High heels hurt
Twenty-eight-year-old Aneeta Trivedi is a model. Her profession requires her to wear high heels on the ramp and off it.
"Stilettos are the backbone of my professional and social image. But by the end of the day, my feet are killing me!" she says.
She also suffers from chronic back pain. High heels usually provide little support to the body, says Dr Jawahar Panjwani, an orthopaedic doctor.
"Wearing heels that are more then two inches high causes the centre of gravity of the body to go out of balance," he explains.
Our experts tell us about the lows of wearing mean heels and the right way to flaunt shoes with those extra inches:
Strenuous Feet
Dr Charaka Arogya, an ayurvedic doctor, says stilettos reduce the blood circulation in your feet causing them to go numb. "An extra amount of weight falls on the forefeet when a woman wears stilettos. Constantly wearing high heels causes extra strain on the feet, leading to discomfort," he explains.
This is why Aneeta's feet ache at the end of the day, he says.
The 'Achilles' factor
Dr Ashwini Manjrekar, an orthopaedic doctor, says high heels affect the Achilles tendon which connects the calf to the foot. "Ideally, the Achilles tendon is stretched when your foot is in contact with the floor and contracts when you walk. This natural phenomenon does not occur when you wear high heels," he explains.
When the Achilles tendon does not get stretched, your heel chords get tightened, causing you discomfort.
When your body tries to correct the body misalignment heels cause, it puts pressure on the lower spine and knees. "The abnormal weight distribution and stress from the elevated posture causes a degeneration of the spinal joint over a period of time," explains Dr Panjwani.
Nerves in the spine get compressed, causing back pain, says Dr Charaka.
The right shoes
We have all put up with sore feet, blistered feet and aching bodies in the name of fashion. If you have to wear heels, don't use very high ones, says Dr Panjwani.
"Look for heels that have a firm and broad base. Flat shoes or platform heels are best. They distribute the weight of the body evenly and don't put a heavy load on the arches of the feet."
Shoes should be made of a material that prevents slipping. "You are less likely to fall and hurt yourself. If your job requires you to walk, climb stairs or stand, then avoid wearing pencil heels," adds the doc.
We hope you will not sacrifice your health on the altar of fashion in the name of lean and mean shoes!
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