The effects of dressing up your feet
The effects of dressing up your feet
We love the way a pair of shoes can make you feel more confident and more engaging as an individual. It allows you to own your style and even more than that, it dresses up your feet. Although we love the fashion that goes along with dressing up of your feet, we have to wonder are all things that make us feel beautiful and confident good for our bodies. Now for men this generally isn’t such a huge concern as they (mostly) move around with flat or arched shoes; however women prance around with heels and unfortunately due to the uneven elevation that your feet ascend there are some consequences.
Although we have to admit heels do put an outfit together pretty effortlessly and well they sort of hold the ranking of being the best accessory. There are several health factors that are not mentioned in the terms of purchase. Refer to the very cool infographic that shows the effects of high heels on your body (supplied by the Huffington Post).
Here are some ways to avoid the problems that develop over time when wearing high heels.
- Use soft insoles to reduce the impact of the high heels on your knees. You can find these at a pharmacy or a supermarket or specialised cosmetic stores like Clicks or Dischem (in South Africa/Africa).
- Ensure that you are wearing the correct shoe size. This way your foot doesn’t slide forward if the shoe is too large placing more pressure on your toes. Also make sure that the shoe is not too tight because you need to allow for your toes to have breathing room.
- Shift and change your high heels wearing schedule. Try not to wear high heels every day and choose a day that you will be mostly seated if you are going to wear high heels.
- Stretching is important; make sure that your feet and leg muscles get enough movement so that you avoid cramping and strain on your muscles.
One of the main things that we don’t want you to do is eliminate your sense of style just because you are afraid of the after effects. Your feet are the main base of support and should be given due attention but don’t neglect your habits entirely, ease into what’s best for your feet and your body so that you can enjoy that night of dancing with friends and fashion your favourites on the dance floor.
Thanks to the American Osteopathic Association for the information and the Huffington Post for the infographic.