When you wear high heels, you are shifting your center of balance to the balls of your feet, which can cause issues such as foot pain, calluses, bunions, neuroma, shortening of the Achilles’ tendon, and even pain in your knees, hips, back, and neck. The higher and narrower the heel, the worse the symptoms will be.
But, on the other hand, wearing extremely flat shoes can also be harmful for your feet, since these shoes don’t support the arch of your feet properly; they can cause foot and arch pain, bunions, and even plantar fasciitis.
Overall, both high heels and flat shoes cause these symptoms because they both place abnormal load and stress on the feet, and don’t offer enough support for comfortable walking. To avoid this, make sure you wear shoes that properly support your arches, don’t have a narrow toe box, and if you’re going to wear heels, make sure they have a platform and a wide heel.
Brent Goddard – Podiatrist, discusses treatment options for Metatarsalgia and Morton’s Neuroma
You can also practice certain foot exercises to strengthen your foot muscles and allow the foot to cope with the abnormal stress usually associated with flats and high heels. These exercises are simple, and won’t take up more than a few minutes of your day. You can even perform them while doing other activities!
