We all have gasped at the high heels that have been sported by many of the women, be it stilettos or the normal high heel, it is sure a head turner that seems to make the cut for the style statement of the year. We see these being sported by many women at many outdoor occasions.
However much the attention it brings, the same high heels when in use every day may be paving for that long list of medical ailments that can follow. Here are a few of these listed below.
- Muscle pain and Spasms:
The structure of the heel forces the change in body postures and the body’s muscles naturally adapt to this change, either elongate or shorten themselves to adjust to this change. When done over a period of time, for example, the Achilles Tendon tends to shorten over time and when walking without the heel, can lead to a lot of cramps and muscle pain.
- Sprains and Ankle Twists:
The fine balance between looking elegant and having a clumsy fall is just a very thin line. The heels increase the risk of falling due to an ankle twist, this may damage the tendons and the ligaments that are present in the leg muscles. The ankle sprain can be rather painful incidents that can hamper normal walking for some time.
- Joint pain:
The heels tend to concentrate the entire body weight on a lesser surface area and this leads to a lot of stress on the joints, right from the ankle, the kneecap and other joints. The heel can act as an impediment for normal walking with the body structure taking a new shape. Although the heel can act as enhancers of the body features, they cause a lot of stress on the joints and subsequent joint pains can develop.
Also Read: First Aid for Broken Bone
- Lower back pain:
The heels tend to cause the body posture to slightly change, with the pressure now falling on the lower back. When the heels are worn over a long period of time, they tend to reduce the ability of the feet to absorb impacts and hence add more stress on the lower back. The arch in the spinal cord caused by regular can have a very an adverse impact on the body.
- Bunions, Corns and Hammer Toe:
The structure of the heel tends to add pressure at the toes, this is counteracted by an additional skin growth that typically grows like lumps, this is called as the Bunions, they can be a painful proposition once the switch to the normal footwear comes into effect. The corns are a known devil too, they can cause a lot of discomfort on the lower surface of the feet; whilst the shape of the heel can push the toes to elongate causing a condition known as the hammer toe.
The heels are an effective style statement provided they are not to be used daily and consistently. It is always suggested that we switch to normal footwear soon after we have had a day with heels, use extra cushioning layers embedded in the structure of the heels or shoes.