Most women have worn high heels at one time or another. Some women suffer through every second, and some swear by the shoes. But some women do not know their beloved stilettos or favorite pumps could cause permanent foot deformities that require surgical correction. Dr. Cliff Richardson, Baton Rouge Foot Care podiatrist, said many of the patients he works with suffer from wearing high heels too often. “High heels can certainly cause things like bunions, hammertoes, neuromas … any forefoot problem,” Richardson said. “There are other factors that play a part in the cause of those things, but high heel shoes play a big factor in it.” Richardson said many common foot problems are short-term effects of wearing heels. “Things like neuromas, which is a swollen nerve in your foot … happen very often with high heels, or capsulitis, which is a swollen joint,” Richardson said. High heels cause the foot to form unnaturally, Richardson said. “Whenever you wear high heels, you’re actually hyperextending the ball of your foot,” Richardson said. “You’re hyperextending all of the joints in the ball of your foot. Sometimes you stretch the capsule around those joints.” Richardson said ankle sprains – one of the most common worries among heel wearers – are actually not as serious as other problems associated with wearing high heels. “The reality is, you can almost twist your ankle in any shoe,” Richardson said. “In a flat shoe, you would have to step on an uneven surface. In a heel, you can sprain your ankle just on a perfectly flat surface because you’re already elevated.” Richardson said weight has an effect on problems such as bunions and neuromas. Because weight increases force, heavier women are at a higher risk for developing these problems. Many women wear high heels because it enhances the appearance of their calf muscles, but Richardson said precautions must be taken to prevent damage. “Building calf muscles [are] fine,” Richardson said. “Lots of people like that. But it can create … a [really] tight Achilles tendon. A lot of people need to do some calf muscle stretching so they don’t have a [really] tight Achilles tendon.” Chrissy Hernandez, psychology senior and sales associate at Sorelle’s, said she often witnesses women intentionally buying the wrong size shoe. “If we don’t have their size, and they really like the shoe, then they’re just going to get it and squeeze,” Hernandez said. “That’s a really big mistake.” Hernandez, who often wears high heels, said although most heels are uncomfortable, some shoes provide more comfort and support than others. “You can get a wider heel if you have foot problems, and you don’t want something skinny like a high stiletto,” Hernandez said. Some University students choose to wear heels whenever they can. Tiffany Griffin, mass communication freshman, said she wears heels all the time without any pain. “I guess I’ve become immune [to the pain],” Griffin said. Casey Paul, English senior, saves high heels for special occasions. She said some flats are just as painful as high heels. “I wore [flats], and they banged me up pretty badly,” Paul said, displaying a blister on the back of her heel. “Either way, high heels or flats, you’re still going to have uncomfortable shoes.” Christina Leonard, biological sciences freshman, said she does not wear high heels often. “I’m not a big high heel person,” Leonard said. “They’re uncomfortable.” She was unaware of the long-term damage heels can cause but said she did not think it would faze most people. “People are going to wear high heels either way,” Leonard said. Richardson said many of the physical deformities caused by wearing high heels for an extended period of time requires surgery because there are no other options for reducing the pain they cause. “A higher percentage of people who wear high heel shoes overall get bunions,” Richardson said. “That is a long term problem that will require surgery because we don’t have conservative fixes for bunions … some people think that the risk is worth it.” Richardson said few women will suffer long-term problems with occasional high heel use. But there is no way to prevent the effects the shoes cause, and women who wear them often risk permanent foot damage. “You have to make a choice,” Richardson said. “Either I want to wear high heels with my outfit and look however I want to look with a high heel on and take an increased risk of causing permanent deformities in the foot, or not wear high heels. It’s a conscious choice.”
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