It never ceases to amaze me how many women I see tottering around shopping malls and alike in sky hi stilettos. Personally I never could balance well in the things, and I always felt I was walking like a stunned chicken rather than a stunning chic!
Bali hardly seems to be the place for heels with the pot holes on the street and the rustic pebble effect paving which is oh so trendy at present. It’s not news to most of us that high incline heels are no good at all for the feet, calf muscles, hips and the lower back. But if heels are so bad, then what’s the best option for healthy feet? According the Australian Podiatry Association (APA) even flatties are not the best for our footsies.
Alannah Andrews, executive officer of the APA (Vic.), loves a sexy stiletto as much as the next gal, but she advises wearing them in moderation. According to Allanah it’s ok to go and buy your good shoes, but wear them on occasion and not all the time. An occasional wear won’t cause a problem — constant wear does she explains. So just what dangers lurk in that fashionable pair of shoes?
Stilettos and other high heels
The most obvious hazard is falling over and damaging your ankles, but high heels bring other perils, too.
Joint damage: When you wear high heels most of your weight is on the ball of your foot. The joints across the front of your foot are put under too much pressure, causing them damage and pain. Your lower back also suffers from your pelvis being thrust forward.
Bunions: High heels don’t actually cause a bunion — a painful bony bump at the base of your big toe (experts suspect your genes play a part) — but the extra pressures placed on that toe joint when you wear heels will make the problem a lot worse.
Compression problems: If you squish your foot into a shoe that’s too narrow, as well as corns and calluses, you’re inviting a thickening of nerve tissue called a neuroma (a burning pain in the ball of your foot and stinging or numbness in your toes). Having your toes constantly pushed against the front of the shoe can also see nail fungus and ingrown toenails develop.
Deformities: Wear your high heels every day for years, and your calf muscle and your Achilles tendon (which connects the calf muscle to your heel bone) will shorten. You’ll find it uncomfortable to walk in flat shoes or bare feet. You’ll need to see a podiatrist or physio to reshape the soft tissue.
Wedges and platform shoes
Ankle damage: Wedges can be just as unstable as stilettos. There isn’t much support built into the shoe to keep the foot directly on the platform. In this case people’s feet can slip sideways and they can fall off the platform causing nasty ankle injuries.
Thongs
No support: Thongs provide absolutely no support or protection for your foot. And if you wear thongs every day, the lack of arch support can eventually lead to plantar fasciitis — an inflammation of the tissue along the bottom of your foot that connects your heel bone to your toes. The main symptom is a stabbing pain in your heel first thing in the morning or after sitting or standing for long periods. Thongs are tiring to walk in, as most people tend to grip with their toes. By using the small muscles in your foot you’re feet will tire easily.
Skin problems: Callused, split and cracked heels are another unlovely side to wearing thongs.
Ballet flats
No support: Like thongs, ballet flats offer no arch support. Your foot can roll around a lot because the shoe doesn’t have a lot of structure, so once again you can have problems with plantar fasciitis.
Compression problems: Although ballet flats don’t have pointy toes, there can still be problems if the shoe is too small for your foot.
The “sensible” shoe
For the record, the most “sensible” shoe fits your foot’s natural shape, allowing it to work normally as you walk. Think of the old-fashioned school shoe or nurse’s shoe with a broad rounded toe, laces or Velcro so your foot doesn’t slide about, and a broad, 2cm-thick heel to cushion your foot. And remember, any shoe you buy should be comfortable as soon as you try it on — it shouldn’t need “wearing in”.
You can find out more about common foot problems at the Australian Podiatry Association (Vic.)
website: www.podiatryvic.com.au
Kim Patra is a qualified registered nurse and midwife who has been living and working in Bali for almost 20 years. She now runs her own private practice and medical referral service from her Kuta office. Kim is happy to discuss any health concerns with you and she may be contacted via e-mail at info@chcbali.com or Hp. 081 2366 0000.
