In an Italian study performed in 2008 , Dr Cerruto found wearing high heels improves the muscle tone of a woman’s pelvic floor, and therefore has a positive effect for women with stress incontinence.
That’s all well and good for the over 60’s but what impact do high heels have on the rest of the body, particularly for the under 60’s?
Wearing high heels dates back as far as Ancient Egyptian times, when they were popular with the upper classes. In fact, heels were worn throughout history up until the end of the French revolution. The heel only became fashionable again in the late 19th century, this time almost exclusively with women.
Wearing high heels creates an elegance that a flat shoe lacks. They force the muscles in the lower leg to contract therefore creating an appearance of thinner and longer legs. A fantastic result if you have the strength and stability to walk correctly in heels.
Unfortunately, most women don’t have the strength in their body to walk correctly in high heels. Be aware that your choice of shoes affects your whole body. The higher they are, the worse they are.
The elevation of the heel causes a natural shift of the entire body’s weight into the toes. Without the strength to resist this shift, toes are squashed together resulting in blisters and corns. Moving up the body, you need to compensate for the elevation from heels by accentuating and elongating the lumbar (lower back) curve of the spine. This causes the muscles of the back to contract and shorten, leading to ischemic muscle pain (pain created by lack of oxygen to the muscles) and ligament fatigue causing backache. In the long term, these compensations can lead to chronic foot and lower-back problems, which may have a knock on effect all the way up to the neck, potentially leading to headaches.
Constant high heel wearing without the strength to pull it off, will lead to long-term muscle and joint related conditions.
So, Dr Cerruto’s study is great if you are over 60 and have stress incontinence, otherwise it is probably a good idea to stick with mid – heels or well supported flats.
Flat shoe wearers are not completely in the clear, you still need to make sure you select your flat shoes well; they need to have support to avoid a different range of problems. For example, ballet shoes and Ugg style boots promote fallen arches, which may lead to problems like plantar fasciatis or achilles tendonitis.
As an Osteopath, I see an increased number of women after their annual festivities with injuries from falling in heels. As the party season approaches, if you must wear high heels here are the top tips:
1. Wear flats and change into your heels when you get to your appointment / party
2. Sit if you can, rather than leaning on one foot or the other. If you can’t sit, try to balance your weight equally through both feet
3. Wear mid heels rather than high heels
4. When you get the chance, kick them off. e.g. in the taxi for the duration of the journey, taking advantage of the privacy for a break
5. Do regular exercise to keep your body strong enough to walk in heels.