When the summertime comes, and you are wearing lots of nice dresses, or shorts – and putting a little more effort into your wardrobe – it’s not unusual to choose shoes that aren’t practical for you. Although they may look great at the time, there are some issues that can come with wearing high heels you may not be aware of. We’ve put together a list of 5 issues that can arise when wearing high heels to hopefully help you avoid any of these problems. The last thing you want when you are wearing nice footwear for summer is issues with your feet.
Bunions
There is no doubt you have heard of these before. Bunions tend to be the most common issue that comes with wearing high heels. You may also know they aren’t the most attractive foot accessory. They are boney prominences that will appear on the inside of your big toe. They are caused when the big toe joint isn’t aligned as it should be, although they look more like bone growths. They become incredibly sore when you are wearing high heels as the way they are shaped causes them to irritate the bunion bone.
There are a few ways to combat this. There are bunion sleeves that you can purchase that you can put over the bunion. This will reduce any friction. At nighttime – toe separators could also be an option. It could help resolve the misalignment issue. In severe cases, you may also want to consider bunion surgery – however this should be a last resort.
Hammer Toes
If you have toes that are bent – this can cause additional friction when you are wearing high heels. It can cause things such as sores, swelling, redness, corns and general irritability. When the smaller toes aren’t aligned and appear more prominent, this is when you a hammer toe will form.
You can get treatment products for hammer toes such as gel pads. Or you could put plasters on your toes if that works better for you. If you have already developed corns – then make sure you keep them moisturised.
Pump Bump
When you are wearing high heels the back of the heel bone doesn’t sit naturally and becomes more prominent. This causes some irritation on your heel. Although wearing high heels can be the cause and worsens the situation – it is the case that some people genetically have more prominent heel bones which doesn’t help matters.
In order to combat this, you should avoid wearing high heels as much as possible. Sandals are a great alternative and you can find great collections online such as these summer sandals from IKRUSH. These are both fashionable and practical – and would be a good start to resolving this issue. If you are still having problems a plaster will help a long way when it comes to helping. A last resort could be some bone shaving surgery, but this is dependent on a number of things.
Metatarsalgia
Metatarsalgia is effectively a pain in the ball of your foot. If you are wearing high heels on a regular basis – this is where the majority of the pressure will go. As the heel gets higher, as does the pressure on the ball of your foot. It is possible that you could get calluses on your feet. If the pain is ongoing – this could result in fractures and ruptures in your ligaments. This could lead to irreversible damage, so if it continues to cause you pain – then it’s always a good idea to speak to a professional. Gel cushions should be your first port of call. You should also limit the amount of time you are wearing high heels so there isn’t a large amount of pressure.
Tailors Bunions
“Bunionettes” which is the nickname for tailors’ bunions are smaller bunions – are found on the outside of your 5th toe. This is caused when there is a bone that is abnormally shaped. High heels, and more specifically shoes that have points on them will cause this to become more of an issue.
The preventative steps for this are similar to that of bunions. You need to do as much as you can to relieve the pressure and use cushions when putting on your shoes. Plasters can also help.
These are the 5 main issues that can be caused by high heels. If you are already having issues with your feet – it is a good idea to make sure that you are avoiding high heels as much as possible. There are so many fashionable alternatives – that there is no need to cause yourself pain to look good.