Heels, Yeah!

Extracted from Shape Magazine November 2013

After one hour and six minutes of wearing heels, most women are in pain, a new U.K. survey found. Still, more than 40% say they're willing to suffer for fashion. Sound familiar? Lessen the hurt with these tips from heel-wearing podiatrists in New York City:

1. Find the Right Fit: Narrow feet can slip around in shoes, so choose a heel with an ankle strap for added stability, Krista Archer suggests. If you have wide feet, your best bet is a wedge with a rounded toe box, which is more forgiving on joints than pointy-toed stilettos.
2. Be a Pencil Pusher: "Slip off your shoes under your desk at work, put your feet together and try to pick up a pencil with your toes to activate the 38 muscles in each foot and strengthen your arches," Suzanne Levine advises.
3. Stretch It Out: "Over time, wearing heels of the same height will cause your Achilles tendons to tighten and shrink, which can lead to pain," Jacqueline Sutera says. Do a few downward dog stretches each night to release tension in the back of your legs. 

foot with narrow flats on

foot without shoes on

If you notice deformities developing (hammertoes, bunions, taylor's bunion) or pain from your current deformities, don't hesitate to give us a call. There are plenty of conservative and surgical treatments available!

Shoe Shopping Tips

Here are some tips to help reduce the risk of foot problems. Use this guide when you shop for shoes:

• Fit new shoes to your largest foot. Most people have one foot larger than the other.
• Have both feet measured every time you purchase shoes. Your foot size increases as you get older.
• If the shoes feel too tight, don`t buy them. There is no such thing as a "break-in period."
• Most high heeled-shoes have a pointed or narrow toe box that crowds the toes and forces them into an unnatural triangular shape. As heel height increases, the pressure under the ball of the foot may double, placing greater pressure on the forefoot as it is forced into the pointed toe box.
• Shoes should be fitted carefully to your heel as well as your toes.
• Sizes vary among shoe brands and styles. Judge a shoe by how it fits on your foot - not by the marked size.
• There should be a half-inch of space from the end of your longest toe to the end of the shoe.
• Try on both shoes.
• Try on new shoes at the end of the day. Your feet normally swell and become larger after standing or sitting during the day.
• Walk around in the shoes to make sure they fit well and feel comfortable.
• When the shoe is on your foot, you should be able to freely wiggle all of your toes.
• Women should not wear a shoe with a heel higher than 2 1/4 inches.

If you have any hesitations about your shoe selections, make an appointment and we'll help identify what you should look for in a shoe with your specific foot shape (high arches, high instep, etc.)!