Shoes are an essential part of a woman’s wardrobe and require particular attention.
Such concern arises because when you are wearing shoes, is not just about looking great but also how comfortable you feel.
To do that you need to be aware of your foot structure to determine which shoe style best fit you.
Many women love wearing shoes with the highest heels they can tolerate. But traumatologists warn that they are not recommended and can produce all kinds of injuries. What is the ideal height?
It is true that a pair of shoes with high heels is elegant and sensual. But what happens to the inside of them?
Most likely the fingers will be compressed and crooked in an unnatural position. And that the foot has a slope that is not ideal for the spine.
The American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons (AAOS) remembers that the shoe should be suitable for the pie, not the foot to the pump.
They recommend choosing those with a low heel and a wide tip for the fingers to fit comfortably.
For example, women who have naturally high heels would find it much easier to fit in stilettos and other high heels as compared to women with flatter feet.
On the other hand, women with flat feet can use flats effortlessly and do not have to worry about sore feet and aches.
To have the best footwear experience is essential that you first find out your foot type and then shop accordingly.
The return of the dangerous heels
Argentine kinesiologist Ruben Kunowsky, director of the La Horqueta Kinesiology Center in Buenos Aires, warns that wearing too high heels increases the risk of lordosis and low back pain as it alters the center of gravity.
And the AAOS remembers that many models injure the fingers since they join them in an uncomfortable triangular position, which distributes the weight of the body in rough form.
In the US, 39% of women wear high heels daily. Dr. Pedro Cosculluela, an orthopedic surgeon at Houston Methodist Hospital, reports that 75% of them suffer some form of foot pain, have bunions, arthritis on the big toe, calluses, hammer toe or plantar warts.
So, how can we determine the high heels that would be ideal for us?
There is a straightforward procedure that you can do to find out the necessary information. All you need to do is to sit on a chair and raise your leg up to the height of your knee.
You need to keep your foot as tight and flat as possible. Now in this posture, measure the distance from your heel to all the way up towards your knee. Note down the reading.
After following these guidelines, relax your foot and get the same measurements.
The difference will give you the ideal heel height. It’s that simple.
The process as mentioned above reveals that our body can give clear signs regarding what it wants and what is suitable for us.
It is our responsibility to look for these signs and adhere to them. Otherwise, we will start to feel the detrimental effects on our body in the long run.
For instance, let us take the example of someone who bought a pair of shoes just for the sake of fashion and completely disregarded the foot type criteria.
Although you would be able to enjoy the boots for an hour or two, as time will go by the feet will get sore and cramped, and that would leave you wishing that you had been more careful.
The most danger arises from the prolonged use of high heels. Shoes that have heels higher than 2 inches can cause some severe damage to the body. In particular the knees, lower back, and feet are the parts that are most affected by this.
This is because high heels alter the standing posture of a person. This change leads to undue stress on the sensitive parts of the back and the joint muscles.
If left unattended, these conditions can lead to arthritis.
Advantages and Disadvantages of different heel heights
Let us now look at some of the heels types (based on heights) and what are the advantages and disadvantages of wearing them. First, come to the flats which have a heel height less than an inch. These shoes are the most comfortable to wear.
However, they are not as stylish as the high heels and feet have to work to keep the shoes on because of their shape.
Then, the kitten heels that have a heel height of around 1.5 – 2 inches. These heels are also very comfortable to wear and help to build the leg and calf muscles, which makes the legs appear longer.
The prolonged use of these heels can cause some back problems, and these heels don’t offer the style and mildness of high heels.
Moving on, we have high heels that range from 2.5 inches to 4 inches in height. These heels can also help to develop the leg muscles, making the body look leaner than usual.
However, wearing these heels is not an easy job as several complications are resulting from their use.
This includes hammer toes, bunions and back pains. And finally, we have the extreme heels that have heights greater than 4 inches.
These heels should be used very carefully as they can have nasty effects on the feet and the back. They also make the backside more noticeable which some women might not be so comfortable.
These heels are more practical if you have to do a lot of sitting every day rather than walking around.
Conclusion
It is okay to play around with shoes and try on different fashion trends in the youth years.
However, as the time passes, the body does not remain as forgiving as it used. Women who try too hard and push their bodies beyond the limit have to face the repercussions.
Spider veins, lower back pains, and muscle spasms are some of the niggling issues that will continue to haunt us if we do not consider the limits of our bodies.