You may wear high heels to keep up with the latest fashion trends or simply to look taller. However, high heels can be bad for your health, particularly if you are approaching old age. Here are some of the reasons why.

They can cause back pains

High heels are common culprits of lower back pain in women. They take a toll on the spine and cause the lower back to accentuate its forward curve. Such adjustments will exert a lot of pressure to the facet joints. This can result in a significant misalignment of joints and cause the facet syndrome in older women. The heels further exert pressure on the disc in the joints, risking bulging and sciatica. Those who suffer from sciatica often experience chronic numbness in the leg and the abdomen. They may also have difficulties sitting or walking.

Since the body has to adjust and support the weight that is handled by the feet, the muscles in the hips and groin can tighten and become weak after some time. In an attempt to restore the stability, the muscles in the lower back will go into chronic spasms, creating more pain.

They can cause accidents

The emergency rooms in the United States treat about 19,000 cases of high-heel- related injuries every year. Sprains and strains to the foot are the most common cases, especially among older women. Some cases involve women involved in traffic accidents due to driving while wearing high heels. The sole in high heel shoes are dense. A driver cannot know how much pressure she exerts on the brakes or the accelerator. As a result, accidents often result from over-acceleration or under-braking.

High heels can also cause serious falls when the soles break unexpectedly. Although most of these injuries are minor, others can be worse. You may suffer severe head, leg and shoulder injuries.

High heels worsen bunions

Bunions are swellings that usually present at the joints adjacent to the toe. While scientists have proven that high heels do not cause bunions, they can get worse with these types of shoes. High heels exert a lot of pressure on the bunions and can make them more painful if you use the shoes over a long period. The symptoms can develop into shooting pains that do not go away unless you use medication. Victoria Beckham had to undergo an urgent operation as a result of wearing high heels for years.

Sometimes you might have a hard time differentiating between bunions and other forms of feet swellings and sores. Here are classic signs of bunions:

  • A bump on the outer side of the big toe
  • Chronic or intermittent pain
  • Swelling and redness near the joint of the big toe
  • Calluses

High heels can damage the blood vessels and nerves

Heels exert a lot of pressure on the foot and the spine. The spine has to adjust in order to compensate for the instability caused by the heels. This can cause bulging of the neck and abdominal facets. The facets can exert a lot of pressure on the adjacent nerves and lead to potentially serious damages. The heels can also cause a lot of stress on the vessels supplying the feet with blood. This can result in a condition known as the lymphatic drainage where the blood cannot flow to the body organs due to blockages. The ultimate effect will be the development of varicose veins on the feet.

AUTHOR BIO

ABOUT ALMA CAUSEY

Alma is a mother, wife and a professional blogger by choice. She has completed her masters in English literature from the University of Groningen. As a blogger she wrote quite a few posts on health, technology as well as management. She loves to discover new places and share experiences in words. Oh, Alma- is incomplete without cats.
Find her on Twitter: @Almacausey