New Delhi: One of the most sought-after fashion pieces in a woman’s wardrobe has always been a sleek pair of stilettoes. These tall, slender, and stylish pointed heels got the spotlight in the 1950s and ever since have become a must-have in women’s closets. While they are synonymous with elegance and feminine sophistication, they also have an undeniable impact on our bodies. From the way our spine aligns when we stand to how we feel emotionally and psychologically, high heels impact that is much more than what meets the eye. While high heels may grand style, however, when we go overdoing would alter our body’s biomechanics, affecting balance, spine health, and even mood.
In an interaction with News9Live, Dr. Yogesh Kumar. B, Senior Consultant – Spine Care, SRM Global Hospitals, Chennai, explained how high heels can affect the spine, balance, and mood.
- Biomechanical Shifts: High heels, like stilettos, are believed to alter the body’s biomechanics by impacting balance, spine health, and influencing mood through changes in posture and gait. The elevated heel shifts the body’s centre of gravity forward, which increases pressure on the forefoot and alters the natural alignment of the spine, joint angles, and foot pressure issues.
- Balance and Gait: Balance and gait are all about an individual’s ability to maintain physical stability and the manner or style in which they walk. Balance Control, wearing high heels tends to make it harder when walking around and standing still. This is due to changes in the body’s posture control and how things work, and changes in how we feel wearing heels on our feet. Gait Alterations, High heels can lead to a shorter stretch of legs while walking, and people might need support while walking. These changes can affect the walking efficiency of an individual and increase the energy used by the body, which can also make one feel tired after walking in heels.
- Mood and Confidence: Psychological Effects: Stilettoes can not only affect the way you look but can also impact the way you feel about yourself. Adding just a few extra inches in height can make a woman feel stronger and more beautiful, boost her confidence, and improve her mood. It is amazing how a simple pair of footwear can shape both how we see ourselves and how others see us. Wearing high heels regularly can have a significant impact on spine health, especially when worn for long durations.
Spine Health in Long-Term Implications, Spinal Curvature, Long heels can also disturb the spine’s natural S-curve, which can later lead to conditions like hyper lordosis and increased strain on spinal discs. Muscle
- Fatigue, the altered posture from wearing high heels, makes the spinal muscles work harder, leading to tiredness, pain, and discomfort. Muscle Imbalances: Calf, hip, and lower back muscles stay in a shortened and tensed position, which can cause muscle fatigue and imbalance, affecting spinal support over time.
- Posture Distortion, wearing high heels can tilt your body forward, forcing the spine to adjust itself unnaturally to maintain body balance. This leads to increased lumbar lordosis (excessive lower back arch) and misalignment of the spine over the period.
- Back and Neck Pain, the altered posture of the lower back strains the muscles, neck, and shoulder muscles, resulting in chronic pain, stiffness, and discomfort.
- Pressure on the Discs, as a result of forward tilt, pressure on the spine’s intervertebral discs increases, especially in the lower back, raising the risk of disc degeneration or herniation.
Knee and Hip Joint Stress
Altered gait due to heels affects the kinetic chain, it puts extra pressure on knees and hips, may worsen joint wear and tear, and impact the spine. Heels worn for a long time can limit the natural range of motion in the ankle and restrict normal gait patterns. This compensation increases joint loading and abnormal movement at the knee and hip, which can accelerate pain or dysfunction over time. High heels can cause an anterior pelvic tilt, shifting the centre of gravity forward.
Ankle and foot problems
It can result in ankle sprain due to stretching of ligaments and plantar fasciitis. The elevated height of heels compromises the natural alignment and stability of the ankle joint, making it more prone to inversion injuries (rolling outward), especially on uneven surfaces or during sudden movements.
Some tips while wearing high heels:
- Prioritise size, always choose the right size of footwear.
- Investing in a good quality brand, as they don’t compromise on the material used
- You may opt for some cushioned insoles to give you the right grip and sole comfort
- Be watchful of your posture. While standing, ensure you evenly distribute your body weight to avoid calf strain
- If you wear high heels quite often, make sure to stretch calf and foot muscles daily with simple exercises such as calf raises and toe curls – this will improve balance.
- Try not to wear high heels throughout the day as they may cause poor posture and back pain. One-to-two-inch heels with a broad base will reduce pressure to the forefoot.
- By limiting the heel height to 2 inches or less
- Choose chunky or wedge heels for better stability
- Avoid wearing heels for long durations
- Do stretching exercises for the lower back and toes
- Alternate with comfortable, supportive shoes
Foot-friendly options
- Choose good quality sneakers for everyday and workouts as they offer comfort, style, and support
- Orthopaedic footwear is a good option, providing targeted support and comfort
- Choose sandals or flats that are easy on your feet.
Stilettoes are unquestionably a great style statement, boosting image and confidence; however, we need to be mindful not to go overboard, affecting our physical well-being. The best way to take care of our feet is by mixing up our footwear styles and avoiding prolonged use of high heels, thereby preventing foot injuries.