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shoe decisions
damaging your body
Your shoe love could be doing more damage than good, says a leading podiatrist
SONYA’S BACK!
hoe love is true love … but women all over Australia are making decisions podiatrists are referring to as “shoe-icide” because they are doing real damage to our feet. From heels to our unofficial comfort shoe of the nation, thongs, Australians are making bad decisions every day that can result in all-over body ailments like heel pain, lower back pain, nerve problems, misaligned hips and bad posture. Leading heel pain specialist and sports podiatrist Karl Lockett says:“Among the patients I see every day, more than half are suffering pain and injury not just with their feet, but also other parts of the body, from their knees, to their hips and backs. Bad decisions in their choice of footwear is frequently a contributing factor.” It is estimated that around 70 per cent of the population suffer from an over-pronating foot, where their foot rolls inwards excessively. Karl says this is worsened when wearing the wrong shoes. Whether you have an over-pronating foot or not, here are three bad shoe decisions Australians make when it comes to their footwear. HIGH HEELS: High heels are sexy and many women would never give them up, but the trade-off can be painful, putting pressure on your lower back and knees. Worse than that, they create tight calf muscles, which often leads to other issues. Along with blisters, bunions and possible nerve damage from pressure on toes, high heels can also cause an unsightly and painful bony deformity at the back of the heel called a heel spur – which can be permanent. Not so sexy after all. Recommendation: A heel height of 2-3 cm maximum is ideal. Be sure to stretch your calves for at least 30 seconds three times a day and don’t walk around in your high heels for any longer than three hours a day.
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WEDGES: Chunky wedge platforms often have a rigid foot-bed and the soles offer no flexibility; this throws off the biomechanics of walking. It can potentially lead to stress fractures if worn too much for too long. Calves will also get tight and can lead to heel pain. Recommendation: If you must wear a platform, a low one is ideal. Try to look for styles that have some cushioning in the foot-bed and choose soles that have some grip like rubber. BALLET FLATS: Ballet flats are too thin and flexible, and don’t afford your foot any arch support. If you have a high arch, then too much pressure will build under the heel and ball of foot.This can lead to heel pain, potential stress fractures and pressure-point soreness. Recommendation: Firm-soled shoes like leather brogues are best. In general, if your shoe is easy to fold back then it’s not really giving you any support. 36