THE WOMANS ROUNDABOUT HEELS OF PERIL: Dangers of high heel shoes For many modern women, high heels

represent the ultimate fashion statement. Beca use they are leg-lengthening, flattering and glamorous, it s no wonder women lov e and are often happy to wear even agonizing high heeled shoes. Enthusiasts rave that wearing heels cements an outfit together and makes it look complete, makes the legs look taller and slimmer and gives the wearer a sophisticated trendy lo ok and a feminine silhouette even when the lady is just wearing jeans and a T-Sh irt. High heels are enjoyed by other women because they are "cute and are contour ed to make the foot look slender. Moreover, some women believe that the use of h igh heels indicate a higher social status mostly because high heels are very pop ular with many celebrities. Due to these reasons and others, many women are obsessed with high heels, even w hen sporting them is a painful ordeal. In the form of stilettos, they first beca me popular in the Thirties, but in those years, heels used to be largely specia l occasion wear. Today, thanks to the influence of movies, they have become a m ust for daily the outfitting of many fashion conscious women. Thus over the years, high heeled shoes gradually become a popular fashion trend, so popular that it is has some women to surgically alter their feet in order to fit into them. But despite the obvious fashion appeal that a pair of stylish pe ncil heel has, a closer look at the health hazards associated with high heels ha ve given many a woman second thoughts on the issue. This is because recent studies have indicated that regular wearing high-heeled s hoes can result in a host of negative medical conditions. Sprained ankles, hamme rtoes, nerve damage and even knee arthritis are some of the common problems link ed to wearing high heels regularly shoes According to research, up to a third of women suffer permanent problems as a result of their prolonged wearing of kill er heels , ranging from bunions to irreversible damage to leg tendons. These medical problems have been attributed to the fact that in the high heeled p osture, the whole body puts pressure on the forefoot, making legs unable to apply balanced strength on the ground when walking. This in turn puts pressure on the hips and muscles in the legs, making these muscles work harder to move the body forward. The chest also has to stretch backward to maintain balance, thus affec ting the standard posture. Since the upper part of the body leans forward, the b ody tries to maintain its balance by decreasing the forward curve of the lower b ack. This position is unhealthy and it leads to lower back pain. This perhaps e xplains why many women who wear high heels often complain about back pain. High heels have also been fingered as the culprit for the displacement of the th oracic spine which is the area in the mid and upper back, a medical condition ex perience by a rising number of females A British study published in the Journal of Experimental Biology stated that wom en who wear high heels on a daily basis had a 13% shortening of calf muscles and a noticeable thickening of the Achilles tendon, making it painful to stand on t he ground barefoot. Another study, which was presented in the annual meeting of the American Society of Biomechanics in 2010, stated that high heels increased the compression insid e the knee, creating additional joint pain and strain. Wearing heels also altered the women s posture, forcing their ankles, knees and hips into unnatural positi ons that increased their risk for joint degeneration and osteoarthritis, stated t he study.

Surprisingly, many women acknowledge the health hazards associated with high hee ls but persist due to fashion consciousness. We women know that heels are bad fo r our spine and bones, but its just like our bad eating habits and addiction to s ugar; we cant seem to kick the habit of high heels, said 23-year-old graphic desig ner, Jennifer Adesola . Many designer killer heels like Louboutin shoes are as famous for their looks and quality as they are for the minimum degree of comfort they come with. They are h igh and very narrow in front, which means the foot rests in a very unnatural pos ition inside it. In a bid to alleviate the pain, some women choose shoes that ar e one size larger than their actual shoe size for a bit more comfort, although t his undoubtedly makes walking in them all the more harder The changes in posture and overall imbalance often lead to instability when walk ing and a resulting risk of ankle sprains. High heels, especially stilettos, wil l lead to instability and a major increase in ankle sprains result. An ankle spr ain is often caused from the twisting of the ankle and results in a tear of the ligaments that connect the foot and leg bones and stabilize the ankle. When the heel is balancing on a narrow stiletto heel, if the heel shifts outward slightly , a sudden twist may occur to sprain these ligaments. Swelling, bruising and pai n will result. At worst, it is possible for the ankle to fracture, a ligament ca n pull a piece of bone off, or even a bone in the foot can break due to the pull of a tendon. This tendon is designed to be flexible, so the foot can lie flat or point. But m any women who wear high heels too often suffer a shortening of the tendon becaus e once the heel is pointed upwards, it tightens up. Stretching it again can be v ery painful. The risks to today s teenagers are thought to be particularly great as they begi n wearing high heels at an early age, before their bodies are fully developed. T hey run the risk of hip trouble in adulthood and problems with back pain from th e stress placed on their spines as youngsters. In view of the aforementioned risks, therefore, a balancing of health and is rec ommended when it comes to the choice of female footwear. It has also been sugges ted that instead of wearing them every day, high heels should be restricted at m ost once or twice a week. But when strutting on heels is totallyly unavoidable, the following suggestions can come in handy: minimise the risks by choosing a sl ightly thicker heel as this will spread the load more evenly. Wear soft insoles to reduce the impact on your knees and make sure your shoes are a snug fit so th e foot doesn t slide forward, putting even more pressure on the toes. Finally, a fter a day spent balancing on high heels, a gentle massaging of the feet and ank les will go a long way to reduce possible future damage to your feet.