Statistics show that high heels are one of the biggest factors leading to foot problems in women, with up to a third suffering permanent problems as a result of wearing them regularly. What’s with that?

Problems can include nerve damage, bunions, tight calves, osteoarthritis of the knees and lower back pain.

Bunions

In a shoe with a heel two inches or higher your foot will slide forward in the shoe, forcing your toe into the unnatural shape of the shoe itself. This also redistributes your bodyweight affecting your posture – and not in a good way for your poor spine. The increased weight on your toes causes your body to tilt forward, and to compensate so you don’t fall over, you lean backwards and overarch your spine. This creates a posture that will strain your knees, hips, and your lower back. The change to your posture puts pressure on nerves in the back and can cause sciatica, which can cause nerve pain all the way down the legs into the feet.
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