SKY-HIGH HEELS AND WHAT IS WRONG WITH THEM!?

High heels are like a beauty lift, they empower men. In a flat, you can feel beautiful, but a stiletto changes your mood, how you move – like a wild, beautiful animal. 

Give a woman right pair of shoes and she will conquer the world!

“High heeled shoes”, perhaps, are perceived as an ultimate fashion symbol. Be it Wedges, Peep toes, Stilettos, Kitten heels, Cone heels, Oxfords, French heels or pumps…(trust me the list is HUGE!), High heels have been a staple in female wardrobes for centuries.

Personally, I think, the first pair of high heels that you own, is often a rite of passage into womanhood.

A woman can never have too many heels!

The first pair of high heels that I instantly fell in love with was Cinderella’s magical glass slippers. Sheesh!! It was so pretty. Also, it did get her to marry her prince, right?

Women all over the globe have endured pain to meet society’s beauty standards since ages. One perfect example to justify such a belief is HIGH HEELS. 

A fair share of women considers wearing high heels to be more of a choice than some typical beauty standard. High heels make them feel in charge, like a “Girl boss”. And not to forget men dig the high heels look!

Other pros of wearing high heels are:-

1. They have a slimming effect, high heels elongate your legs and force your back to curve a little bit more than it would normally. This creates an attractive silhouette.

2.Makes you look taller

3. Makes you look Confident and sharper 

4. Also, these types of shoes are versatile with most outfits

5. Extra look points for carrying yourself gracefully.

 

Not all women want to be Carrie Bradshaw from “Sex and the City”, conquering the world with her sexy pair of heels. But no doubt, for those of us who adore heels, she does seem like a goddess!!

 

But for those who are heel aficionado, I am pretty sure you are curious to know what it is about the mighty high heels that despite being so popular among the females, is termed to be the “risky fashion accessory”.

Here are the reasons why!

• JOINT PAIN

Unlike others, high heels lack shock absorption. Since feet are forced to be in an unbending position, knees absorb all the grunts of each step, which can lead to severe joint aches. Your ankle also absorbs some shock as well, so don’t be surprised if a long day in heels leaves your joints feeling stiff and sore. This May Lead to Premature Osteoarthritis.

• MAY CAUSE DAMAGE TO YOUR SPINE:-

The posture required to walk in high heels, combined with the force and strain they put on your body, can cause the foramen to become compressed and result in nerve damage, which results in a chronic spinal nerve condition called foraminal stenosis. Basically, anything going wrong with spine results in bad posture at very least. 

• HEELS CONTRIBUTE TO SPIDER VEINS:-

Spider veins are clusters of blood vessels that are visible on the surface of the skin. They can appear as red, blue, or purple in colour and get their name because they commonly look like spider webs or spider legs.

High heels cause your calf muscle to contract less than that in flats, leading to more venous blood pressure, which can stress the valves in your veins, resulting in overall vein issues like spider veins.

• CAUSES HAMMERTOE:-

One of the consequences of wearing high heels, that you get a hammertoe i.e. one of your toes develop a downward bend.  While some people are born with hammertoe, many develop it from prolonged wearing of ill-fitting high-heeled shoes.

• LOWER BACK PAIN:-

If you choose to wear high heels to work or some social event that requires you to stand longer than sitting, I am sure by the end of the day you will experience terrible lower back pain. This is because, heels actually cause your pelvis to push forward when you walk or stand, placing tremendous pressure on the lower back and causing lingering pain.

• ANKLE SPRAINS:-

One can never predict falls. But every time you choose to wear high heels, there is a probability of you falling and possibly spraining your ankle. Right? Apart from the ankle sprain, a fall like this can also lead to broken ankles, bruised elbows and knees. In worst cases, you may even suffer a concussion.

• WEAKENED LIGAMENTS:-

Wearing high heels leads to weakened ligaments. So try to give in to your footwear fetish, only on special occasions.

• CALLOUSES:-

Wearing a tight pair of heels that moulds your feet into awkward shapes just to make you look fancy results in you having callouses on your feet. While walking, you create pressure on the sides of your feet and toes. Over time, the rubbing and pushing from your favourite heels can lead to a hardening of the skin. Hence CALLOUSES!!

Asking you to quit heels altogether may not seem acceptable to you, so if it gets too torturous for your feet and body to handle the shoe fashion, why don’t you just keep the following points in mind and try to put them to use:-

• Wear heels of your size.
• Opt for platform heels rather than pencil heels or pumps.
• Always keep comfortable flats in your purse/backpack for backup.
• Choose a comfort brand.
• Choose to wear high heels for special events only.
• Wear heels for a few hours max.
• Perform leg and feet exercises regularly. 

No shoe fashion is worth having sore feet or bad posture or even being a part an embarrassing “fall down” situation. Hence, make a judgement call and still, if you must wear your sky-high heels, do so carefully and in small doses, and you won’t suffer the ill effects of gaining a few inches.