My Feet are Killing Me: The dangers of heels, and other common footwear mistakes - Women Campus

My obsession with shoes started at an early age, probably when I was just old enough to put on my mother’s high heels and wobble around the kitchen. The soft curve of shiny new leather made my heart race in rhythm with the authoritative tip-tap of stilettos that let everyone know I was a woman who meant business.

Despite my complete and utter love affair with high heels, I have always been the type of girl to mostly wear sneakers. Some might consider this sinful, but at one point in my life I had enough checkered Vans for every day of the week. Even so, I can’t help but stare longingly at the rows of heeled booties every time I visit the nearest department store, and I am infinitely jealous of my sister who is the type of girl who wears five inch platforms to go grocery shopping.

I have gone through more pairs of heels than I’ve had dates, and at the end of each ten-minute romance, I want to say, “It’s not you, it’s me.” I want to reassuringly whisper to them that their patent leather is shiny enough to catch anyone’s eye, but the truth is, it is them. Heels hurt and that’s a fact, but how much do they hurt? We’ve all experienced the dreadful pain in the balls of our feet that made us more readily walk barefoot through Manhattan than don our precious pumps for one more minute. If by wearing flats, you think you’ve escaped the inevitable foot-ache, you could be wrong. Here are five common footwear mistakes women consistently make and how to avoid even the most surprising footwear blunders.

A heel a day does not keep the doctor away

On Friday and Saturday nights, most of us are inclined to wear our hottest outfit. After all, the perfect outfit allows you to picture yourself having the perfect night—you gracefully walk in your sexiest stilettos to the most happening party, you dance with your best friends, never feeling an ache of pain (while still looking slamming in your heels), and you talk to the cutest boy on campus. Did I mention he comments on how great you look in those shoes? Unfortunately, this is not a reality. According to Fay Sharit, Doctor of Podiatric Medicine, in Hackensack, NJ, high heels can cause a variety of long- and short-term problems.

“Because the forefoot [the area from your toes to your arch] has to carry most of your body's weight, with little help from the rear foot [the area from your arch to your heel] in a high heel shoe, the balls of your feet will be irritated, which may cause blisters, calluses, or occasionally bursitis (inflammation of the joints),” says Sharit.

If you don’t mind the short-term effects, it is okay to wear heels occasionally; however wearing them everyday could lead to hammertoes, bunions, or worse down the road.

“The calf muscles will tighten, and it will then be difficult to switch over to flat shoes,” says Sharit, “If you must wear them often, I suggest that the wearer do daily stretching exercises for her calf muscles.”

For a quick stretch after donning uncomfortable heels, sit with your legs out in front of you and pull your toes towards your body until you feel it stretching. This stretches out the calf muscles that could cramp after wearing heels daily.

Sharit also suggests switching to heels at work but ditching them for the commute.

“In New York, you commonly see women walking to work in sneakers and switching to heels at work,” she says. “If your job is mostly at a desk, the heels are less likely to be a problem.”

Practice your steps

Taking your first steps in a new pair of heels sometimes feels like learning how to walk all over again. I still feel a little wobbly in my highest platforms, but after seeing one of my dearest friends take an embarrassing spill outside of our favorite restaurant, I knew that this could have easily happened to any of us. With a little overconfidence and one wrong move you could end up with a sprain, break, or rolled ankle. This is why Dr. Sharit suggests practicing how to walk in heels.

“Spiked heels offer little support, throw your center of gravity forward, and throw off your gait, which makes it easier for you to sprain your ankle,” she says. “Also, the heels can get caught in things like street grates which can also cause sprained ankles.”

Her Campus Contributing Writer Joanna Buffum learned this the hard way after heading to a Christmas party in three-and-a-half-inch heels.

“[I ]caught my heel on a stair and fell forward down the flight of stairs,” she said. “Since then I have had a perpetually sprained ankle. This was over a year ago.”

Practicing walking in heels is sort of like dating. You need to know your heels before you commit. Are you sure these shoes are the right shoes for you? Wear them around the department store before you buy them. If you decide you like them, start with a simple first date. Wear them around while you make lunch, and if all goes well take them out to dinner and a movie, and maybe even invite them back to your apartment. Remember, always bring a back-up pair of flats. They are like the best friend who bails you out of a terrible date.

Leave the Flip-Flops at the Beach

Many of us find little harm in throwing on a pair of flip-flops before we head to class. They are the easiest option imaginable, and they let your feet breathe when the weather is hot. Who wants sweaty feet? But many of us also don’t know that wearing flip-flops can lead to cramping, plantar fasciitis (inflammation of the band of tissues under your arch), and heel spurs.

