The Dangers Of Wearing High Heels

Do you find high heels uncomfortable, but do you still accept them as an inevitable though torterous part of your wardrobe? Many women strap them on to look and feel sexy, professional, or to boost confidence, and in more than a few professions, high heels are still consider to be an essential part of work attire for women. In reality, while your shoes might be beautiful and hard to resist, researchers point to some side effects that come about from wearing high heels regularly.
 
While high heels are pleasing for many guys, women enjoy fitting into this beauty norm as well. Matching a pair of heels to your new office outfit can be fun, but sometimes a challenge. As the center of gravity moves forward to the ball of the feet, the pressure on the feet can be painful after a few hours. More serious effects begin to occur over time. Besides the changing of the gait and tendon lengths, there is more wear and tear on the joints.

The knees, hips and back take a real beating when it comes to wearing heels. Because of the altered position, all  of these joints are forced into awkward and unnatural positions. The cartilage between bones can start to wear down over time. This can cause joint pain, and is a precursor to arthritis.

How to Wear High Heels Safely

To avoid any serious damage to your knees, hips, and back, its a good idea to start looking for lower heels. At about 2 inches, heels are both safe and comfy, a compromise for both fashion and health.

Here are a few other ways you can try to wear heels in safe ways:

• Wear soft insoles in your heels to get a little more support and cushioning for the foot and heel.

• Only use high heels on days when you have little walking to do, and few high energy activities to get to.  Rushing around in heels can become uncomfortable very quickly.

• Use high heels for special occasions rather than on a regular or daily basis. Using them less frequently will reduce the long term effects of high heels.

• Walk correctly in heels. Rather than stepping with the toe first, or striking the ground with the heel and toe at the same time, step heel to toe as you would if walking in any other shoes.

Wearing heels may be fun, doing so may increase confidence, or high heels just seem to work with your outfit, the effects of regular heel wearing can quickly become apparent as the practice changes the biomechanics of the leg, hips and back. When worn constantly for many years, high heels even lead to more serious health problems like an increased risk of developing arthritis, and joint pain, and the shortening of tendons, leading to problems walking barefoot and in flat shoes.

Taking a few precautions can make all the difference when it comes to wearing heels. Compromising comfort and functionality is a fair trade off when it comes to the dangers of wearing high heels. What if you don't want to wear high heels at all? Citing health and comfort, you have the perfect reason to avoid wearing them at work. In this century, women should be afforded the same comfort as men at work, and nobody should compel you to wear attire that can quite literally damage your physical health.