Jul 27, 2012 at 5:47pm

High heeled shoes have become an obsession for most women. This is because it is believed wearing them indicate that you are fashion-forward.

There are times you see a woman in an outrageously high heel and you wonder what in God’s name made her get into them.
But you can’t entirely blame these women because the designs and colours these shoes come in are so tempting and breathtaking.

In the past few years alone, the average height of a high-heeled shoe has gone up from 3 to 6 inches. This development is also gradually compounding a lot of health problems for the women who constantly wear them.
According to health experts, wearing extremely high heels has the tendency of wearing out the fat pad under your feet due to excessive use of bad shoes over time.

It can also cause ankle sprains and breaks, stress fractures, bunion and ligament damage. Prolonged wearing of high heels can also contribute to joint degeneration and knee osteoarthritis.

Again, when you wear heels, you change your center of balance, leading to increased bending of your back. This could make the discs in your spine breaking down, as well as muscle spasms and pain throughout the body, and yes, maybe even chronic headache or migraines.

On the lighter side, high heels have also increased the wearing of flip-flops in the office which in a sense doesn’t give you a professional outlook.

It’s ok to own a few pairs of high heels but wearing them on a daily basis is not healthy and obviously, its negative effects outweigh the positives.

The best alternative height for high heels should range between an inch to 3 inches. This gives you the balance your body needs and reduces the effort you have to put in to walk without tripping.

It will also make you comfortable throughout your day which will prevent you from seeking comfort in flip flops in the office.

A few women also think it's a safer to go with flats. This is because, it is primarily comfortable and you do not need any special skill to walk in them and it also makes you smart.

No need to carry along flip flops to give your feet relief.

But shoes that are totally flat, with no cushioning or arch support, can pose problems as well.

Not only do super thin soles fail to absorb the shock of your feet hitting the ground, but a lack of arch support can lead to your feet rolling inward, stretching ligaments and tendons up to the knee.

Comfort is key, but properly examine the flats you intend to purchase to ensure that it has the necessary cushioning to protect your soles and an arch in between the soles of your feet and your toes.

Experts argue that high heels are so dangerous they should never be worn, not even for a few hours in a day.

But since it's unlikely that women will totally do away with high heels, most experts have come to the resolution that it's OK to wear them in moderation.

There are limitations to what our bones and joints can take, so make sure your shoes are giving your body the best support for the long haul.

Both high heels and flats are in vogue so make a wise choice and do not turn a blind eye to the risks.

It takes time to develop serious problems from footwear; you may not get the repercussions now but in time, you will.


Source: The Weekend Globe