If you’ve spent an evening wearing high heels, you know just how painful they can be. All it takes is 10 minutes of wearing high heels for pain to start. Most women may be willing to endure the discomfort, but that is not the only thing high heel lovers should worry about. High heels cause a plethora of foot problems and other long-term physical issues. Here are techniques that can not only help relieve foot discomfort from high heels but also help you avoid related injuries.
What Heels Do To Your Feet
Podiatrists warn that high heels are harmful and dangerous to walk in. Their structure simply does not match the needs of human feet. Regular use of high heels can cause long-term damage to your feet, ankles, legs, hips, and back.
Feet
High heels force you to walk in an unnatural position. While our weight is normally distributed on various areas of our feet while walking or standing, women in high heels put all their weight on the balls of their feet and their toes. This does two things. First, it throws off your balance because you are essentially walking on your tippy-toes. Second, it puts too much pressure on those two parts of the feet. This causes hammertoes and corns, in addition to pain.
Ankles
Look up an image of any female celebrity attending a carpeted event and you’ll see awkwardly bent ankles almost every time. High heels force the ankles to bend forward unnaturally. This is, of course, painful, but it could also restrict blood flow in your feet. Regular restriction of blood circulation causes spider veins to appear in the long run.
Legs
Walking in heels causes the Achilles tendons and the calves to stiffen. Over time, the calves become chronically taut and shortened, which makes walking painful even if you're wearing flats.
Knees
Wearing high heels puts extra pressure on the knees, particularly on the inner sides. As a result, the usual wearing and tearing of the knees is accelerated, which can lead to early onset of osteoarthritis.
Hips
High heels mess up the body’s overall alignment. The unnatural alignment of the ankles also forces the hips to thrust forward. This leads you to arch your back and push out your chest. The media has long romanticized this posture, but this is not good for your hip, back, and leg muscles.
Back
Along with foot pain, you have probably noticed that high heels also come with lower back pain. This is because high heels force your spine to sway unnaturally. Such movement causes unnecessary pressure on your lower back.
How To Take Care Of Your Feet After Wearing High Heels
So how do other women manage to wear high heels for hours? Women who can seem to walk effortlessly on heels prepare their entire body for wearing heels. They also take some steps to relieve the pain afterward. Yes, there are things you can do to relieve foot pain after wearing heels and undo the damage caused by your footwear. We suggest that you try the following:
Wear The Right Type Of Shoes
It does not make sense to focus only on pain relief. Minimizing foot pain should start even before you wear heels. You can do this by choosing the right type of shoes.
- Make sure that you wear the right size. Consider the length and the width of your feet.
- Opt for shoes with thicker heels that offer more stability. Avoid stilettos, especially for daily use.
- Choose high heels with platform soles because they help relieve the pressure on the balls of the feet.
- If possible, wear shoe inserts for added padding and comfort for your feet.
Strengthen Your Feet
Some foot exercises specifically target strength building and flexibility. These are important for people who wear heels to prepare the feet’s muscles for pressure. Strong feet make wearing heels bearable only for a short period, but they help minimize long-term damage. Try these exercises for your feet.
Stretch Your Legs
It was mentioned earlier that wearing high heels shortens and stiffens the calf muscles. Stretching your legs is a literal way of combating this effect. Leg stretches help lengthen the muscles, which contributes to endurance. With strength and endurance, your leg muscles can handle the pressure from walking in high heels. Eventually, you can be one of those women who don't mind wearing heels all day. Try these exercises to strengthen your leg muscles.
Have A Foot Soak After A Day In Heels
After a long day of wearing high heels,you can alleviate discomfort by soaking your feet. Better Bath Better Body’s Circulation Foot Soak contains Epsom salt and ginger, cypress, eucalyptus, wintergreen, and lavender essential oils, and it can help soothe your feet in no time at all. A quick soak will allow you to relax after wearing high heels for hours, and the combination of scents will put your mind at ease so you can have a good night's rest.
Interested In A Foot Soak Detox?
Better Bath Better Body has a wide selection of aromatic foot soaks made from all-natural ingredients. Check them out to discover which foot soak can best help you recover after wearing high heels or uncomfortable footwear.
