subject: The Disguised . Risks Of High Heels [print this page] The Disguised The Disguised . Risks Of High Heels
Many people would quickly agree that a women is somehow more attractive when she's wearing a decent pair of high heels. She's taller, her posture is altered somewhat to better accentuate her figure, and she can develop a more sophisticated walk while wearing high heels. There are some downsides, however. High heels are responsible for a host of health problems that can cause significant pain and suffering later in life. If you frequently wear high heels, then this article is for you. Certainly, it is neither likely or desirable to rid the world of high heels altogether. But it is important to realize and understand the health ramifications of consistent and long term wear. Knowing the dangers can help you to choose more wisely in the future, which can help you to suffer less later in life. The biggest danger lies in the fact that when wearing heels, your body weight is unevenly distributed. The human body wasn't designed to be wearing shoes like this, so when you're wearing heels, your putting extra weight where nature didn't intend it. The knees receive a big focus of pressure when wearing heels. Since the knees are one of the areas that many women develop arthritis later in life, excessive wearing of heels may make it worse. Another danger is that the calf muscle is drastically shortened when wearing heels. While this does give the lower leg a nice shapely look, extended wear can actually shorten the calf muscle permanently. This also effects the achilles tendon, which attaches the calf muscle to the heel. Problems in the achilles tendon can be particularly painful. This can also cause problems in the heel itself, as the weight is unevenly distributed. The third area for danger is the incredible amount of pressure put on the smaller toes. With all the weight shifting downward, there is an incredible amount of pressure on the smaller metatarsal bones of the smaller toes. The body can react by increasing the size of the nerves within those toes, which can later cause a great deal of pain later in life. With frequent and extended wear, the smaller toes can be physically contracted, and will be permanently disfigured. Billions of dollars are spent around the world on fashion every year. Shoes are no small part of this. You don't have to go far to find a shoe store selling the latest fashions. To expect people to simply stop wearing high heels would be unrealistic, and ridiculous. It is realistic, however, to know the risks of wearing high heels. If you wear them too often, the benefits you receive today may be overshadowed by the pain and suffering you'll receive in the future.
