High Heel Shoes Are Bad News!

Did you know that approximately 3.5 billion dollars are spent each year in the United States for women’s foot surgery? In addition to that enormous cost, the female workforce misses 15 million work days each year because of foot injuries and surgeries. WOW! The BIGGEST culprit in this figure is the high heel shoe. It’s no secret that a high heel shoe can look sexy and stylish, and we are all guilty of wearing them, but what women don’t realize is the long term health consequences they come with. Unlike sore feet, things like bunions and osteoarthritis do not go away over night, and that’s exactly the type of foot problems our 4 inch stilettos come with.

High heels shift your center of gravity forward so that your hips and spine are pushed out of alignment. Altered posture caused by wearing high heels leads to increased pressure on the inside of the knee. Repeated stress in this area dramatically increases the chances of developing osteoarthritis. If you’re in the habit of wearing high heels regularly the Achilles tendon will start to shorten over time. A short, tight Achilles tendon increases the risk of injuries such as Achilles tendinitis and plantar fasciitis. The heel elevation also causes the calf muscle to contract. If heels are worn consistently, calf muscles can become short and weak, which promotes injury. The combination of cramped toe boxes and the downward angle of the high heel can cause foot deformities and injuries including bunions, hammertoes, Morton’s neuroma, plantar fasciitis and Achilles tendinitis. Yikes!

If you MUST have your high heels, consider styles that will reduce risk of injury or foot deformities. Get a shoe with a rubber sole instead of leather. They offer extra flexibility and increase your grip on the floor. Also, try to choose a shoe with a wider heel. While it won’t help much to alleviate the stress on your knees, at least you will have a wider base to stand on which will distribute your weight more evenly than a stiletto would. The highest your heels should be is 2 inches. Less is even better, but 2 inches should be your limit. These shoes will give you enough lift to show off your legs and reduce the risk of foot injuries and deformities.

Platforms are a great way to create the illusion of height without all the risk. Because the forefoot is elevated as well, you don’t have such an incline forcing the foot into a very uncomfortable position. Choose heels that allow your toes to lay flat in the shoe such as a round or square toe box. Lastly, only purchase heels that have a thumbs-width of space from the longest toe to the end of the shoe when you are standing.

Murder by Stiletto - Shame by Shoe Size

I’ve written about women shoe obsessions on several occasions, but I just cannot resist commenting on the latest news feeds pertaining to women and their shoes.
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Believe it or not, the woman with the largest collection of shoes is not the infamous shoe lover, Victoria Beckham. It is of all people, a poker pro. Beth Shark is world class poker player and proud owner of 1,200 pairs of shoes. Not just any kind of shoes either, but rather revolving closets of high end designers such as Jimmy Choo, YSL, and Louboutin. Shark will be featured in a documentary on women and shoes, “God Save My Shoes,” that will premier during Fashion Week. The documentary not only exposes famous shoe lovers but also investigates the psychology behind obsessive shoe buying. Spoiler alert: they may have found a connection between shoes and sex. Some go as far to say that the foot http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifhttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifis analogous to the penis!!!. I am very interested to see how they explain that connection!

Some women have hundreds of shoes, but some only need one. A woman in Georgia was arrested for allegedly killing her boyfriend with a stiletto heel during a domestic dispute. The autopsy report has not been received but officials are confident that is was a blow to the head with the spike of a high heel that lead to the man’s death. Conceal and carry…. Why would you when you can defend yourself with fashionable footwear?

What could be worse than being attacked by a cute shoe but being attacked by a size 9! Online shoe sales are higher than ever and women’s feet are growing. http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifCoincidence? Women with large feet are so ashamed of their foot size that they have a higher tendency to buy behind the computer. Reports are showing that the demand for size 9 has increased over 80% and 82% of Women who wear size 8 and 9 say they are embarrassed by their shoe size. 67% of all size 9 shoes are bought online and 47% of women admit they lie to partners and friends about their shoe size. What is going on here? The average female shoe size has increased 1.5 sizes in the last 10 years and many researchers are attributing this to the http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifgeneralized increase in size of American women. That hamburger is going straight to your feet!!!

All in today’s news: Shoes linked to hoarders, penises, murder, shame, and weight gain. Today in my office I didn’t have quite this display of shoe predicaments but I did find shoes linked to both pain and pain relief. Maybe what we put on our feet is more than just shoes. It is fashion, passion, revenge, dignity, humility, therapy, and of course….priceless.

Back to School Shoe Shopping

If my kid doesn’t complain about sore feet, do I need to worry about what I put on his feet? Some children spend most of their days running around the yard barefoot all day and never complain about a thing until they step on a nail or thorn. Other children will wine all day about their feet hurting. So what do you need to be looking for when you are shopping for new shoes for the new school year?

My kid never complains!

Wow! Can we trade? Alright lets be serious all kids complain but not all kids complain about their feet. It is best to actively ask the child, “Do your feet hurt? Do you feel pain in your feet when you are out playing?” Some children ignore the pain because they are having so much fun. Think about how awesome it is to be on the soccer team or play in the park with your best buddies… You wouldn’t stop unless you had to. How many kids pee in their pants because they don’t want to stop playing?

