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According to the American Association of Podiatric Physicians, 71% of women who own high heels suffer pain when wearing them. The negative impact, however, can affect not only your feet. Other parts of the body can be affected as well, which can lead to more serious health problems.
We want you to know how wearing high heels can harm your body. At the end of the article we will also tell you exactly what can happen to your feet if you wear high heels more than necessary.
1. Hips
When you wear high heels, your body must maintain balance. To achieve this, the lower back is pushed forward and the alignment of the hips and spine changes. Your hip flexors must remain constantly flexed to keep balance. If you wear high heels often and for long periods, these muscles can shorten and tighten. This, in turn, can lead to hip pain.
2. Knees
When you have high heels on, your weight shifts forward. For this reason your knees must move forward to maintain balance, which places additional pressure on them. This can cause osteoarthritis. Common symptoms include joint pain, stiffness and a limited range of motion.
3. Spine
Normally your spine has a gentle curvature. This allows it to reduce stress from the movement of your body. When you wear high heels, the curve in the lower back is exaggerated and the alignment of the spine shifts. This can cause excessive use of muscles and back pain.
Anatomical changes in the spine can lead to many health problems. For example, there is a possibility of developing a nerve condition called foraminal stenosis. It can cause pain, muscle weakness, spasms and cramps.
Bonus: High heels can also cause foot problems
- Blisters. Pointed heels cram the toes into a very tight space. This causes your big toe to tilt toward the second toe, creating a ridge or bump on the side of your big toe. And even though bunions are considered genetic, you can still develop or worsen them if you have certain conditions, such as flat feet, and you wear high heels a lot.
- Achilles tendon. Wearing high heels can cause limited movement and strength in your ankle joints. It can also cause the Achilles tendon to tighten where it attaches to the heel. This can lead to Achilles insertion tendinitis, which is a type of tendon inflammation. Symptoms include heel pain, swelling and a limited range of motion when flexing the foot.
- Hammer toe. Another condition that can be caused by wearing stiff, pointed high heels is hammer toe. When your toes are squeezed together, they begin to curl downward. Over time this condition can become painful and may prevent you from bending your toes.
- Corns and calluses. The pressure you have in high heels acts on your feet and can lead to corns and calluses, especially if your shoes are tight, as this causes extra friction. They are usually painless, but they can be painful and even infected.
- Morton’s neuroma. Due to increased pressure on the foot, the nerves there can become compressed and irritated. As a result, the nerve that runs to the toes can thicken and become painful.
- Plantar fasciitis. Tight shoes can also lead to this condition. It occurs when the plantar fascia, the tissue that connects the heel bone to the toes, becomes inflamed or irritated. This tissue supports the arch of your foot and acts as a shock absorber. When it is damaged, you can have heel pain, stiffness and swelling.
