Your favorite pair of heels can seem harmless. How’s one night of pain in sky-high heels really going to hurt you? Truth be told, you know it’s much more than one night. Most likely, you own a dozen pair of high heels, and the occasional ill-fitted flat shoe or wedge, just because they looked good in the store or on Instagram.
Bad footwear can do much more harm than just cause you to trip or fall. Thousands of women across the country complain about foot and ankle issues because of ill-fitting shoes. If just the thought of wearing a certain pair of stilettos is making you squirm with pain, it may be time to retire them.
The long-term repercussions of wearing the wrong shoes aren’t always obvious, but the end result can be much worse than a few aches and pains. These are some of the issues linked to wearing bad shoes.
Muscle Spasms and Pain: According to the American Osteopathic Association, long-term usage of ill-fitting or cheap shoes can alter the muscles in your back and calves leading to muscle pain and spasms.
Nail Damage: Ill-fitting shoes are one of the main causes of ingrown toenails, according to a recent study. They cause the toes to compress together which can lead to nails growing inwards and even fungal infections.
Worse Bunions: Bad shoes do not distribute your weight evenly and can make existing bunions worse. They tend to concentrate your weight in the front and push your toes together unnaturally.
Exacerbated Hip and Knee Pain: Women bend their knees more when walking in high-heels, which puts more pressure on knee joints. Wearing cheap shoes for prolonged periods can also affect the hips and pinch nerves.
Increased Risk of Osteoarthritis: The wrong shoes can increase your risk of suffering from osteoarthritis, which is a wearing down of the flexible tissue at the end of bones.
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You may want to look good and rock your favorite pair of stilettos all the time, no matter how uncomfortable they can be. However, as with many other things in life, moderation is key when it comes to wearing high heels. Since most of us are unlikely to trash our stilettos for good, it’s important to find a middle ground. Ideally you should be saving these for special occasions and wearing comfortable shoes whenever possible. There are limitations to how much your bones and joints can take, so always let good sense prevail over the need to look stylish. Luckily, there are also many stylish shoes that won’t hurt your spine!
If you’re addicted to your stilettos, make sure they fit correctly and always invest in good quality footwear. Avoid sky-high heels and settle for a more moderate heel size that you can comfortably walk in, from morning ’til night.
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