The Foot Institute
THE
medical contributor
smart WAY TO WEAR HIGH HEELS
Dr. Bridget Moore
|
The Foot Institute
I have a confession. Can you keep a secret??
… I am a podiatrist, and I love wearing high
heels! Shhh! Most of us know that the age-old
consensus regarding long term use of high heels
is that they are bad for your feet, right? They
can cause and/or exacerbate corns & calluses,
ingrown toenails, bunions, hammertoes, meta-
tarsalgia, neuromas, plantar fasciitis, achilles
tendonitis, ankle sprains, osteoarthritis, and gait
abnormalities. But what are the chances that you
are going to leave your podiatrist’s office and
never don a pair of heels again? Slim to none.
So, for those out there, like me, who enjoy wear-
ing heels; here are a few tips on how to do so
with minimal complications.
MODERATION: Like your parents told you
growing up “everything in moderation” or
“moderation is key”. Do not wear high heels
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AUGUST 2017
FLORENCE, SOUTH CAROLINA
more than 3 inches high extended periods of
time. Also, make sure that your feet/ankles
are stable when wearing them. When wearing
high heels to work, I never wear them for more
than 4-5 hours at a time. I always take them
off during lunch. If I’m running errands during
that time, I change into a pair of supportive
sneakers.
VARIATION: Yes, another reason to buy more
shoes!! But seriously; Do not wear the same type
heel every day. Alternate between your stiletto,
chunky, and wedge heels with varying toe boxes.
When shopping, look for more open, peep, and
round toe shoes. Also, make sure your higher
heel shoes have a platform sole- this decreases
the steep angulation of the foot, in turn decreas-
ing ball of foot pain (metatarsalgia), as well as
ankle and knee pain.
SIZING: Try before you buy, and please don’t
be that lady asking for a size 6.5 when you’re
really a 9.5! Even though you may think you’ve
always been a certain shoe size, doesn’t mean
that you are currently that size. Have your feet
measured often and always try your shoes on.
Moreover, try on shoes in the afternoon/eve-
ning to accommodate any swelling that may
occur throughout the day. Other factors that
can change the size of your feet include adult
growth spurts, pregnancy, and weight gain/loss.
Finally, all manufactures do not size their shoes
the same or have standardized widths. I’m the
customer the salesperson keeps their eye on
because I’m walking around a lot (and often
to the adjacent dept.) in their shoes because,
let’s be honest- trying on shoes while seated or
standing in place does not cut it!
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