HIGH HEELS: YAY OR NAY?


High heels have become a prominent symbol for women since centuries. It expresses the person's mood by giving off stylish, elegant, or casual vibes. In the fashion world, high heels have already become a part of the outfit and today we want to see them from another perspective which is - health.

We do not deny the fact that high heels do give the wearer confidence during the day, however it might affect them especially when they wear them for a long time. Let’s join me to explore more.

According to Army Kreydin, NBCR, CCAP, BD, a board-certified reflexologist, she shared that the long term effects of high heels did contribute to many discomfort such as back pain, neck pain, knee pain and inflammation in the shortened tendons of legs and buttocks.



Based on one study, Ferguson explained that long term wear could have effects on our lower leg area (plantar fascia, achilles, calf muscle, and hamstring). Looking at the structure, the hamstrings attach to pelvis and low back which becomes the factor of back ache along with your feet. The calf, hip and back muscle will become tense to maintain balance, this will give excess muscle fatigue and strain. Over time, the calf muscles will cramp and bulge. The heels height also influences the pressure on the forefoot or ball of the foot which means higher heels will give higher pressure. Compare our body posture between wearing flat shoes and high heels.

Despite all these facts and explanations, you may wonder “Do I have to stop wearing high heels?” Of course not! We are not going to ban you from wearing your gorgeous high heels. However, you can improve much better if you use them moderately. There are a few ways you can apply in your daily routine as a solution.
For example:
1. Stretch your leg muscles before and after wearing them all day
2. Please do not go for pointed shoes
3. Do opt for shoes that come with leather insoles to keep your foot from slipping.

I hope these tips can make your day! That's the end of the sharing for this topic. Finally, take care and stay safe everyone. Thanks for reading!

Prepare by: 

NURIL BINTI MOHAMAD SAAT
Intern Student,
Bachelor of Science (Biomedical Science with Honours)

Date of Input: 21/06/2023 | Updated: 21/06/2023 | izzatussofia