MORE INFO ON THE HIGH HEEL

 

    The history of high heels spans many centuries and examples of the high heel are found worldwide.  It was in the early 1500’s that the high heel was invented, possibly by the great Leonardo da Vinci.  In the mid 1500’s, chopines, platform shoes rising up to as high as 30 inches, became extremely fashionable in southern Europe.  The use of high heels was popular among both sexes until only recently. In the 1950’s the stilleto was introduced.  Since their first introduction high heels have evolved and changed, but have remained a popular choice of footwear ever since.

 
    However popular they may be, the craze for high heel shoes such as the platform and stiletto can bring with it severe foot problems for life.  There are a wide variety of well documented medical side effects of wearing heels.  Many doctors of podiatric medicine see no value in high heels and they believe them to be “biomechanically and orthopedically unsound”, citing medical, postural, and safety faults of such heels.  High heels can contribute to knee and back problems, disabling injuries resulting from falls, shortened calf muscles and may even cause the wearer to walk with an unnatural, awkward gait.  Over a long enough period of time, high heels may even alter the feet enough to impair their normal functioning.  A new study also suggests that high heels place knees under enough strain to produce the wear and tear which leads to osteoarthritis.  Nevertheless, the rage for these types of shoes continues despite warnings from medical experts that prolonged wear can cause countless medical problems ranging from bunions and blisters to irrevocable damage to the spine.  Even with the availability of alternatives such as sneakers, flats, or sandals, the high heel continues to impose itself upon fashion.
 
   So why do so many women still choose to wear high heels despite the widespread availability of so many much more practical, not to mention more comfortable alternatives?  What is it about high heels that women find so addictive and men find so exciting?  Most women will admit that high heels cause them at least some amount of pain or discomfort, but will tolerate it in order to look “taller, stylish, and more professional”.  In a recent Gallup Poll, 37 % of the women surveyed said they would continue to wear high heels, even though they did not find them comfortable.  And according to a 1994 study by the American Podiatric Medical association, 33% of women wear high heels because they think it makes their legs look good.  The study also found that 31% wear heels even though they hurt their feet and 39% of women wear them despite knowing that they are damaging their feet.  It seems that for many women, achieving an aesthetic ideal is much more important than their own personal health, comfort and safety.
 
    Men are also infatuated with high heels.  In fact many women admit to wearing high heels not only because they think it makes their legs look better, but also because they know that men like it too.  According to some men high heels, “... gives the wearer an erotic charge - even when every step is agony. Indeed the pain is part of the sexuality.”  This seems similar to the Chinese practice of foot binding, where men found women sexually attractive by putting limitations upon the foot and were excited by the pain the women experienced as a result.  Despite this, some women even say that wearing heels make them feel “powerful”.  However, there is some good news.  Many women are now beginning to dress more sensibly according to some new studies.  A recent report given by American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons suggests that having a two inch heel for working women is going out of fashion.  The study found that only 21% of working women wear high heels, which is down from 34% in 1990.  There is also a much greater flexibility in acceptable fashion nowadays, with flats that are just as pretty as high heels.
 
    There seems to be a general debate about high heels, some women love them and others hate them.  In the end, its all a matter of personal choice.  It all depends upon the situation and the wearers priorities, and whether they would endure pain and discomfort to attempt to attain a cultural aesthetic ideal and be “fashionable” or decide to think more about their own health and comfort and just go with a more comfortable pair of shoes.  Personally, I think its all right to wear high heels every once in a while, but opt for more sensible shoes whenever possible.
 
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