HIGH HEEL HAZARDS

Although high heels may be super cute they can be extremely taxing on women in a variety of ways. Heels force thigh muscles to work harder, putting extra strain on knee joints and the tendon that runs from the knee cap to the thigh bone. Overtime, this increased pressure can lead to osteoarthritis.

The American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society considered a heel high at 2 inches or more. This is due to the fact that any heel over 2 inches creates 3 to 6 times more stress on the front of the foot. As a result, heels lead to bunions, heel pain, toe deformities, trapped nerves and a shortened Achilles tendon. The problems that high heels cause can also travel upward on the body, which can lead to stiffness, pain and injury on the hips and lower back.

It doesn't take a Rocket Scientist to know that regardless of the potential health hazards that can take place due to wearing high heels, women will NEVER stop wearing them. Beauty and pain go hand in hand, or at least that has been my experience. I am just glad that platform heels have started to make a comeback in the last few years and Dr. Scholls has started to take notice with it's Metatarsal Pads. These pads help prevent or relieve foot, lower back and hip pain that is caused by the extra added pressure on the ball of the foot when wearing high heels. If you have not purchased a pair of these pads, drop what you are doing right now and buy them. Your big toe will that you later. Of course it is not like walking in gym shoes or wearing flats but it does lessen the pain.

While learning about the hazards of high heels I found that there has been a lot of research done on the subject. On that note, no one has done any research on the nightmare the fashion world would become without high heels. I personally don't even want to imagine.