High Fashion, Higher Impact: How Heels Shape Foot Health Behind the Scenes
High heel footwear has been an iconic fashion object for decades – defining style, sophistication and confidence. From classic high-heeled stilettos, hot wedges boots or punchy platforms, they are ubiquitous in our lives today – from fashion shows to the streets. However, as beautiful as they may be, there is a rather unlooked aspect of these important fashion items – the real impact of their impact on foot health. As fashion professionals or lovers of fashion, it is important for us all to know how these images of glamour and beauty can also negatively affect our bodies and well-being.
The Allure of High Heels: Style Meets Strain
Heels have a little of everything imaginable: they have each person’s style and flavor of heel with every shape and size. A stiletto can elongate legs, a wedge can give you more support, a block heel can keep you stable, and a platform provides height without the steep incline.
For those in fashion – models to stylists to designers – heels are often part of their daily grind, sometimes even for hours at a time.
Heels definitely change your posture and shape, but can also change the weight distribution on your feet. Depending on the construction of the heel, we can sometimes put a lot of stress in certain areas. Frequent wear or long duration of a heel can also have consequences.
How Different Heels Affect Your Feet
Each heel type alters foot function in different ways:
- Stilettos: These thin heels lift the foot into an arch, putting strain on the ball of the foot and the toes, as the narrow base can create an imbalance which is tiring over time.
- Wedges and Wedge Boots: Wedge heels allow more surface contact with the ground, hence support the foot better but still can create fatigue over a long period of wear.
- Block Heels and Platforms: These heels provide stability and weight distribution evenly across the foot, however, due to the weight of the shoe, foot muscles may tire over time.
Wearing heels also forwards the weight of your body, compressing your toes and altering the way you naturally walk, which may contribute to bunions, ruptured tendons and fasciitis over time.
When Foot Pain Strikes: Understanding the Causes
If you have ever felt unexpected pain in the top of your foot after wearing heels, you aren’t alone. A sudden incident of discomfort with footwear occurs quite often from pressure points caused by straps that have been placed too tightly or shoes with a stiff design which irritate tendons and nerves.
For anyone asking themselves – why does the top of my foot hurt all of a sudden, there are some aspects of footwear fit and heel characteristics, some of which Medistik’s extensive article on foot pain provides an in-depth look, and illustrates how shoes can produce specific pain.
Identifying those pains early on, and learning about the things that cause them, can lead to stopping more serious foot issues before they start.
Practical Ways to Ease Heel-Related Foot Discomfort
Finding comfort while maintaining style doesn’t have to be a challenge. Here are a few simple methods to alleviate foot discomfort without banishing your favorite heels:
- Use padded insoles or gel pads to protect against pressure points.
- Utilize shoes with adjustable straps to give relief against tightness on the top of your feet.
- Mix up your heel styles and heel heights to avoid creating undue stress over prolonged periods of time (you may want to avoid stilettos altogether).
- Stretch and massage your feet, with emphasis on promoting circulation.
Topical pain relief agents can also be a helpful resource for relieving pain in the feet. Topical pain relief products can ease muscle tension and inflammation and provide relief after standing or walking around all day. Sometimes it can really help to provide options. Many times you’re busy moving from shoot to show to event and need the quickest option for relief.
Striking the Right Balance: Fashion Meets Foot Care
Heels are not just shoes. They are critical to fashion culture and occupational identity. That said, foot health is important, particularly for people who wear heels all day, every day.
More and more in the industry, professionals are choosing style and innovation, in addition to ergonomics. Fashion-forward components (cushioned heels, arch support, etc.) are allowing consumers to be comfortable and self-assured.
Conclusion: Walking the Line Between Style and Health
High heels can make a very strong statement; however, high heels are associated with some neutral consequences to your foot health that need to be discussed. Knowing how different heel types affect your feet—and using some smart strategies for handling the associated discomfort—will give you the power to enjoy your favorite shoes while managing your discomfort.
By being thoughtful in your choice of footwear and taking good care of your feet, you can have the best of both worlds: fashion and happy healthy feet.
