STRUTTING YOUR STUFF IN THOSE STILETTOS THIS VALENTINES? IMPACT OF HIGH HEELS

ALDO, GUESS, GUCCI, MILANOS, NINE WEST... Being a stiletto addict myself, I have dedicated todays blogs to heels. With V-day steadily approaching HEELS=Aching feet!  No matter how great they look or how good they make you feel what an absolute curse it is! Especially as it is not exactly an easy part of one’s anatomy to rest, unless you are an expert at walking around on your hands!

BUT there’s definite risk associated with your fav high heels.
I love wearing them, but omg, can't they be more comfortable?  High heels prop us into an unnatural posture that places added pressure on the ball of your foot, shortening the Achilles tendon, tightening the calf and can cause a whole range of foot, ankle and even back problems.
If you consider how many thousands of hours in our lifetime on your feet it's no wonder they can sometimes strike in painful protest.
Since for most of us beauty trumps our pain so despite the above, you won’t stop wearing these sexy shoes... why not arm yourself with some foot sense, and walk away with happy feet?
Here are 4 high-heel physio tips.
1. Shortened tight Achilles tendon
The Achilles tendon is the thick, strong tendon at the back of your foot that connects your calf muscle to your ankle bone and while it can withstand high forces, it's also injury prone. If you frequently wear high heels, this propped position shortens and tightens the calf muscles and the Achilles tendon because the heels of your feet have limited contact with the ground, which aids in stretching both areas.
Physio Tip: Regularly stretch your calves and Achilles tendons, especially once you've stepped out of your stilettos.

HOW TO STRETCH THE CALF? EASY...

This stretch mainly opens the gastrocnemius, this is the first muscle that makes up the outer calf. With your arms extended and your back straight, place both palms on a sturdy surface, preferably a wall. Put the calf you want to stretch behind you, being sure to keep your heel pressed to the floor and the leg extended without bending the knee. The other leg is in a lunged forward position in between the wall and the extended leg. Keeping your heel down, slowly bend your elbows and lean forward.

Repeat same position but bend back knee slightly, this will stretch the soleus muscle (second muscle making up the calf)

***Hold all stretches for 20 second. Repeat 5 times.
2. Toe box-ing
With most high heels, fashion overrides function, either compressing the toes or forcing them together, which results in blisters, corns, bunions and many other conditions some of which may require surgery. Morton's neuroma is caused by a thickening of tissue around a nerve between the third and fourth toes. High heel use can bring about this condition through irritation and excessive weight on the ball of the foot. This stubborn condition is made better with orthotics, cortisone injections and sometimes surgery. In this situation, prevention is surely the key.
Physio Tip: First off, reduce the amount of time that you are in your high heels. Spend the rest of the time barefoot; in supportive, flat-soled shoes.
When you purchase high heels, follow these helpful guidelines:
Buy the right size. Your feet get longer and wider as you age so if it's been a while, have your size remeasured. Stand during the measure so you capture your weight-bearing size.
Fit also by feel. Sizes can vary from one manufacturer to another and from one style to another. If your normal size 9 feels tight, go bigger.

Big foot wins out. Many of us have one foot that is larger. If so, buy for the big foot so comfort wins out.
Late day expansion. Your feet swell during the day, so buy later, since a shoe that feels fine when you try it on in the morning could feel tight that afternoon.
3. Falling for someone this V day?
Have you ever fallen off your shoe? The position of the foot in the heels and an often narrow heel width can cause the ankle to become unstable, resulting in ankle sprains, not to mention the embarrassment of picking yourself up off the ground.
Physio Tip: If you tend to have poor stability choose shoes with a wider heel, or avoid ankle straps in favour of a full heel and try this balancing exercise to strengthen the muscles in your feet and ankles.
Alphabet foot: Stand barefoot, balancing on one foot and "air draw" the alphabet with your other leg. The varying positions of your moving leg will force you to test your balance on the support foot, thereby strengthening those muscles in multitudes of movement patterns.
4. HIGH HEELS = ACHING BACK
High heels shift our centre of gravity forward, causing the spine to bend backward to compensate. Is it any wonder that prolonged standing =low back pain?
Physio Tips:
Take a break: If you have to be on your feet for long periods, try to find even brief opportunities to sit down and take a load off.
Practice Posture Perfect: When you're standing, think about your core whether you're in a lineup, at a networking event, or waiting for the elevator, square your shoulders, lengthen your spine and bear your weight on both feet. Keep shoulders, hips and knees aligned.
Tummies In:  Pull in and up on your abdominals in a light contraction that will not only provide support for your back, but will strengthen your abdominals.
Take a Cue: "posture perfect" is difficult to maintain 24/7, so give yourself a cue ex. every time you sip a drink- engage your core.
HAPPY FEET ALREADY?
Lucky you...take these simple precautions toward prevention. If you feel you've overstepped your high-heel health with these or other foot maladies, take a sensible approach to your foot fashion and also talk to a podiatrist who can clearly diagnose your pain. It's important to remember that high-heel hindrances like these don't happen overnight, but rather develops over time, and you can take small steps each day to keep the pain away.


UNTIL WE BLOG AGAIN... STAY ACTIVE...

           Lianca Dookran          

"Hands On Physio on Hand"

032 5863240     0727294763

 

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