Killing the pain of killer heels

ECCENTRIC superstar Lady Gaga’s recent interview with TV’s Paul O’Grady may have drawn gasps from audiences for many different reasons.

Perhaps her bald head, bold lyrics or bright green wig might have been startling to some but, for me, it was the towering heels in which she tottered across the stage which caused the biggest surprise.

For many decades now celebrities have been setting the trend in the fashion for “killer heels” and a quick trip to high street shoe shops will prove the point that new shoe styles seem to becoming higher and more daring than ever before.

Iconic French designer Christian Louboutin even hit the headlines this week for creating a pair of his famous red-soled eight inch stilettos which will now be auctioned off to raise funds for the English National Ballet.

And although these shoes would probably only ever be attempted by a ballet dancer at best, a visit to most UK town centres on a Friday or Saturday night will prove that young women are still opting for killer heels which can leave them hobbling and limping home after a long evening out.

But what impact does the wearing of high heels really have on a person’s feet?

Podiatrist Kerri Money, who works at PhysioPlus in Kingsthorpe, said she believed only a section of 18 to 23-year-olds really attempt to wear super high heels, but those who wear them routinely should be aware of their biomechanical impact on the body.

She said: “When you are in a high heeled shoe, your body has been made unstable so the shoe will affect the way you stand and walk. Your back will be more arched, your pelvis pushed forward and your calf muscles will shorten so your muscles will not be working as they should be.

“If your calves are often flexed they will stay like that, if you are in them all the time and go to a lower heeled shoe you are asking them to be in a position they are not used to.

“In low heeled shoes you can absorb the shock from the ground. If you are not doing that you are pushing the foot forward to absorb the shock, which isn’t what it has been designed to do. In high heels the centre of gravity is pushed forward and the balls of the foot are absorbing the hit of the ground and you are pushing off with them. That is a lot of work and can make the balls of your foot hurt.”

She continued: “We all like to wear heels sometimes but my advice would be to wear them only for short periods. I call them ‘car to bar’ shoes. If you are going out, you should go for thicker soles, the thicker the better. The more sole, the more cushioning there will be to help with shock absorption.”

Other tips from Kerri include trying to vary the types of shoes worn and opting for footwear with more straps, which offer more support.

She said: “Rotate between different shoes. If you are rotating different heels your muscles will work in lots of different positions.

“With more straps you will have more stability.

“With narrow, pointed shoes and high heels that is two negatives. If someone has a bunion and they are in a high heel their centre of gravity will have been pushed forward and they will be putting weight on a problem area.”

According to the NHS, the occasional wearing of high heels will not be harmful but damage can be caused if they are worn often during a working week, particularly when a person has to do a lot of walking or standing.

And poor footwear can have an impact later in life.

Helen Harman, falls practitioner for NHS Northamptonshire, said: “The impact of falling later in life is probably not foremost in the mind of fashion conscious young ladies. However, one of the highest risk factors for falling in later life is related to feet. Poor balance which can lead to severe falls can be a result of poor feet, possibly caused by footwear in earlier years.

“The Northamptonshire Falls Service routinely assesses feet and footwear as part of identifying the possible causes of a fall and aim to minimise falls risks. Advice is given regarding wearing well fitting supportive shoes.

“The effect of poor footwear can cause problems such as a corn, ingrown toenails, a callus or bunions.

“Frequently money is spent on appearance such as facials/makeup/hair styles but, despite our feet walking many miles over the years and being vital to wellbeing, they are often neglected.”

Wearing High Heels Can Lead to Osteoarthritis of the Foot

If you wear low heels or sturdy one- to two-inch heels or limit your wearing of high heels to evenings or special occasions, you're probably okay. However, if you wear very high heels day in and day out, you may increase your risk for developing osteoarthritis of the foot. “It’s harder to stand straight when wearing high heels, and this causes a lot of stress on the balls of your feet and your toes” says Dr. Weaver. Feet are one of the chief areas to be hit by osteoarthritis. In addition, high heels that are tight across the toes can aggravate bunions, or arthritis of the toes. You're better off wearing low heels and leaving the stilettos to the models

$500 socks and other insanely overpriced leg wear

Rodarte hand-crocheted socks, $500
These mohair and alpaca socks are spot clean only. Ewwwwwww.

