How to Wear Heels Without Injuring One’s Self

“When I wear heels, I have a great vocabulary and I speak in paragraphs. I am more eloquent. I plan to wear them more often.” -Meg Ryan

Without a doubt, high heels have been one of the fashion innovations that have been truly a boon to women. Any high-heeled pair would immediately bring any women closer to the sky and would give them that extra dose of sex appeal that would work easily in any outfit without so much of a fuss.

In fact, it has been said that a woman’s shoe closet is incomplete if she does not have that one pair of high-heeled shoes that would make her feel like she could take on the world. From this sentiment, it can be gleaned that no self-respecting woman would ever find her shoe closet sans her favorite and trusty pair of high-heeled shoes. These heels come in a variety of shapes and forms–there is an array of designs and styles from your stylish stilettos to your elegant and tasteful night out pumps. And you have innumerable shoe designers to choose from (from wholesale steve madden to Christian Louboutins) But if there is one fundamental and universal truth among all these high-heeled shoes, it is the fact that it grants whoever is wearing it an immediate boost in confidence. However, a boost in confidence and sex appeal do not come without a price as any woman would tell you that wearing a pair of high heels for long periods of time can be rather uncomfortable. The fact is, a multitude of foot related injuries are caused simply by the wearing of a pair of uncomfortable high heels. But, this is not to say that there is no compromise–women are after all not subjected to a “grin and bear” mentality and attitude in the name of looking stylish and amazing. An elegant pair of high-heels and pain-free feet are not mutually exclusive and here are eight tips for you to continue looking fabulous in sexy high-heels sans the pain and discomfort.

1.) Have a knowledge of what kind of foot type you have

Not all of us are born with a similar foot. Out feet, like our bodies come in different shapes and sizes and if you want to feel at ease wearing your favorite pair of pumps, it would greatly help you if you educated yourself on your personal foot type. The best way to find out is to visit a podiatrist but if this is out of the question, you are not out of options. One way to do it is to drench your foot and step onto a piece of construction paper, this would show you if your foot is flattening or how high your foot’s arch is.

2.) A thicker heel is generally preferable

A pair of stilettos may look sexy and great, but they would undoubtedly cause your feet major discomfort after a prolonged use. Apart from this, it causes your foot to wobble. Alleviate foot discomfort by opting for thicker heeled shoes which would give you that much-needed leverage. However, this is not to say that you should ditch wearing stilettos altogether. If a dress calls for a pair, then do so as long as it is not something you would wear every single day.

3.) Take breaks

Your feet are experiencing a lot of stress when you are wearing high-heeled shoes–all the more if you are walking around in them. To make sure you would not cause any lasting injuries, a simple break would be enough to assuage the pain and discomfort your feet are experiencing. So, whenever it calls for it, kick your shoes off for a bit and stretch your ankles and toes.

4.) Make sure you are wearing the right shoe size

 

A cardinal rule when it comes to shoe shopping is to know you are buying yourself the right size and fit for you–not just for a pair of high-heels, but for any pair of shoes for that matter. Women often make the mistake of wearing shoes that are ill-fitting and are hardly they are size, and this may be detrimental. Your feet supports your weight, so it is vital that you make them as comfortable as they can be. One thing to consider is that your foot size changes over the years–most especially after you have had kids. Have your feet sized at least once a year for width and length, then base your shoe shopping from these.

5.) Opt for platforms instead of thin soles

You are exerting a lot of pressure when you are walking, and wearing thin soles will only aggravate this pressure. Thin soles are almost always guaranteed to give you pain at the bottom of your foot which is why you need to opt for thicker soles. Choose one with a little bit of platform which would offset some of the pressure on your feet while you are walking. The material should preferably be rubbery so that it would be comfortable and would absorb the pressure.

6.) Opt for a shoe with more coverage on top

 

Wearing a pair of high-heeled boots would feel better than wearing a stiletto with hardly any coverage on top all day. This is because the more coverage you have on the top of your foot would feel a lot better. Alternatively, you can wear something with an ankle strap or big wide strap across the strap for the summer season. This is especially true for women who are prone to blisters and friction.

7.) Invest in over-the-counter shoe inserts

These products are really helpful to your feet and would alleviate the discomfort in your soles if you are a woman who has to wear high heels every single day. These products are often known as metatarsal or ball of the foot pads, are oval in shape, made from silicone and would usually go under the ball of the foot. It would ease the soreness under the ball of your foot and would help steady your foot in the shoe to prevent it from sliding forward so much. In effect, it would protect your toes from friction and blisters.

 

Image Source, Image Source, Image Source, Image Source, Image Source, Image Source

Leave a Reply