“They really aren't shoes,” says Dr. Sharit. “Other than protecting from stepping on things, they are worse than going barefoot. In addition to lacking support, they don't naturally stay on your feet, so your toes have to cramp up to keep them on.”

Next time the weather is hot, skip the flip-flops and opt for some cute open-toed flats with a small wedge. A wedge or tiny platform offers the support flip-flops lack, plus they probably go better with your favorite pair of cut-off shorts.

Keep non-athletic sneakers out of the gym

Throughout my entire high-school career, I was the biggest slacker in gym class. I never wanted to wear baggy t-shirts and opted for pajama bottoms instead of sweatpants (which probably looked more ridiculous in hindsight). As for athletic sneakers, I don’t think I even owned a pair and frequently wore the same kind of Converse All-Stars my parents said they used to wear in the ‘80s.

Then came the day that I had to run the timed mile, and everything changed. After running only two laps in flat, worn down sneakers, where I could feel the gravel of the track digging into the soles of my feet, I sure learned my lesson.

Wearing non-athletic sneakers to the gym not only causes discomfort but could lead to plantar fasciitis and heel spurs, just like with flip flops.

“I tell my patients that [non-athletic] sneakers are a fashion statement, not serious sneakers,” says Dr. Farit, “They usually lack support for the arch and aren't much better than wearing slippers.”

For any athlete, it’s best to wear sneakers geared toward your sport. Tennis sneakers are designed to handle the pivoting required to chase a quick-moving tennis ball, the same way that football cleats are designed to prevent you from slipping on the field. If you are like me and wearing athletic sneakers seems like a curse from the fashion gods, many online retailers like Nike, Vans, and Keds allow you to customize your own pair.

Flats are not always the best option

Flats are the most accessible shoe when it comes to fashion and function, but even after a long day of walking, my feet feel like they are ready to quit. This is because flats are often some of the most unsupportive shoes.

“They are fine if you don't walk a lot, but like the non-sports sneakers, they may cause plantar fasciitis and heel spurs if used for serious walking,” says Dr. Farit. “People with high arch feet will find them difficult to fit into. People with flat feet will find their feet get tired in them easily.”

The wrong flat can also cause blisters in addition to foot pain, and in Her Campus Contributing Writer Sophie Jasinski’s case, a full on bacterial infection.

“I had a great pair of flats that were really tight on my feet when I didn't wear tights with them,” she says. “I accumulated huge blisters on my right foot to the point where I couldn't walk. I went home on the train and ended up not being able to walk at all. My foot was swollen as big as a basketball. I went to the doctors and ended up having a bacterial infection. I had to ice my foot, not walk, and take antibiotics.”

While picking out the perfect flats, remember these three steps and your feet will be sure to thank you. Buy the right size. Sometimes the problem is as easy to fix as wearing the right shoe. Don’t buy it just because it’s on sale. Impulse buys could lead to uncomfortable shoes or shoes that don’t fit, and frequently sale items are non-returnable. When all else fails, wear a gel insert. It’s much easier to buy an insert with arch support than it is to buy a new pair of shoes, especially if it’s a pair of shoes you love, but be wary because inserts frequently make shoes a bit snugger.

The most important rule of functional footwear is knowing your foot type. What might work wonders on someone else’s trek across campus could leave you limping, barefoot, and discouraged. To find out your foot type, wet your bare feet and stand on a piece of paper. If you only see your heels and the front of your foot, you most likely have a high arch. If you see largely the center of your foot, you have a low arch (or flat feet). Most people fall in between. If you have flat feet like me, it is best to wear a low heel or wedge that comes equipped with arch supports. High arched feet don’t do as well in flats and should wear low heels. Wedges are the safest form of heel because they even out the distribution of weight on your foot.

Ladies, it is time to stand up for your feet. Wearing an uncomfortable pair of shoes can ruin what would be an otherwise awesome night. There have been plenty of times when I saw my friends wincing in pain instead of dancing and skipping out early instead of having fun. Footwear mistakes are easy to avoid and at the end of the night your feet don’t have to end up bruised, barefoot, and alone.

Wear your heels only when it counts, practice walking in them to make sure you won’t fall, skip the flip-flops, and avoid wearing non-athletic sneakers in the gym. Purchase a get a gel insert to offer more support and padding for flats or uncomfortable heels, and always, always, bring a back-up. Heels may be hot, but the thin pair of ballet flats rolled up in the bottom of your purse will always be there for you.

Sources: Fay Sharit, DPM Joanna Buffum, Student at Bowdoin College Sophie Jasinski, Student at Mount Holyoke College apma.org