Tips to prevent foot injuries from high heel shoes

Dec 9 2009

1. Ensure an accurate fit as far as possible

2. Try to keep the heel height below 4cm to avoid ankle injury

3. Protect the toes with gel covers to avoid corns

4. Cushion the heel and forefoot to prevent soreness

5. Apply protective linings to the internal stitching to stop blistering

6. Try to wear high heels for short periods to allow your feet to recover

7. Strengthen ankle muscles and joints by drawing the letters of the alphabet with your foot

8. Vary your shoe style to encourage a normal walking pattern

9. Keep high heels for special occasions

10. Consult a Podiatrist should symptoms persist or worsen

High heels, offer a height advantage to shorter women and can also make the calves and legs appear shapelier...but that’s where the benefits end. Most women sooner or later, develop a love/hate relationship with their collection of shoes, that is to say they are often attractive yet painful to wear. As we approach the Christmas party season ‘what shoes to wear’ can become a real concern.

The slim fit of high heel shoes can create pressure areas to the skin of the foot particularly around the toes resulting in corns and callus formation. These problems can be alleviated by using protective products such as Active Gel Digital Caps or an Active Gel Bunion Shield in the case of big toe joint pain.

A tighter fitting heel area and stitching within the shoe can cause skin irritation or blistering. Lining the shoe with Gel Heel protectors from the FootHeaven range can resolve this, whilst an Invisible Hydrogel Plaster can protect the skin directly.

Higher and narrower heels can result in body weight being painfully transferred to the ball of the foot which can be protected with Gel Ball of Foot Cushions or Gel Cushions for pointed toe shoes. Wearing these shoes can also throw the body’s centre of mass forwards, causing an increased curve of the spine as compensation or to the side resulting in an ankle sprain or even a fracture.

Many women will suffer no immediate adverse effects from wearing their favourite party shoes. However, wearing such shoes for the majority of time can dramatically increase the likelihood of problems.