Whether you’re on a dinner date with Mr. Right (or Wrong), striding with singular purpose into the office elevator, or cruising the sales on a Sunday—there’s nothing quite like the perfect wedge, pump, stiletto, or slingback. “Everyone wants the big designer shoe. Even moms in the suburbs are wearing spiked heels,” says Angel Terrazas, shoe designer and fashion stylist to stars like Emmy Rossum, Serena Willams, and Dita Von Teese.
But the dark side of your Louboutins includes a list of maladies sounding more senior citizen than sexpot—back pain, ingrown toenails, bunions (an enlarged bony bump near the big toe), hammertoes (the unnatural bend in the middle joint of the second, third, or fourth toe resulting in a shoeful of tiny “hammers”), calluses and corns (a thick build-up of hardened skin caused by friction or pressure), and pinched and painful nerves (also known as neuromas).
Ankle sprains and knee injury also skyrocket as heels reach towering heights (and adding the off-balancing quality of one too many margaritas doesn’t help either).
All of this knowledge is nothing new—but it goes without saying that Ms. Monroe’s stardom was not sealed in a pair of sturdy brown oxfords, and you’re not sporting running shoes to a summer wedding any time soon. So, how can we have our heels and wear them, too? Check out a few simple suggestions from a foot and style expert.
A less painful plan may involve choosing a pair that’s manufactured for comfort (and that doesn’t have to mean Birkenstock). “Wear one of the better brands, like Cole Haan’s Nike Air collection, that has cushioning under the metatarsals,” says Dr. Victoria M. Foley, DPM, a Los Angeles-based podiatrist. (In case you’re wondering—metatarsals are the bones that run from the arch of the foot to the toes, where your weight is forced when you wear heels.)
Terrazas adds that we’re seeing more synergy of science and style these days—notably designer Dana Davis, who collaborates with a team of podiatrists to engineer heels, wedges, and boots with a system of hidden cushion and arch support. Her peep-toe pumps and high-heel slingbacks look far from anything remotely orthopedic.
Also consider a slightly chunkier heel, which provides increased stability compared to the more tapered types, which wobble when you walk and add stress to the forefoot and knees—not to mention being the main culprit in the spectacularly embarrassing trip-and-fall.
Even more stability can be found in a wedge or a hidden platform, “which allows for a higher heel with less unnatural arching of the foot,” says Terrazas. But watch for too-tall platforms and wedges, which can lend themselves to sprained ankles. Foley recommends a 2-inch heel for inescapable all-day standing or walking (a.k.a. those days when every single dress fits at the storewide 50% off sale). Quantifying heel height is easy: Measure the height of the wedge or platform at the ball of the foot, then subtract that from the height at the heel.
The slingback pump scores high marks as well. Foley explains, “your foot can move backwards—and you actually can wear it a bit pointier, as there’s less crushing in the forefoot.”
If you’re dying for a particular pair, don’t wait for end of season steals—shop early when stores have all the sizes in stock. Wearing the wrong size increases injury risk, so if you have to shove your foot into the confines of a too-tight (but super cute) pair of slippers—walk on, Cinderella. Foley advises never ever believing a salesperson who says “you just have to break it in.” “The shoe either fits or it doesn’t.”
And if your normal size doesn’t quite feel right, don’t be shy about asking to be measured. Shoe size changes an average of two shoe sizes in a lifetime after you’ve fully grown (women’s feet usually stop growing by age 14). “As you age, the ligaments don’t hold the joints as tight—so your foot can spread out. You can go a half-size larger, longer, or a little bit wider,” explains Foley.
So, if you’ve scored some slingbacks in a size that feels good (the heel doesn’t slip, you pinch and feel space between your longest toe and the shoe’s end, and the ball of your foot doesn’t feel like it’s being squeezed to death)—take a last look inside to make sure they’re made with something real. “Leather over synthetic, always,” Terrazas advises. “[Synthetics] get hot and don’t breathe. Leather molds with you.”
Also keep in mind that it may be cheaper in the long run to buy and wear a few different pairs. Rotating your shoes “puts different pressures on your feet,” Foley explains. “You don’t want the same pressure every single day, especially in a heel.” Using your coveted vacation days on ingrown toenail surgery is costly in more ways than one—so go ahead and blame your podiatrist for that teeny bit of shoe shopping gluttony.
And if you’ve already fallen in love with the sky-high Italian alligator heels? Be realistic about their run (ok, maybe run isn’t the right word) time. “I recommend standing or walking in heels for 2-4 hours at the most,” says Foley. Keep a couple pairs of flats under your desk or in your car to slide into for the rest of the day.
Bottom line: If the shoe fits and you’re realistic about how far you can push your all-too-human form—there just might be a way to wear it.
Varci Vartanian is a jack (er, Jill) of all trades. After a successful career in healthcare, she traded her lab coat for her current position as chief temper tantrum tamer/play date consultant for her two-year-old. She also enjoys writing short stories, freelance magazine work, and carbohydrates. Follow her on Twitter @varci_vartanian.
I also have these arch support pads in a couple pairs of my heels, and have found them really helpful! I have a super high arch, so I really need the extra support, but they make them more comfortable!
http://www.beauty.com/products/prod.asp?pid=189099&catid=196380&aid=338669&aparam=189099
