It is not really surprising that high heel shoes have become a very important part of women's lives. One of the reasons is because they have been perceived as symbol of style, fashion, and professionalism However, as stylish, fashionable, and professional they are, they are not really friendly to the health of your foot as well as your hip, back, and knees. Following are some of the health risks:

1. They force your feet to be constantly on downward position (plantar flexed)

This makes the vertical distance between your toes and your knees are longer compared to the distance between your heels and your knees. As the result, your Achilles tendon and your calf muscles are shorten constantly. In the long run, they will lose their flexibility and you will experience stiffness on your calves.

2. They change the way you walk

Your feet lose some or all of their ability to push your body when you make a stride because they are already in downward (flexed) position. This puts more pressure on your hip flexor muscles to contract and lift your legs while also prevents your hip flexor muscles to fully stretch after contraction due to shorter distance between your heels and hips. At the end, your hip flexor muscles can lose their flexibility and length due to constant contraction.

3. They shift your balance to the front of your feet

As the result, your lower body will naturally lean forward to neutralize this. Subsequently, the upper body is forced to lean backward to keep your whole body in balance. This creates abnormalities in back curvature which, together with stiffness or muscle imbalances on your thighs and calves, puts you at the high risk of developing back pain.

4. They are also imbalance by design

The design of high heel shoes puts too much pressure on your ankles and knees to keep the balance of your body. With high heel shoes, there is a natural tendency to turn your ankles and knees outward. Since the work of your lower leg muscles has been limited, this burden will be put on your knees, especially the inner part of your knees. In the long run, you may develop an abnormal condition called osteoarthritis. That is why such condition is much more common in women.

As bad as the risks may sound, you are not doomed if you have been wearing high heel shoes all the time and have some or all of the problems mentioned above. With carefully designed stretch routine and workout program, you can re-balance your muscular and structural imbalance.

Finally, wearing high heel shoes might make you look professional, fashionable, and stylish. However, you don't have to look professional all the time while fashion and style should not be put on top of your health. Therefore, when it comes to footwear, the best is to wear flat shoes as much as possible and save the high heel shoes for special occasions such as important professional or career events and big weddings or parties.

Jack Artha is a Singapore-based Certified Personal Trainer, specialized in natural fat loss, at-home cellulite reduction, posture improvement, and total wellness. He is known for guiding his clients to achieve their fitness goals as well as transforming their lives to healthy lifestyle

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