Marie Claire

CELEBRITY STYLE SPY: See all the latest celeb photos Stars animation


Towering heels may harm your back and brain

Victoria Beckham Rex Features

There's nothing like a pair of killer heels to transform an outfit from fine to fabulous. But step out with caution as doctors now warn that towering stilettos may harm your back and brain.

The news comes just a week after Victoria Beckham was pictured wearing flip-flops, exposing swollen feet and painful bunions.

According to doctors, about 80% of women also experience problems with their feet as a direct result of wearing tight and extremely high heeled shoes.

A recent report carried out for The Vitality Show revealed that over 200,000 British women sought medical advice for their feet last year, and a staggering 10,000 of these required hospital treatment.

But it is not just bunions and hammer toes that are causing a problem. Wearing high heels on a regular basis can have a dangerous impact on the back by distorting its natural alignment and compressing the spinal nerves.

On top of this, it has also been suggested that stilettos can even have an affect on the brain by constricting blood vessels and nerve supplies, causing headaches and impacting on brain function.

As research reveals that 65% of women still wear high heels for 40 hours a week - 35% of those being over 5in high - it's hardly surprising that more ladies than ever are booking in for a ‘foot filler'.

The latest cosmetic treatment involves collagen being injected into the balls of the feet, making wearing heels more comfortable.

Dr Nick Milojevic, specialist nonsurgical doctor at The Harley Street Medical Group, said: ‘This year we have received increased enquiries for foot fillers, a technique of using fillers to pad out the ball of the foot to reduce the pain caused by more vertiginous heels.

‘We do say to patients that the results are not long lasting because of the high impact on this area of the body so that they should think twice before spending the money.'

CLICK HERE FOR MORE HEALTH NEWS

 

Monday 8 February 2010


Have your say ...

Add your own comment

I am 5ft 3ins so love high heels and have always worn them for work and nights out. Now I am a mother and so I wear flats and heels but some of the heels in the shops now are ridiculously high. I am all for heels but why make them so high with platforms as well? I know it's fashion but they must cause 100's of injuries to our binge drinking teens. Let's have some slightly lower ones please!!!
Comment by nikki on February 08 13:56

Over the years I have suffered from corns, callouses, in-growing toe nails, bunions and my little toes have started to take on the appearance of pigs in blankets.
This is all in the name of love - love of shoes that is! I know it's the beautiful, skyscraping hedonistic world of the shoe that is permanently damaging my trotters but for an intelligent girl, my shoe love is irrational. I don't think I'm alone here either!
2yrs ago after a day scurrying around London to various client meetings followed by a lengthy night on the town I had a brain wave. I was sitting at my desk huddled over a Tall, Soya, Latte whilst my feet screamed vehemently at me from under my desk. Despite their protestations, I knew I would never give up heels but needed something that would get me from A to B with efficiency and style. 3 months later my friend Fleur and I launched Feet Fairies. A company selling cute lightweight pumps that fold into a pouch small enough to fit a clutch bag. The pouch then unfolds and turns into a bag large enough to carry the offending (but beautiful) heels that have ravaged your trotters.
Maybe sore feet do occasionally lead to less painful things...
Comment by Felicity Ive on February 08 14:24

I'm 5'9" and would love to wear heels more but all I see in the shops are pancake flats or five-inch skyscrapers that would make me taller than most blokes in my office. I love the elegance of heels but when they force me to gaze down on the world like Godzilla surveying Tokyo it's not exactly ladylike...
Comment by alice on February 08 17:34

nobody would volunteer for bunions and back ache if they honestly thought about it. however pretty those shoes are they arent worth being crippled for.
and ugly feet arent very nice at all. please show some respect for your bodies.
Comment by Helen on February 08 20:06

I don't see a problem with heels of any height - provided you do not wear them frequently. I wear boots (flat) most of the time, trainers in the summer and heels (very high) for nights out. When I was younger (and more stupid) I wore high heels most of the time and ended up with tense calf muscles, squashed toes and bad posture, not to mention sore feet! All things in moderation, thats my motto!
Comment by Saetana on February 09 04:00

Rate this ...

Rate this content

Thanks, your rating has been counted!

  • Current rating:

  • 4/5



Breaking headlines ...

April Subscription offer