The truth about high heels and your health
This study makes great social fodder for your bone & joint offices
I was so excited to see this headline from the NY Times pop up on my Facebook news feed: Science Weighs In on High Heels. Low heels have always been my go-to for comfort; however, the mental benefits of looking good, e.g., taller, leaner, younger, are sometimes worth the physical discomfort of high heels. Upon seeing this headline, I was hopeful to find some concrete, scientific evidence on whether I should grin and bear it while I walk through life a few inches taller – or stick to the mantra “comfort is king.”
A study recently published in The International Journal of Clinical Practice found a mix of good and bad news. It found that wearing high heels daily for 1-3 years can lead to increased muscle strength around the ankles. However, after three years, those same muscles showed weakening, resulting in poor balance.
Based on these findings, I suppose I could count learning to walk in heels as a temporary exercise program for ankle strength and balance. I could tough it out for 1-3 years. After all, no pain, no gain. Just think – I could finally run in 5” red stilettos on cobblestone streets like all of those female cops on TV. (I’ve always wondered how they did it.) But then I can return to my low heels and boots in the name of health.