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Most women, whether young or old, want to look well groomed and fashionable. High heels have been a part of the fashionable look for a long while. However, style statements may sometimes turn sour and your fashion choice may make you a victim of your style. Wearing high heels can make you feel great but it can become painful and have many side-effects. Wearing high heels leads to abnormal biomechanical patterns of the feet. These often result in chronic injuries like hammer toes, blisters, neuromas and skin breakdown leading to infections. The foot also becomes more supinated or turned outside. Higher the heel, greater the biomechanical abnormality is. High heels are known to cause knee pain and can even lead to osteoarthritis in the knee. Sometimes wearing high-heeled footwear continuously over a period of time can lead to some postural changes as well; in which back arches more, and chest and pelvis are thrust forward, buttocks sticks out and also the calf muscle gets tightened. Symptoms of these side-effects include toe pain, mid-foot pain, heel pain, ankle pain, knee pain, hip pain, lower back pain, mid-back pain, upper back pain, and headaches. Fore foot pain is the first and most common symptom as the weight of the legs goes on the fore foot. Despite such painful effects one can't deny the fact that women will always love to wear high heels. The question which then arises is that how one can avoid these problems without sacrificing the love for style. Women who like wearing high heels should also learn to handle their heels smartly. One should adapt the correct walking technique while wearing these. Always walk with the small, dainty steps which will make your walk look natural and comfortable. Don't slouch while walking to avoid an unnatural posture. The right shoe selection can help you a lot to keep these painful side-effects at bay. Always buy the heeled shoes with soft insoles to reduce the impact on your knees. Also make sure that the pair is properly fitted in both feet as sometimes one foot can be larger than other. Wear the right size so the foot doesn't slide forward, putting even more pressure on the toes. Pick a shoe with a wide enough toe-box to allow you to move your toes comfortably. Our feet have to handle our whole body weight so always try to keep them relaxed. One can try a few exercises for our feet and legs. Stretch your calf muscles and feet every day. You can also put a pencil on the floor and try to pick it up with your toes. Guidelines for expectant mothers Wearing high-heels regularly can contribute to short-term and long-term musculoskeletal problems such as slipped disc, sciatica and chronic back pain. It can be more risky to wear high heels during pregnancy. This is because you gain weight, the shape of your body changes as does the centre of gravity making your gait unsteady, needless to say that it increases the risk of a fall. Research also shows that wearing heels during pregnancy may aggravate back pain and even lead to slipped disc. It's best not to take any chance and wear flats or very low-heeled sandals that are comfortable. If you have worn heels and experience spasm in calves or hamstrings or feel pain radiating from back to legs or it worsens when you bend or sit down, consult the doctor immediately. Due to prolonged use of high heels a pregnant woman may experience mildly painful spasms, which can be the first sign of slip disc in early pregnancy. The most common cause of back pain in pregnancy is sacroiliac joint. Other common symptoms include - back pain, pain radiating down the legs, gradually developing towards neck or lower-back pain, worsening pain while bending over or sitting down, pain associated with activities like coughing or sneezing are the common indication of slipped disc. If pain persists in back, upper or lower back or neck then or back pain is accompanied by fever, burning during urination or vaginal bleeding, it would be wise to consult your doctor immediately. — Dr Sringari is arthroscopic surgeon, Paras Hospital, Gurgaon and Dr Chhabra is head, neuro and spine surgeon, Sir GangaRam Hospital, New Delhi
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