No, high heels are an inanimate object and, of themselves, cannot be good or bad. But enough of taking things literally. I think most people when they ask the question “Are high heels bad?” really want to know if there are negative health effects from wearing high heel shoes. The answer to this question is definitely yes! In this post we will talk about some of the effects that wearing high heel shoes can have on the body.
What Do High Heels Do to the Body?
To state the obvious, wearing high heels raises the heel. This puts more pressure on the front part of the foot, and causes the calf muscles to shorten because of the position of the foot. Weight is shifted forward in the lower body and the upper body compensates by shifting weight back. This shift in weight increases the curve in the low back. These changes in posture to compensate may lead to a number of problems. Let’s look at just a few.
Foot Pain
Foot pain associated with wearing high heels may be due to many things. First, the increased pressure on the front part of the foot may cause pain itself or contribute to other problems that may cause pain. When walking in high heels, shorter and more frequent steps are used, increasing the number of impacts the foot takes while at the same time compromising its ability to absorb the shock. Also shoes with a cramped toe space, like many high heels, may contribute to pain and problems such as bunions.
Knee Pain
Knee pain can be caused by an increase in repetitive impacts that are not absorbed very well in the foot increasing the stress on the knees. When walking in high heels, there is a tendency to walk with the knees more flexed and this increases the stress on the knee cap as well.
Low Back Pain
Again when the impacts of the feet are not absorbed by the structures there, then they need to be absorbed by structures further up the line including the low back. The increased curve in the low back changes the position of the joints and increases the pressure on the posterior joints of the spine. Also maintaining this posture uses muscles that are not normally used as extensively and can lead to muscle pain as well.
Walking Pattern
Some of the changes in walking pattern have already been mentioned such as shorter strides and more frequent steps. A small study comparing long-term high heel wearers and a control group (wore high heels less than 10h/wk) found that there were changes that lasted even when the high heel group was not wearing high heels. The main change was a different pattern of muscle activation during walking. The study also found that walking in heels increased the strain on muscle fibers and that more muscle activation was needed. The changes may lead to more muscle fatigue and muscle strains in high heel wearers.
Conclusion
So is wearing high heels worth the negative effects on the body? That is a question that you will have to answer for yourself. However, if you want to help your body move and function the best it can whether you decide to wear high heels or not, that is something I can help with. Come and see what chiropractic can do to help you.
