to do lots of unconscious balancing and correcting so you don’t fall to the ground.

2. Heels can misalign your back

Besides making your spine tilt forward, they also constantly put your back out of alignment. Normally, spines sit in an S-shape which helps your body act as a natural shock absorber when walking. When you wear high heels, this shock absorption gets reduced, leading to more pressure being placed on the nerves in your back. Long-term heel use may lead to chronic cramping, tingling, and lower back pain.

3. Running in heels can cause arthritis

According to a study done in 2013, running in heels creates a significant increase in the lateral movements of your knees. This means they move towards and away from each other more as you move. So if you’re wearing heels, don’t run to catch the subway train. Otherwise, you will be straining your knee joint and increasing your risk for arthritis.

4. The higher your heels, the more foot damage is done

The American Osteopathic Association says that with every inch of your heels, you increase how hard your toes are crammed into the point of the shoe. This can lead to all kinds of foot problems like bunions, corns, hammertoe, and even permanent nerve damage in the foot. Are high heels really worth the possibility of needing a bunion surgery?

5. There are ways to reduce the damage

OK, we admit, this article was pretty negative towards high heels. The good news is there are some things you can do to lower the damage heels cause your body. To minimize the damage, you should wear heels up to 1½ inches in height and avoid pointy stilettos. It’s best to go with a thicker heel to more evenly distribute your body weight. To help with shock absorption, you should purchase insoles for all of your high heel shoes. Also, don’t forget to stretch your calves on a daily basis.