New research has found that when a woman puts on a pair of high-heeled shoes she is putting an incredible strain on her joints leading to possible long-term joint issues.
The research carried out at Stanford University, USA found that high-heeled shoes, along with being overweight, may contribute to an increased risk of osteoarthritis.
Jennifer Hudson, Chiropractor and member of the British Chiropractic Association comments on the posture implications of wearing high heels:
“Our feet carry all of our weight and the shoes we chose have a lot to do with the way we walk and the pressure we put on the rest of the body. Feet need a surface which allows them to bend, grip and roll as you walk, which is difficult to do when constantly wearing heels. It would seem sensible to wear high heels only in moderation and look to lower the heel height you wear in order to avoid too many problems”.
Jenny’s top tips for walking in heels:
- Tense your pelvic floor muscles
- Keep your head upright and don’t stick your chest out
- Put your shoulders back and chest in
- Spread weight evenly over the whole shoe when walking
- Don’t walk too fast, be elegant
- Limit the amount of time you walk in heels and consider carrying a spare pair of flat shoes for longer walks