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High Heel Health, One-night Stands, and Infant Stilettos
Health | May 08, 2015
I just read an interesting article in the Time magazine about high heels being evil to our feet. Obviously that’s something that women don’t like to hear but we all know it’s true. How many times have you suffered through a night out in your brand new cute pair of high heels that complimented your dress so perfectly! I think that most of us have been there. Unfortunately it’s not just those 6 inch dreadful stilettos that are causing your Achilles tendon to shrink, but all heels, including “comfortable” wedges that are higher than 2 inches.
I personally don’t buy shoes that are obviously uncomfortable and I try to stick with platforms that can keep me pain free for at least couple hours of standing or walking. I don’t see myself ever giving up high heels completely (I’m not a hippie;)) but I do my best to stick with flat soles for my casual days. I believe that balance is the key to maintain heathy feet and posture (and style) so if you notice any calluses, blisters, bunions, or ingrown nails, that’s a good indication that you should stay more “grounded”.
This also brings up my disgust with certain women’s magazines that are shameless when posting articles about high heels being awesome for shaping up your calves. The same type of magazines that advise you to have a one night stand in order to gain more confidence. I know you’re just trying to sell magazines but really, come on now!? Just to make things clear, wearing high heels does change the structure of your calves BUT not for the better. Toughening and shortening the Achilles tendons leads to decreased mobility and increased risk of strains and sprains… and also FYI a one night stand is not the way to gain more confidence. It’s a good way to get an STD. Sorry, I just had to say that.
The deviations won’t end in your feet and ankles however. According to research wearing high heels shifts your bodyweight forward which changes the dynamics in your musculoskeletal system and results in all kinds of symptoms from back pain to osteoarthritis in your knees.
Any imbalance in our posture, as I have already mentioned in one of my previous articles, is going to affect the rest of your body. The location of your pain is not necessarily the source of the cause. For example if you’re experiencing knee pain, it would be foolish to automatically assume that you have bad knees. Often times it’s your feet or hips that need to be aligned back into their original neutral and functional position (via postural therapy) in order to get rid of the symptoms – such as knee pain.
High heels are awesome, don’t get me wrong. I enjoy stylish shoes here and there and for special occasions, but I love my body more and I want to keep it healthy for as long as I live, so I’ll stick to workouts to keep my calves in shape (and to boost my confidence – wink,wink) and flats to get me through the day.
While we are on the topic of high heels, what are you thoughts on high heels for infants? Yes, you read that right… high heels for babies!?! I recently heard about this company, Pee Wee Pumps, that market and sell high heel style shoes for babies age 0-6months old. I personally think it’s ridiculous and tend to agree with other people’s comments on Amazon. What do you think?
Private Member |
tx, usa
I just wanted to say how glad I am that you changed the format of the Workout page. It’s like you read my mind. It is so much easier to find archived workouts now. The way you organized everything is just what my brain needed! Thank you!!
Private Member |
Hey Z,
Great article. I love how you are so down to earth and normal …. A fantastic role model, thank you xx
I used to work in retail and wore high heels everyday; I liked the walk they gave me, and how they improved the look of my tooshie.
As soon as I decided I don’t need them anymore, and wasn’t embarrassed to get dressed up for a night out in flat shoes, it was great!! Everyone else is crippled and I’m comfy and fabulous!! I really love pointed flat shoes, and you can get some really dressy ones 🙂 I’ve got silver glitter ones that I keep for when I want to dance the night away … Just FYI I’m 20 and believe comfy feet are happy feet … No shame here 😛
And as for how heels made my tooshie look…. That’s what I’ve got ZGYM for right!! 😉
Heels for infants …. Excuse me whilst I throw up, kids should be allowed to be kids!!!!!
Love you Z,
Thanks for all the hard work you put in for us 🙂
X
Private Member |
cambridgeshire, england, uk
Hi Zuzka,
I remember seeing an article about heels for babies a while ago and thinking what complete and utter nonsense, like India said above, let babies be babies and kids be kids, everyone is in such a rush to grow up nowadays that children don’t have a childhood for very long anymore.
As for me, I do wear heels occasionally and on the odd occasion when I go out, I’m only 4’11’ so feel I need the extra height, tip toeing at the bar isn’t a great look! 🙂 but I do agree that you should be in flats as much as possible!
Oh and as for one night stands to increase your confidence….who the hell comes up with these ideas, I’m with you Zuzka, all that will get you is an STD and lower self confidence.
Xx
Private Member |
toluca, state of mexico, mexico
High heels for babies??!!! sorry, tht´s really stupid!!
I love high heels but I love myself much more so I´ll only use the really tall in special ocassions, it´s sad to know they´re not good for us and so we have to accept the fact 🙁
Private Member |
I think high heels are so cute on other people.. haha. I never buy high heels. I do get wedges from time to time, but i dont think i should because for one i am already tall, and for two i am not the most graceful person to be walking in heels. Lol. I really want a pair of platforms! My left foot always bothers me the most when i do wear high heels, or any shoe. I have injured the foot, but it is nothing serious. I cannot believe someone took the time to think of a baby in high heels. I mean why! women/ or men which ever, have a reason to wear high heels. Babies, are babies and most of them can’t walk right to begin with.
Have a good night!
Private Member |
valras plage, france
I recently took my 7 year old shopping..and yes she wanted high heels..and yes they exist for her size. She already has a load of 10 pounds in her back pack. adding heals..can’t be good anyone’s back especially growing bodies..
Private Member |
As heel history is getting women (avg ht 5’4) to avg man level heels took a sexual turn at some point. When Kinsey polled fetishes in fact they found it easily first among the variety out there, and some are wayyy.. out there. Some very weird and imho mentally ill as they ill effect the subjugated and historically our children are targeted by people who hide in their sickness. We need better honest attention to sexuality in contemporary culture to halt this abuse. And I think it can be said sexualizing kids is the veiled actual outcome of putting high heels on them. The last centuries sexual “revolution” created avenues to open age old inequality which is great and I am grateful to empower my sexuality by having a good one nighter, sex is in fact healthy and great fun. Now saying no to exploitation wherein I believe you were co opted earlier in life may skew your perspective, just sayin… love.
Private Member |
Hello to all. Zuzka, thanks for posting this article.
I would like to share with all of you a question that might be of interest to many girls. and maybe talk about this topic.
My question is this:
How do you walk with heels?
I state that I do not wear shoes so high, but I had read, (I do not know if it is true) that wear shoes with heels
posture helps a lot .. What do you think?
Thanks to all for your comments ..
Private Member |
Baby hills…Not only ridiculous but you kind of have to be very bored to do such a thing. Apart from that, I’ve seen them in the website and they are the most horrible thing I’ve ever seen and tacky