Fancy socks and tights are more popular than ever this season, thanks to big-name designers like Prada, Givenchy and Chloé who all sent several incarnations down the runway. In fact, the New York Post recently reported that a $500 pair of socks from trendy fashion house Rodarte is currently being sold at Manhattan's Opening Ceremony boutique. Yes, $500. For socks. Surely the hand-crocheted, mohair yarn and alpaca wool cost more to make than a pair of cotton tube socks, but the designer label (one that's adored by First Lady Michelle Obama, Natalie Portman and Kirsten Dunst) is what really ups the value.

Truth be told, we think these knit socks are ugly. Also, they're incredibly impractical since they're full of holes and can't be washed. What's even funnier is that Rodarte co-designer Laura Mulleavy told Opening Ceremony that she "probably wouldn't wear any of the stuff I make." Sheesh. While we fully endorse staying cozy in wool socks and knit tights this season, we were astounded by the abundance of $50, $100, $500, and $1,000 pairs. The New York Post said that Bergdorf Goodman sold out of their $125 Marcoliani socks in 16 days. Seriously? Our tights budget is around $20 max and our socks usually come with a 3 for $15 price tag. Check out our slideshow of ridiculous and overpriced legwear, above. Also? Some suckers are willing to pay for this stuff. [New York Post]

High heels dangerous to women’s health

Nearly three million women suffer high-heels related injuries which need medical attention, a recent study suggests. The Sun reported that 3000 women in the age group of 18 to 65 were studied by Hot Shoes, makers of comfort footwear.

Most women twisted an ankle or tore a tendon but there were serious cases also of smashed teeth, broken bones and nasty falls. Yet, even this is not enough to dissuade 60 per cent of those interviewed for the study who said that they will continue wearing heels.

Almost 90 per cent of participants reported discomfit and ruined nights because of high heels. And 61 per cent reported sitting the night out due to the pain.

Only two per cent of those interviewed said that they did not wear high heels. Medical reports suggest that high heels could lead to foot deformities, posture problems, neck injuries and permanent damage in some cases. A 2001 Harvard study also found that high heels can set the stage for osteoarthritis of the knees.

Another study done by the shoe firm MBT claims high heel-induced injuries like twisted ankles, bunions and ingrown toenails cost the UK £29 million a year. The MBT study that included 1,000 women found that four in 10 women suffered an injury in their heels, such as falling over or twisting their ankles from wearing glamorous footwear.

A worrying trend is that women are getting cosmetic surgeries to fit into their Manolo Blahniks and Jimmy Choos. More than half of the 175 members of the American Orthopedic Foot & Ankle Society who responded to a recent survey by the group said that they had treated patients with problems resulting from cosmetic foot surgery.

The society will soon issue a statement condemning the procedures, said Rich Cantrall, its executive director.

Celebrities routinely undergo such surgeries as they more than anyone develop foot problems and ugly bunions and toes due to constant wearing of high Heels. Victoria Beckham was recently in the news for such a surgery.

High heels have been in fashion as far back as 1000 BC. They were a social status symbol. Women in the 16th and 17th century took it to great heights and teetered around in 5-8 inches high shoes. They had attendants to help them move and sometimes carried stylish canes to support them. It is only in the 20th century that demand for comfortable, fashionable shoes came from liberated women. Whatever the evidence to the contrary, it is still very difficult to separate women from their high-heels as history relates.

Power Shoes Turn Heads on the Web

By Claudine Zap
Forget about the power suit. For a bunch of young politicos, it's all about the power shoe. When Reshma Saujani, a candidate running in the New York Democratic primary, admitted to wearing a Kate Spade wedge to pound the pavement, the news inspired a stampede of searches.

The three-inch, round-toe, black-patent wedge called the "Halle," has become the "it" shoe for a circle of female political types, according to a story in the New York Times. Word of the must-have item caused a run on the shoes on Yahoo!: One-day lookups for "Kate Spade Halle" spiked 625%. Shoe lovers voted with their feet with searches on "Kate Spade wedges," "Kate Spade wedge shoes," and "Kate Spade Halle wedge."

Think of these kicks as pantsuits for the feet: They're practical, they wear well, and they look good. With apologies to the "Sex and the City" clan, you cannot barnstorm in Blahniks.

The wedges have a following on the Web as well. The online shoe store Zappos features one happy customer's comments: "For the heel height it's really comfortable." Over on competitor Piperlime, the best-selling shoe is a "Rachel Zoe pick," who explains: "It's a nice alternative to a pump. And a comfy way to look chic." If you're looking to snap up a pair, you may be out of luck. There have been a run on the shoes since word of the gal pols' best-kept shoe secret got out. Talk about retail politics.

