How High Heels Hurt Your Body

HOW HIGH HEELS HURT YOUR BODY SPINE CENTER ALTAMONTE Who Wears High Heels? 28% of women never 72% of women wear high heels at some time.1.2) wear high heels.1.1) Percentage of women who wear heels daily by yearl4.3) Percentage of women who wear heels daily by age1.4) 1986: 60% 18-24: 49% 1996: 50% 25-49: 42% 2003: 39% 50+: 49% When do women wear high heels?1.S) 77% of women wear them for special occasions 50% of women wear them at parties and 33% of women wear them for dancing 31% of women wear them to work out to dinner How High Heels Affect You A woman's body will attempt to compensate for the off-kilter balance heels cause by flexing or forward bending the hips and spine. In order to maintain balance, the calf, hip, and back muscles become tense. At the end of the day, this makes for excess muscle fatigue and strain. Over time, wearing high heels can also cause the calf muscles to cramp and bulge.2.1 With Flat Shoes With High Heels Chest is pushed forward. The lower back is Spine is fairly straight. pushed forward, taking the hips and spine out of alignment. Excess pressure placed on knees. Calf muscle is relaxed when feet are flat. Heels mimic the way a person walks on a Flat shoes help evenly distribute the body weight throughout the foot. ramp, increasing the pressure on the balls of the feet throu a downward force. Back The normal s-curve shape of the back acts as a shock absorber, reducing stress on the vertebrae. Wearing high heels causes lumbar spine flattening and a posterior displacement of the head and thoracic spine. High heel shoes cause you to lean forward and the body's response to that is to decrease the forward curve of your lower back to help keep you in line. Poor alignment may lead to muscle overuse and back pain. 22) Posture A high heel shoe places an increased amount of pressure on your forefoot, causing you to adjust the rest of your body to maintain your balance. The lower part of your body leans forward, and to compensate for that, the upper part of your body must lean back to keep you balanced. Anatomical Changes Daily high heel use over a number of years can actually lead to changes in your anatomy. Teetering on stilettos puts undue stress on the back and knees as the weight of the body shifts forward. Additionally, calve muscles can shorten and tendons may thicken. Spondylolisthesis, or the slippage of one vertebra forward over another, frequently occurs as a result of wearing high heels, especially in the lumbar region of the spine where the body's weight is concentrated.24 Foraminal Stenosis Foraminal stenosis is a spinal nerve Thickened Narrowed Spinal Canal condition that can occur when |Ligament anatomical abnormalities block or reduce space in one or more foramina. Foraminal stenosis in the lower back can cause symptoms of shooting pains, in addition to numbness, tingling, muscle weakness, spasms, cramping, and pain that radiates through the buttocks and down the legs. Sciatica, caused by the compression of the sciatic nerve, is a term that is often associated with this Disc Bulge particular set of lower body symptoms.251 Weight Pressure A heel's height determines the weight carried by the footwear. As the heels get higher, the pressure 3-Inch Heels: 76% increases on the forefoot, or ball of the foot.26 2-Inch Heels: 57% 1-Inch Heels: 22% High Heel Solutions Here are some recommendations for things to consider if you will still be wearing high heels. Taking the following into consideration can drastically lower the negative effects of wearing high heels, without avoiding them all together. 3.11 Avoid wearing high heels for long periods of time Stretch leg muscles before and after Try and set your limit to two inches Buy shoes in the afternoon, when feet are at their largest. putting them on Don't go for the pointed toe Opt for shoes with leather insoles to keep foot from slipping Buy a wide variety of shoes and vary your footwear day to day SPINE CENTER ALTAMONTE COMPILED BY THE SPINE CENTER ALTAMONTE FLORIDAHOSPITALSPINE.COM 1.1 - 1.4 South Florida Sun-Sentinel 2.4 - 2.5 Laser Spine Institute "High-Heel Hazards" (2006) "Forminal Stenosis" 1.5 University of Texas Science Center at Tyler "Hazards of High Heels" (2007) 2.6 South Florida Sun-Sentinel "High-Heel Hazards" (2006) 2.1 The lowa Source Magazine 3.1 American Podiatric Medical Association "High Heels: So Sexy it Hurts" (2012) 2.2 - 2.3 Foodhealth.About.com "High-Heeled Shoes - Bad for the Body" (2008)