Get over the heels

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With normal posture and walking, the foot was not designed to walk in a high-heeled shoe. The construction of the foot is designed to walk in a heel-to-toe rolling motion. This allows the arch of the foot to stretch between the actions of that particular movement. When the natural movement is completed, it causes the ankle to first absorb any shock reaction that would otherwise go directly to the calf; this could be omitted in the case of wearing a high-heeled shoe. While the Stiletto, the Pump, or the Pointy-toe style of heels may be current fashion trends, wearing them long term can cause pain, and serious damage to the foot.
The damaging effect of wearing High-heeled shoes for the most part, crowds ones toes, forcing the body weight to press down on the ball of the foot. The foot no longer has the heel-to-toe balance it needs to operate, causing extended pressure on the toes and less at the heel. Now, there becomes a need for the ball of the foot, the arch, and the ankle to try to accommodate the disrupted flow of normal movement, and motion. This causes the wearer to shift, and to readjust their leg muscles to realign their body weight before the change is inflicted on the knees.
“Statistics show pressure on the forefoot (ball) increases as the heel height goes up. Wearing a three-inch heel increases pressure on the forefoot by 70%, a two-inch heel by 57% and one-inch heel by 22%. One experiment showed when wearing a low-heeled shoe, the body weight is shared approximately 40% by the heel, and 60% by the ball. However, when wearing a higher heel, the body weight shifts as much as 90% to the ball of the foot, and only 10% of the weight is on the heel” (Dalton, 2011).
According to the American Osteopathic Association (“The...

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...ld be cushioned, and have a roomy toe-box area. Women should avoid wearing a heel that is taller than a couple of inches in height. When choosing to wear a taller heel, do not wear the heel all day. One should bring along an athletic or a type of walking shoe to change in to. When walking a distance, or standing for a long period of time, be smart and bring along a low-heeled, soft sole shoe to change into. Remember, the four to five inch Pointy-toe, Stiletto, Pump is not made to wear all day, and in most cases, it is definitely not designed to benefit the foot.

Works Cited

Dalton, E. (2011, September). Gaga over heels. Massage Magazine, Retrieved from http//:www.ebscohost.com The real harm in high heels. (2012, November 30). Retrieved from http//:www.osteopathic.org
In women's shoes, pain does equal gain. (n.d.). Retrieved from http//:www.foothealthfacts.org

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