High heels hurt feet because they alter the natural form of the foot

Some women describe high heels as torture devices because they persecute their feet. They find them impossible to wear them because they are so painful. There are various reasons why pumps hurt feet and why they cause you foot pain.

Yes, you may lust after those gorgeous Jimmy Choo but are they going to agree with your feet? You really need to take the health of your feet into consideration. Wearing sky-rise heels on a regular basis can lead to foot pain or worsen foot pain and problems that already exist.

High heel devotees can end up with corns, bunions and calluses and even worse foot conditions, including horrible pain in the ball (front portion) of the foot as well as hammertoes, which means misshapen toes.

Effects on the foot

Pumps constrain the native shape of your foot. When a foot is repeatedly constricted, the wearer is eventually going to experience foot pain. Foot health aids, like ball of foot pads, bunion cushions and toe aligners can help comfort feet that have been abused. Wearing moderate heels, alternating heel heights of your shoes and avoiding walking for long periods in difficult styles can minimize the effects on the foot.

When you wear any shoe with a tall heel, your feet are not only restricted, but you are putting added weight on the constrained foot. This crushes the toes because more weight is applied to the toes.

Bunions, etc.

Podiatrists often see female patients suffering from bunions. Bunions are bony protrusions. Generally, a bunion manifests at the base of the big toe. The shape of the foot then becomes distorted.

Bunions cause a displaced bone to appear on the bottom of the joint of the big toe. This affects the way the foot acts during motion or how it ?tracks.?

When a person has a bunion and puts on tall shoes, the foot pitches forward. The subsequent pressure on the bones in the foot and the toes is exacerbated which makes the bunion hurt even more. Bunions ache.

Although the shoes may not directly cause bunions to form, they can certainly provoke them depending on the point or toe box or the shoe and the heel height of the shoe.

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A foot condition called hammertoe refers to the bone in the toe or toes that are affected and cause the toe to curl under. The top of the curled toe rubs against shoes. If you are wearing pumps and have hammertoes, you are going to know it because the pain is probably going to be quite noticeable.

When thickened layers of dead skin occur on the sides of the feet or on the toes this is the result of your feet shielding itself against assault. Corns and calluses develop.

Pressure from shoes can cause corns and calluses to appear as well as the occurrence of ingrown toenails, which are horribly painful.

The aging foot

Over the years, humans experience the loss of fat in the bottom of their foot. These fatty deposits protect the feet. As you age, the fat moves toward the toes and there is no longer protection in the ball of the foot.

High heels naturally cause the body weight to be shifted to the ball of the foot. In older women, they no longer have the protection in the ball that they once had, which makes wearing them more difficult.

Those who have faithfully worn pumps, stilettos and other high shoes for the past twenty or thirty years may experience Achilles tendon shrinkage. This tendon is in the area that runs from the back of the heel to the calf.

When the tendon shrinks the individual will experience pain when walking. Daily stretching of the tendon helps. Some people have to have surgery to lengthen the tendon.

If you are determined to continue wearing high heels, select those that have a lot of padding. When you are in the market for this type of shoe look at the inside. Press your thumb against the ball area of the shoe and against the arch area. Feel if there is sufficient padding to provide you with comfort and protection.

Keep in mind that you carry as much as seven times your body weight in the ball area of your foot. If you no longer have natural protection in the ball your feet are going to hurt.

Rounded toe shoes are more comfortable than pointy toe shoes. Stilettos are the worst offender when it comes to discomfort. Opt for wedges instead.

The shoe should mold to your foot, not the other way around.

Keep your feet and legs healthy because they have to last you a long time!