There no special accommodation, devices, or exercises that are required for healthy foot living. There is a level of common sense that needs to come into play though… for some this is difficult. Kids shoes can be trendy, inappropriate, and can lead to pain.

Stay away from the following
· Pointy toes
· Platforms
· Flip flops
· Stilettos—Teenagers love to sacrifice comfort for style!
Standard Shoes for Back-to-School
· Good Athletic Shoes (light colors are preferred for the gym and will decrease sweating)
· A wide toe box for dress shoes

My Kid Does Complain about Their Feet!

It is not uncommon for children to have foot and ankle problems. The good news is that these are highly treatable! If your child is complaining about foot pain, seeing a podiatric physician will help prevent complicated problems in your child’s future. Common problems can range from flat feet to ingrown toenails. Treatment is often non-invasive and conservative. Children can be prescribed special insoles known as orthoses and physical therapy to help strengthen the weak or ill-working muscles, joints, and ligaments. Children tend to be extremely active, so podiatric physicians can work around sport schedules and care for their feet to optimized their performance and enjoyment of their preferred after school activities.
Save your child from grandma’s bunions and dad’s recurring ankle sprains. Seek consultation on your child’s foot pain from a medical professional such as a podiatric physician. Even if your child is not experiencing pain, remember to use common sense when shopping for this year’s new shoes!

Flip-Flops: Cute But Dangerous

Many of us northerners are just seeing the first days of spring. One day of sunshine and we rotate our closet, pack up the sweaters and pull out the shorts and spring dresses. However, what is summer without the flip-flop sandal. You can find them in every color and every store! Let’s face it, we all have enough pairs of flip-flops to last us a lifetime. We know they are not the most sensible shoe gear, but we wear them anyway. Maybe we need to be reminded of all the horrible things that happen when wearing flip-flops.
The Accident!
Can you imagine how many times you have stubbed your toe or dropped something on your foot? When wearing a flip- flop, you have almost zero protection. Every year there are countless injuries to the toes from people running in flip- flops! Broken toes, fractured bones, and toenails ripped right off. You may think I am over exaggerating, but unfortunately, I am being very honest. Everyone from toddlers to grandmas is coming to the ER because of a foot injury while wearing flip-flops.

The Burn!
Sunscreen is now mainstream and most people remember to apply SPF before exposing themselves to the sun. We pay close attention to our nose, cheeks and shoulders but do you put sunscreen on your feet? We often forget about the feet, but skin cancer can appear anywhere. Podiatrists have been taking more biopsies for suspicious growths than ever before. When wearing flip-flops you have almost no coverage on your feet, so do not forget to protect the skin with some sun block!

Where is the Support!
The traditional flip-flop is nothing more than a flat foamy plastic that is bendable and twistable. You can only imagine the amount of support it gives your foot. NONE! It may protect your foot from feeling the surface you are walking on but that is about the extent of the flip-flop function. Our foot takes on a lot of stress throughout the day and we need shoes to help absorb the workload or else our feet tire and become painful. Flip-Flops may lead to aches, pains, and the dreaded plantar fasciitis. We also tend to grip the sandals with our toes as we walk, this can lead to ugly hammertoes!

Now, let us be very honest. It is summertime and the last thing we want to do is go to the beach in athletic shoes. It is hot and humid and we want our feet to breath! If we must wear sandals, then we must be sensible. There are number of brands that have developed sandal lines with sufficient support and a little bit more protection. Traditionally these types of sandals were not very stylish, but today fashionable, healthy sandals are much more commonplace. So this summer, keep those flip-flops in the closet and opt for a comfortable and reliable sandal!

New Year and New Shoes

As the month of January continues to march along, how many of us are losing confidence in our new year’s resolution. The biggest problems with new year’s resolutions is that it is only an idea and we never prepare, adjust our schedule, or truly invest in our future. So hear is your mid-January resolution pep talk. If getting in shape and exercising was your new year’s resolution, you need a starter package! First dedicate time into your schedule. It is like lunch. It is in your schedule every day. It may get pushed back or shorter depending on the day but you always eat eventually. You will always exercise ever day! Find something you enjoy doing. If you get board running around the track, don’t do it. Try out community classes, new sports, and get a work out buddy! Most importantly, you have to be physically prepared for the activity. See your physician if you have any current medical conditions to learn about activities best for you.

Ladies, I have great news! You need to buy new shoes – Doctor’s Orders!

Not all sports are created equal and they cause different stresses on your body and especially your foot and ankle. Pushing, slamming, crushing, jamming, twisting, and turning; your shoes and feet are taking a beating. If you are pulling your old athletic shoes out of the closet, you probably need to move them to the garbage. Athletic shoes break down over time and lose their supportive properties. Depending on the sport and how often you use them, shoes should be replaced every 3-6 months. It is also important to buy sport specific shoes. Different sports or exercise programs involve varying movements and are at special paces. Your supporting structure should accommodate these different stressors.

