Introduction
Drawbacks
Cons of wearing high heels
Introduction
High heels are popular among ladies because the heels are elevated in relation to the forefoot, creating the following effects:
1. the appearance of the calves is accentuated;
2. the legs appear longer and more slender;
3. the feet look smaller;
4. the stature appears taller; and
5. the wearer's posture becomes more upright, making her appear more confident.
When walking with high heel shoes, the following changes occur in the wearer’s body:
1. the center of gravity is thrown forward;
2. the knees become more flexed (bent) as the heels strike the ground;
3. the pelvis is tilted forward;
4. the trunk is swayed backward in order to balance the forwardly tilted pelvis, thereby increasing the curve in the lower back (lumbar lordosis).
As a result of these changes, wearing high heel shoes will exaggerate the body curvature and increase the swaying and rotation of the pelvis, creating a sexier figure.
Drawbacks
The foot:
High heels tip the feet forward, putting more stress on the medial side of the foot. There is a higher concentration of the ground’s reactive force on the big toe and at the ball of the foot (the first metatarsophalangeal, or MTP joint), pushing the big toe toward the lesser toes, forcing them to crowd together. All these result in the development of some or all of the following symptoms:
1. hallucis valgus: the big toe is turned outward;
2. hypercallosity of the medial side of the first MTP joint;
3. bunion or bursa on the dorsum of the big toe due to friction on the bony prominence on medial side of the MTP joint;
4. hammertoes;
5. blisters, corns and pain;
6. morton neuralgia: pain on the sole and toes because of local nerve compression.
The ankle:
Ankle injury – Because the lower part of the body shifts forward, the forefoot acts as the pivot while the heels take up less body load when walking. The heels will be less stable and the ankles will more likely be sprained or injured.
Muscle fatigue – The calf muscles have to work excessively hard because in order to keep an elevated heel stable against the ground’s reactive force that act on the inner side of the foot, the lateral calf muscles will become overactive when walking. In addition, as the heel is elevated, the heel cord is shortened and in such position, the calf muscles are less efficient. They have to be overactive to keep the ankle joint stable while walking.
Osteoarthritis of the ankles and the knees – The ankles and the knees are not working in their optimal relative position in space when a person is walking on high heels. As the movement of the ankles and the feet is limited by the shoes, the knee joints and even the hip joints have to work more to balance the body weight, hence increasing stress on walking.
The muscles surrounding the calf and thigh bones, i.e., the calf muscles and the quadriceps, have to contract excessively, throwing more stress across the knee and ankle joints. An excessive load on the joints will lead to early degeneration, wearing of the articular cartilage and the development of osteophytes.
The back:
Due to the forward shifting of the center of gravity, most wearers of high heel shoes have an exaggerated lumbar lordosis when walking. The increased lumbar lordosis will lead to an excessive weight loading of the lower spinal column, which in turn causes fatigue, back pain and osteoarthritis.
Cons of wearing high heels
1. They can cause foot pain and metatarsalgia (inflammation of the metatarsal area of the foot).
2. They can create foot deformities, including hammertoes, hallucis valgus and bunions.
3. They can cause an unsteady gait (walking pattern).
4. They can shorten the wearer’s stride in walking.
5. The wearer is not able to walk fast or run safely.
6. An altered transmission of force and an increased stress at the knees and the ankles may predispose the wearer to degenerative changes in the knees, the ankles and the lower back.
Dr. MAK, Kan-hing