How far would you go to wear Stilettos?

As young girls we have heard the phrase "Beauty hurts." This definitely includes the trend of wearing stilettos. As a result of wearing these high heels, women are developing a host of foot problems including corns, calluses, hammertoes, bunions and ball of foot pain. Some have even gone as far as to surgically alter their feet to allow them to wear stilettos. Procedures such as toe shortening or even removal of the 5th toe to allow a more comfortable fit of these high heel shoes have been performed. When is it appropriate for these surgical procedures and what else other than surgery can you do to wear shoes comfortably?

Stiletto

According to Fox News Garrett Tenney, Eighty-seven percent of women have had foot problems from wearing uncomfortable or ill-fitting shoes such as high heels, according to the American Podiatric Medical Association. So to avoid surgery, a more practical solution is sensible shoes. Nowadays, a sensible shoe does not necessarily mean an ugly one, so here are some tips as to what to look for in a sensible shoe.  Firstoff, a squared toe box in the front of shoes allows much more room  than a pointed toe box. The toes will not rub in the shoes or be cramped and therefore, will reduce pain and pressure. The pressure from the toes rubbing on the shoes can cause the corns and calluses to develop. Then shopping for a lower heel causes less pressure on the forefoot  and lessens potential ball of foot pain. A stiletto heel can be anywhere from 1 inch heel to believe it or not, a 10 inch heel! When you are walking, the entire body weight is supported by your foot. When you are wearing a shoe with a high heel, 8 times your body weight is being supported by your forefoot, according to a study from Indiana University. So it is not too surprising that you instantly can develop pain under the ball of the foot after wearing stiletto heels.



More sensible Aetrex shoe

The thought of doing surgical procedures for purely aesthetic reasons reminds me of the handouts that come with your prescription medications. This states your doctor has decided the benefits of the medication out weigh the risks. In terms of anesthetic surgery, the risks seem to out weigh the benefits. Typically we recommend surgery when the pain is preventing a patient from doing their normal daily activities and maintain their quality of life. In these cases the surgical benefits far out weigh the risks. But to perform surgery when pain is associated only to accomodate a certain style of shoes is not in their best interests. In fact both the APMA and American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons do not recommend cosmetic foot surgery. According to Fox News Garret Tenney's article, "surgical procedures of the foot and ankle are generally performed for relief of pain, restoration of function, and reconstruction of deformities". Patients considering surgery of the foot or ankle, whether for medical or aesthetic reasons, are advised to consult a member of the American Podiatric Medical Association. "Surgery performed solely for the purpose of improving the appearance or size of the foot or ankle carries risks without a medical benefit, and therefore should not be undertaken,” according to the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons.

Is this what we are heading to?

 

 Dr. Alexandra "Sandie" Grulke
http://www.podiatrycarespecialists.com/