Your new shoes need to be well fitted. Make sure to go shoe shopping in the afternoon since your feet do increase in size throughout the day. Don’t be afraid to try on different sizes. You may think you are a size 8 but sizes do vary from brand to brand. Most people wear their shoes too small. This can slowly cause deformities and complications of your feet. So how do you know it is the right size? It is most important that your shoe bends where your foot bends and that the widest part of the shoe is at the widest part of your foot. After this is established, then look to see where your toes are. There should be at least a finger’s breadth of space from your longest toe to the end of shoe. You may need to try several different brands, styles, and sizes to find the perfect match. Also, make sure you stand up and walk around in the shoes on BOTH feet. Your feet are not the same size so what feels right on one foot may still be too small for the other.

After you find the perfect fit, and you start your work out, don’t be discouraged if you began to feel foot pain. Over 75% of the population has at least one foot problem. Increasing activity may aggravate your condition, but there are simple answers and solutions. Most foot problems are due to the biomechanical structure and function of your foot. When these problems are present, it is common to experience pain in your feet, ankle,s knees, and back, but using orthotics quickly corrects the problem. Orthotics help control and correct the biomechanical function of your feet. Since not all feet are created equal and we do different activities, custom orthotics is the best solution. A podiatric physician can cast your foot and a mold will be created. A lab will then use that mold to form an insert. Depending on your history and physical, the doctor and lab chooses specific materials, and accommodations to accommodate and correct your specific foot structure and biomechanical function.

So go buy some new shoes and get to the gym. You are not allowed to use the excuse “my feet hurt too much.” Podiatric physicians can help you find the right shoes and help relieve pain while you continue to gain at the gym! It is a new year and time for new shoes and a new you!

HOW DO MY HIGH FASHION SHOES RATE?

Shoes are where fashion is at. A new trend across the world is to shop shoe up. From heels to flats, woman are shoe shopping their hearts out. But what are these shoes doing to your feet. High fashion is not so hot when your feet get injured. Here are some examples of popular shoes styles that may cause you to need podiatric medical treatment.

The Sling Back Heel: Usually a pointed toe with a strap around the back of the heel.
These shoes often cause blisters and toe pain. They are also the most common heel to cause twisting in the ankle because of the lack of support around the rear of the foot. These shoes are in high fashion, especially in the spring and summer months, but can lead to significant injuries. Try to find a pair with lower heels, a square toe, and only wear when extending walking or standing is NOT expected.

Stilettos: Wedged high heel
Nothing is sexier than a woman in stilettos. This is often said before one takes a good look at a lady’s foot after a day in high heels. High heel often cause blisters and other sores on your feet. These sore often subside over time but not always. Depending on the depth of the soar, it may leave scars, or if left untreated they could get infected. Even worse, you may develop a bunion. I don’t know about you, but that does not sound sexy! These shoes are also notorious for causing ankle sprains and pain on the balls of the feet. Some pads may relieve pressure, but may also cause the shoes to be more tight (watch for blisters). Make sure you buy the right size. Buy shoes in the afternoon or evening because your feet swell throughout the day. The size you wake up with is not the size you go to bed with. If possible, try to be sexy in shorter heels!

Flats: Slides, ballet, slippers

After a day in high heels, Flats are just what the doctor ordered… Wrong! Flats often have very poor arch support and will aggravate arch and heel pain or plantar fasciitis. It will also cause strain on the Achilles tendon and depending on your foot type or structure, this may cause severe pain. Do not wear these shoes for long periods of time because you could cause damage to your plantar fascia and get severe heel and arch pain. Though plantar fasciitis can be conservatively treated, it will impede on your daily activities. When shopping for flats, make sure they are not flexible. You should not be able to twist the shoe and it should only bend near the toes.


Fashion Sneakers: no laces, velcro laces, canvas material

A sneaker… this has got be okay for my feet right? Not quite. Fashionable sneakers are often made with no structural integrity. Like flats, they provide little to no arch support and may lead to plantar fasciitis. The most fashionable way to wear these type of shoes in sockless. This will cause increase foot odor and puts you at greater risk to get athletes foot. Always wear a cotton sock. There are low socks and even half socks that can be hidden in the shoe. Like with Flats, make sure you cannot twist the shoe and it only bends near the toes.

Platforms
Strap up and get ready to walk on the moon. Actually, the moon is the only good place to wear platforms. These shoes have poor shock absorption, thus every step you take radiates up through your back. You may experience knee, hip, and lower back pain. These shoes add wanted height to the shorter population, but remember what goes up must come down. Because of their height, they are relatively unsteady. It is very easy to get off balanced and fall or roll an ankle. So if you must wear the 70’s comeback, try to stay away from uneven terrain.

With so many styles, colors, and designers, it is easy to get carried away with shoe fashion. Try to be sensible when shopping and when pick out shoes to wear. If you plan on doing a lot of walking or standing, be sure to wear a more conservative shoe. Also, if possible, try to bring an extra pair of shoes so if you begin to feel pain or discomfort you can switch into something more sensible.

If you have continued pain in your feet, you should see you podiatric physician to be appropriately treated and get more information on proper shoe gear for your foot type.

For more information on shoes go to: http://www.stopfootpainfast.com/sub.php?page=shoes_specific.php