Did you know that there are bad heels for health? In this guide, you will know what they are and how to avoid damage.
Yes, it is true, the heels are very beautiful. However, that does not mean they do us no harm. “To be beautiful, you have to see stars,” says a popular saying. However, it is not necessary to suffer from inappropriate footwear. Does that mean that heels are bad for health?
In this article, you will be able to know how heels affect your health. Also which are recommended according to the activities you do and how to avoid damaging this type of shoe.
Are all heels bad for health?
Stiletto heels
The worst shoes that women can wear are high-heeled and thin shoes, known in some places as “needle”. These heels can be bad for health because the weight of the body falls on the metatarsal, that is, where the toes are, putting great pressure on a single point.
In turn, the knees and hips lean forward and affect the overall balance of the body, weakening the health of the legs and back. Wearing this type of footwear a lot could damage from the ankles to the lower back.
Platforms
In the case of platform shoes, there are also problems. Many may say that the weight is distributed throughout the foot, but this is not the case. These can also be bad heels for health.
Like shoes with long and thin heels, the pressure continues to be exerted by the toes, although with a thick heel the heel is a little more protected.
Platforms could cause calluses, bunions, ankle and back pain.
Ankle boots
Heeled ankle boots may be a bit more secure, but you shouldn’t trust them either. Part of the body weight falls on the toes as the heel gets bigger. This means that the higher it is, the greater the damage could be.
Low sneakers
Low sneakers, also called “chatitas”, are used for different occasions. Of course, they must be careful, since being totally low and without a heel they may not provide the adequate arch for the foot, forcing it to work twice as much. In addition, this can lead to inflammation, back or heel pain, and even fractures.
Tennis or sports
Finally, “tennis” shoes, those used for sports or hiking, have better support for the feet. However, its frequent use can cause fungus, especially if a cotton sock is not used.
More data on the use of heels for health
Women suffer four times more foot problems than men. This is mainly due to heeled footwear. When we rest our bare feet on the ground, the front part (metatarsus) supports 43% of the weight in each step and the remaining 57% is absorbed by the heel.
- If the heel is 4 cm high, this percentage changes, being the other way around.
- When the heel is 6 cm, the greatest pressure is on the toes, with 75%.
- When it is greater than 10 cm, 90% of the weight remains in the metatarsal.
Joints affected by the use of heels
Wearing bad heels for health unbalances weight distribution. Therefore, we change our general stance.
The first joint that undergoes it is the ankle. Therefore, women are more likely to suffer sprains if they wear heels.
Since the back of the leg must compensate for the weight that has shifted forward, it contracts and shortens, causing discomfort and contractures in the calves.
The knee is another joint that becomes overloaded when wearing heels because the tension is increasing from the sole of the foot upwards. The flexion we do is greater than being barefoot, unbalancing the quadriceps and the anterior rectum of the leg.
It has been verified, through studies such as the one published in 2016 by the BMJ Open magazine, that the use of heels is related to injuries, musculoskeletal pain and other conditions, such as the following:
- Misalignment of the hip joint, increased low back and back pain.
- Appearance of bunions and calluses.
- Deformation of the fingers.
- Swelling and pain throughout the foot.
Bad heels for health: stop wearing them?
It is important to know that it is not necessary to stop wearing heels drastically. In fact, it is not good to not wear any heels either, as we have explained previously.
A good option may be to wear shoes that are about 2 cm high, so that the support of the metatarsus and calcaneus is equal, 50% for each region.
The height should not be more than 3 cm and if you like them high, opt for platforms that do not hurt your foot as much, or use them only occasionally.
If heels are worn from time to time to go out or on a special occasion, no problem. What is not recommended is to take them every day for many hours.
If you can’t wear other shoes, a good idea is to have another pair in your bag. When you come and go, you wear more comfortable ones and when you arrive you change them. If you’re behind a desk, you can take them off and put them on when you need to get up.
The narrower the shoe, the less damage it will provide. Regarding the material, we recommend leather (if possible, synthetic). The fingers will be immobilized and will not move “freely”.
Be aware of the damage that heels can cause to your health. You may not notice it or feel very bad pain, but the continued use of this footwear could result in negative consequences for your health.