There once was a girl who loved her shoes...
Not just any shoes, but gorgeous, sky-high stilettos. Black ones, brown ones, satin ones, tall ones! Everywhere she went, you could be sure she would do it in her heels.
However, she did have one thing she wasn’t so particularly in love with: her constantly aching, slightly crooked feet. You see, this girl and her stilettos went to important soirees, went for drinks with the girls, and did all their shopping together. In reality, she was abusing her feet without even realizing it.
For years, she forced her feet into 6-inch stilettos, bought the wrong-sized, latest heels (convincing herself she could deal with the slightly smaller shoe), and all but forgot about her toes; with the exception of pedicure day.
Does this sound like someone you know…or maybe even…you?
Don’t worry…I know and completely love girls like you. You work hard, you multi-task, take care of everyone else’s problems (from your girlfriends to your absent-minded boss), and you somehow manage to fit it all in and be fabulous...except for one thing: your feet are killing you. All.The.Time.
Familiar, right?
This is where I come in. I want to educate and help you modify what you are doing with your feet. We will discuss treatment remedies you can implement to keep your feet (and therefore the rest of your skeleton) happy.
I’m a woman. I completely get it. Big heel = big impact. However, there are some things you can do, even while wearing stilettos, that will reduce the damage to your toes and feet:
Dr. Stephanie’s Stiletto Rules:
1. The higher the heel, the higher the front platform should be.
Take the Yves St. Laurent "Tribute" or the Christian Louboutin "Roland" for example:
These shoes have an elevated front platform, which essentially reduces the relative toe-to-heel elevation. What this means is every time you take a step, your arches won’t collapse as much (the clinical term for this is pronation), because the relative angle of the foot is reduced. Less pronation means happier feet.
2. Opt for a less severe point.
Rounded toes are the preferred shoe here, but if you have to have a point, opt for a rounder point. The pointier the shoe, the less room the toes have to wiggle around and move, which is essential for walking and balance.
3. Buy a half-size to a size up from your regular size.
If you are planning to be on your feet for a prolonged period of time (e.g. dancing, or even at the office), your feet will love you more if you give them some breathing room. There is a tendency for feet to swell when we are on them for prolonged periods, and that bit of extra wiggle room from the larger shoe size will reduce the pressure the shoe will exert on the swollen foot.
4. Wear medical-gradient compression stockings.
These are not the saggy ‘support’ hosiery you see little old ladies in. These are sleek knee-highed or thigh-high stockings that help your veins and lymphatic system draw excess fluid up from your lower limbs. They are totally comfortable and look exactly like regular nylons.
Bonus: they also prevent varicose veins from forming, reduce leg fatigue, reduce foot and ankle swelling and make your legs look amazing. A must for the pregnant woman.
5. Get custom orthotics designed for heels.
We should be wearing orthotics in most, if not all, our shoes. They reduce the impact of walking while simultaneously correcting our walking patterns. Heels are no exception ladies! You can get a custom orthotic designed to fit the stiletto of your choice (your chiropractor can measure and size the orthotic so that is slimmer and doesn’t create as much bulk inside the shoe). This way you can wear your shoes and know you are getting the support that your feet need.
So there you have it. Some simple, super easy tips to implement while simultaneously loving your stilettos and your feet. If you are interested in finding out more about medical-gradient stockings, or orthotics, I am certified to custom fit for both of them, or I can direct you to a chiropractor in your area who offers similar services.
Happy Walking!
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