Are the disadvantages of high heel shoes? The simple answer is yes. How can you put the disadvantages of high heel shoes into perspective if they are not even remotely similar to what you would get with regular flat-heeled shoes?
When a person walks, their feet land on the cushioning area of the shoe at the front of the leg where the cushioning for the lower back is located. The ankles absorb the shock of the body weight and then the rest of the body absorbs the shock of the landing. The upper part of the shoe provides the cushioning for the rest of the body. When the user has walked for awhile, they may begin to experience pain in the calves and the knees from the feet landing on the landing area of the shoe.
What happens when the foot is placed onto the cushioning for the lower back and lands on the cushioning for the lower back? There is a strong possibility that the heel of the shoe will land over the toes and cause pain. This type of problem with the landing area of the shoe is called an ingrown toenail and it is the most common reason that people walk with pain in their lower back.
The disadvantage of high heel shoes is that they do not provide any cushioning for the area at the front of the lower leg like normal footwear does. Once, the heel of the shoe lands over the top of the foot and into the landing area the chances of having a problem with an ingrown toenail increases.
The best way to avoid this problem is to purchase and wear shoes that have an arch built into them that helps to absorb shock and to increase the width of the cushioning for the lower back. Your health care provider can assist you in choosing a shoe that will work best for your feet. This is especially important for those who have several orthopedic issues, as there is no way to predict which type of foot orthosis may be appropriate for a patient’s foot.
The good news is that there are some ways to prevent this problem from occurring. Because the arch for the shoe has been built into the sole, the weight of the person wearing the shoe does not place any strain on the arch. The good news is that when this occurs, the person needs to change to a different type of shoe.
The best way to prevent the problem with the ingrown toenail is to keep the feet as dry as possible when they are not in use. It is best to take a dry shower and to take your body into the air conditioning when you are working out or running.
When doing chores such as washing dishes or sweeping floors, take the time to change out of wet socks into dry socks. This keeps the arches of the shoes and the moisture out.
Another good thing to remember is to make sure to add a cushioning layer in between the heel and the base of the toes. This should also be done on the inside of the shoes to keep the heels from being excessively compressed by the material that is being worn.
Many people go back to wearing normal footwear after wearing the high heel shoe for a while. This does not take long though as they can feel the difference in their feet.
Some people are able to get away with having their feet cased in normal footwear because their ankles do not show through. Others will find it uncomfortable and they will switch to their high heel shoes.
The advantages of high heel shoes are the same advantages of regular footwear and they will provide the same level of comfort. The only thing that you should know is to replace your footwear on a regular basis and to change out of shoes that may be causing your ingrown toenail to become inflamed.