The Truth About High Heels

A recent study by the College of Podiatry in the UK revealed that wearing high heels can cause permanent damage to your feet, ranging from stress fractures, nerve entrapment and arthritis. Although heels are quite appealing to women and often the perfect accessory to a well thought out outfit, 20 percent of women in the study admitted to feeling pain from heels after only 20 minutes of wear. This may be related to the idea that one-third of women admitted to wearing the wrong size heel simply because they looked nice, and because they could not find a pair in their size. Sounds like most women out there are willing to be in pain for the sake of fashion. Another interesting statistic is that 28 percent of women admitted to dancing barefoot because they could not tolerate the pain anymore, while one-third walked home barefoot.

Women are more likely to suffer from foot issues than men, and twice as likely to suffer from corns, cracked heels, and bunions. Given only 12 percent of men have chosen painful shoes for the sake of style, compared to 43 percent of women, it seems clear why women are suffering with foot pain. In addition to this, 19 percent of women did not seek medical help for their foot problems because they felt it was unimportant.

Although heels may look nice, a more appropriate shoe could save your feet. Issues such as those listed above can result in surgery if left to worsen, and can contribute to long-standing pain. If heels are something you cannot live without, don’t be the 19 percent who believe their foot complaints are unimportant. Foot pain is telling you there is a problem. Schedule an appointment with Dr. Purdy at The Foot Clinic and learn about treatment options that can resolve your foot pain.

Jonathan Purdy, DPM