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Wearing high heels is the quintessential part of getting dressed up, and when stilettos are even important for corporate attire then who can stop us. Harmful effects of wearing high heels have been associated with severe muscular and spinal defects. There are some organizations which have made it compulsory for women to wear these high heels. And the current impacts have made ample self help groups already working on these impacts. Let us first understand how wearing high heels may cause deformities and pains in your body
12 Harmful Effects of Wearing High Heels are:
1. Joint pains:
Wearing high helps make your feet fixed and firm in one position. There is absolutely no cushion and no movement at all for your feet while in high heels. The feet, ankle and knee get a lot of strain and thus joint pains are far more common. This may exacerbate arthritis symptoms and may even cause permanent joint deformity
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2. Lower back and pelvis pain:
Wearing high heels for long and standing at one place may cause severe pelvis and lower back pain. As high heels place a lot of pressure on your lower back and heels are just below 1.5-2 inch support from ground. This unequal distribution of weight may cause soreness and inflammations to muscles and joints.
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3. Spine deformities:
Wearing high heels causes our spine to have a lumbar flattening structure. This results in an unnatural alignment position. Your curve of lower back decreases and causes spine erector pain.
4. Knee pain:
Wearing high heels also causes immense knee pain. As the knee bends in unusual positions. It may even cause osteoarthritis if prolonged with pain and wearing high heels. Women who are little on higher weight side are known to have more severe impacts
5. Damage of toe nails:
High heels put immense pressure on your toes and toe nails. Therefore a lot of ingrown nails come up. The toes are so tightly stuck together that the nails grow in the skin and also result in infections too
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6. Muscle pains:
Prolonged use of high heels may reduce your muscles in calves and back. This results in painful leg cramps and muscle pain. These muscular pains get worsen with time and become more prominent. If its not cured it may cause even more severe damages
7. Ankle sprain:
Wearing high heels and walking on road may cause unbalanced postures and some really painful sprains on ankle. As the ankle gets the first twist while our feet looses traction with the ground. These maybe severe and can impact long term health
8. Weak ligament:
Wearing high heels, strains the arch which makes the ligament weak. Our arch helps in shock absorption. But when we are wearing high heels the arch in not on the ground and thus can not support or cushion our feet. Thus the weight falls on the ligament which cannot hold the body weight.
9. Chances of falling down and injuries:
Wearing high heels is not always easy and maintaining the posture and balance all the time is also not possible. Fractured leg and dislocated bones are a few examples of common high heel injuries. Most of the time we do not check the suitable height for heels, and end up buying the killer designer high heel which maybe beyond 3 inch high. Wearing such high heels needs a thorough practice and not everyone can balance for long.
10. Risk of osteoarthritis:
Wearing high heels for long causes the risk of osteoarthritis more prominent. Inner side of the knee is affected and the knee bone gets severe pressure. This can cause wear and tear of bone muscles and result in osteoarthritis
11. Shoe bites and callouses:
Wearing high heel requires you to push your feet and stay firm in the awkward shape of the sandals. You may not find it natural and ergonomic to settle in the shoe easily. This causes rubbing of toes and heels and also some sensitive skin over the foot. Over time with sweat and unusual movements it results in severe shoe bites and callouses. These are painful and take time to cure
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12. Anatomical changes:
Wearing high heels over a few years can result in changes in our anatomy. They put undue stress on back and knees as the weight of our body shifts forward. Muscles shorten and tendons thicken so one vertebra may slip over the other. Foraminal stenosis occurs when spinal canal narrows and ligament thickens, which causes shooting pains and sciatica is the term used for the pains and deformities of lower back pain resulting from wearing high heels for long.
The above compilation on 12 Harmful Effects of wearing high heels is based on learnings and readings about how killer heels impact our feet, posture and body. There are a few precautions if we proceed with them the impact of the above damages can be reduced. Also check with your health care provider for more details on how to prevent and cure any of the above deformities.
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By Minu Manisha
