Foot care for fashionistas
April 04, 2016
When it comes to foot fashion, women often go to great lengths to make a statement. Sometimes, this comes at a high price – one’s health. The feet do the heavy lifting all day long, and the soles of your feet need their rest. Did you know that the soles contain more sensitive nerve-endings per square centimetre than any other part of your body? Wearing the wrong footwear can lead to various health problems including lower back pain, spine problems and even headache.
Let’s look at some of the adverse effects certain types of footwear, when worn for long periods of time, can have on your feet and body:
Ultra-high heels: These can cause ankle sprains and chronic pain. They can even cause painful knots at the end of the heel. Chronic stress to the foot bones can sometimes lead to hairline fractures. Heels which are no more than 2 inches high are recommended.
Stilettos: Stilettos have very narrow heels due to which the entire body weight is concentrated and rests on a very small area. When wearing stilettos, you are more likely to sprain your ankle. In fact, the risk of developing osteoarthritis rises with a severe sprain or fracture of the ankle.
Pointed toe shoes: These shoes squeeze the entire front portion of the foot and can cause blisters and bunions. A bunion is a painful lump at the base of the big to, which causes the toe to bend unnaturally.
Wrong size shoes: This can lead to formation of blisters and corns. It even increases the risk of arthritis due to constant rubbing of the joints. Make sure there’s space of at least one centimetre between your longest toe and the end of the toe of the shoe.
Platform shoes and wedges: This footwear puts pressure on the metatarsal bones, especially if the heel is much higher than the toe area.
Ballerina flats: These do not offer enough arch support and can cause many serious postural problems and plantar fascilitis, which is an inflammation of the tissue that runs between the arch of the foot and the heel. Flip flops can have a similar effect.
Pumps: These can cause permanent bone deformity and pain in the Achilles tendon, apart from causing painful blisters.
Thigh-high tight boots: These can compress the peroneal nerve, which is near the outside of your calf. Boots with zippers are better than skin tight boots.
So the next time you are out buying footwear, keep these tips in mind:
- There should be enough room in your shoes for your toes to fit comfortably.
- Shoes should have comfortable padding.
- The footwear must be wide enough to accommodate your entire foot; feet should not be out around the sides or back, or be squeezed in.
- Shoes should not slip off at the back while walking.
- Choose comfort over style. Reserve high heeled shoes for special occasions and wear them for a short period of time only.
Show your feet some tender loving care and invest in comfortable shoes.
