The Negative Effects of High Heels

High heel shoes can make any outfit look beautiful; however, the damage that they cause to your spine, back, feet and legs is anything but. These shoes force your feet forward and alter the angle of your body so weight isn't distributed evenly over the feet and up through the spine. This can cause pain from the knees all the way up to your back.

You should consider the following detrimental effects of high heels for the sake of your spinal health:

Lower back pain

High heels were created with fashion in mind, not comfort. Heels have less support than running shoes or even sandals. This constant pressure on the balls of your feet causes uneven weight distribution and often results in lower back pain. High heels can also stress nerves in the lower back because of the odd posture they create.

Foot pain

The shape of high heels is meant to look aesthetically pleasing rather than to comfort your feet. They cause you to rest all your body weight on the balls of your feet and this will cause pain after a while. It also creates yellowed areas on the bottom of your feet that can stay sore for days to come.

Sore calves

Calf pain sometimes passes after you get used to high heel shoes. Unfortunately, daily use of high heels doesn't just cause sore calves, it also causes protruding veins. These veins aren't dangerous, but they are unsightly and a source of embarrassment for some.

Sprained ankles

There are so many uneven surfaces that we walk on and high heels makes this all the more dangerous. Holes, cobblestone roads, air vents, drainage grates, grass and other things are just waiting to latch onto the pointed tip of your high heels. You could easily twist your ankle or cause other harm by getting caught on your high heel.

Unnaturally curved spine

Your lower back arches higher than normal when you wear heels. The higher the heels, the higher your lower back has to arch to keep you upright. This curve is also contributor to back pain in both the upper and lower region.

Constricted blood vessels

High heels make feet look long, thin and elegant, but this shape squeezes your feet into an unnatural position and constricts blood flow. This squeezing can even cause blood vessels to break sometimes.