Of course, other public figures have had a focus on their footwear, for better or worse.

Shamed former Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich, is definitely guilty on one front: His expensive taste in shoes. Documents recently surfaced that showed the showman purchased, along with pricey ties and handmade suits, stacks of shoes from Allen Edmonds for $1,200.

Sarah Palin's introduction back in 2008 as the Republican candidate for vice president led to a run on the Alaska governor's glasses, her hairdo, and yes, those maverick fire-engine red, peep-toe, Naughty Monkey pumps. The heels were described as a shoo-in for clubbing, and New York Magazine pointed out that Paris Hilton was also a fan of the footwear.

First Lady Michelle Obama may have mis-stepped when she showed up at a soup kitchen in sneakers that retailed for $540. (Insert Marie Antoinette analogy now.) The French-designed Lanvin athletic shoes looked like a very upscale version of the Converse low-top: Except instead of canvas, the shoe was made of suede with a pink metallic toe and laced with grosgrain ribbon. No doubt about it, FLOTUS is an uncompromising fashionista from head to toe.

The same cannot be said for her counterpart. The president throws opening pitches in "mom jeans," and shoots hoops in old-school Nikes. The focus is decidedly off of his feet. And the commander-in-chief would undoubtedly agree: That's a good thing.

Still Think High Heels Are Worth It?

It’s not what fashion-conscious women want to hear—another warning about high heels. But, pump-style shoes often cause significant pain by irritating a common bony deformity on the back of the heel called ‘pump bump.’ In many cases, it can lead to bursitis or Achilles tendonitis if left untreated.

Pump bump is common in young women who wear high heels almost every day, and their feet take a beating as a result. The rigid back of a pump-style shoe can create pressure that aggravates the heel bone when walking.

The bump or bony protrusion is a hereditary deformity that can cause Achilles tendonitis or bursitis due to constant irritation from pump-style shoes. Those with high arches or tight Achilles tendons are especially vulnerable to developing pump bump if they work in high heels.

The medical term for the disorder is Haglund’s deformity. In addition to the noticeable bump, symptoms include pain where the Achilles tendon attaches to the heel, swelling in the back of the heel and redness in the area.

In the majority of cases, pump bump is treated non-surgically by reducing inflammation, but this does not get rid of the bony protrusion. Pain relief is the primary treatment goal, so anti-inflammatory medications usually are prescribed. Icing the back of the heel reduces swelling, and stretching exercises can relieve tension in the Achilles. Long-term, however, it’s best to avoid wearing high heels, if possible.

When the dress code requires high heels, it is advised that women try heel lifts to decrease pressure on the heel or wear appropriate dress shoes that have soft backs or are backless.

High Heeled Summer Shoes and Boots Are Dangerous Year Round

Year round women wear fashionable high-heeled shoes. These 3-6 inch heels put women at risk for slips, falls, and injuries. These high heels are popular shoes they typically feature tall, spiked heels and narrow, pointed toes. Wearing high-heels makes you more unstable when walking or standing on dry surfaces. A stylish low-heeled summer shoe is a lot more fashionable than a cast and crutches. It is recommended that women scuff-up the soles of any new shoes or boots, or purchase adhesive rubber soles, to provide greater traction.

Falls from high-heeled shoes can lead to a number of injuries, depending on how the woman loses her balance. If her ankle rolls inward or outward, she can break her ankle. If her ankle twists, ligaments can be stretched or torn, causing ankle sprain.

Women injured from slips and falls in high-heeled shoes or boots should contact Central Kansas Podiatry Associates for prompt evaluation and treatment. In the meantime, immediately use the “R.I.C.E.” method – rest, ice, compression and elevation – to help reduce swelling, pain and further injury.

Delaying treatment can result in long-term complications such as chronic ankle instability and pain, arthritis, or deformity. Even if one is able to walk on the injured foot, pain, swelling, or bruising indicates a serious injury.

Advice to High Heel Wearers

The doctors at CKPA offer the following advice to those who insist on wearing sky high heels. We suggest not wearing heels that are higher than 2 inches. It’s very difficult, not only on the foot, but the knees and low back. The way the shoes put pressure on the front part on your feet, it applies compression on your toes and irritation to the nerves in the toes.
The bones in the ball of the feet, called sesamoids, can be damaged or broken. Constant pressure on the feet can result in thickening of tissues around the nerves of the toes, called Morton’s Neuroma, causing pain, stinging or numbness in the toes.