With office holiday parties and family festivities in full gear, women will be assembling their glittery, festive attire. Included in ensembles nationwide, of course, will be high heels!
“Ladies may want to rethink their approach and turn down the volume on that voice in that head that states ‘fashion over comfort,’” according to Dr. Gregorio Caban, DPM Reconstructive surgery of the Foot & Ankle at OrthoNOW in Doral, Florida. Shoes should provide comfort, stability, and even posture. A good pair of shoes can put you on the road to spine health and Dr. Caban has some helpful tips.
OrthoNOW’s Top 5 Tips Women Need to Know About Holiday Shoes
1. Get the best fitted heel possible.
Most high-heeled shoes, cowboy boots, and sandals (including flip-flops) fail to give a cushy step in your stride. If you have pain in the ball of the foot or you’ll be standing in your heels a long time, invest in shoe pads. This may be easier on the arch and might help relieve some pain in the ball of the foot.
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2. Platform heels are better than the classic heel since walking should not be a balancing act.
The wider the platform, the more stable the shoe. A thicker heel will give you better balance and can relieve some pressure by distributing the weight on your foot more evenly. If your foot is wobbling, slipping, and sloshing around, all the extra movement travels right up the leg to your spine, which is trying to maintain balance.
3. A good shoe always controls the heel with a strap or a cup.
High heel and flip-flop wearers especially endure an unstable shoe. Flip-flop, flip-flop … That is what the heel is doing, just flopping around.
4. Foot position affects the position of your ankles, knees, hips, and spine. Start by checking your feet.
The slightest adjustment to the foot can throw off your body’s entire alignment. The spine is very vulnerable because it has specially designed curves that evenly distribute your weight. High heels alter these curves.
5. It is fine to wear high heels.
If you are flat footed, wearing heels may help tighten your plantar intrinsic and give you stability to your arch.
OrthoNOW’s Dr. Gregorio Caban can address the points above at the clinic, which has 15 specialists on staff that treat broken bones, sprains, torn ligaments and muscles, cuts, sports, and workers’ compensation injuries. OrthoNOW has an in-house digital X-ray, MRI, on-site operating rooms and provides follow up care, and rehabilitation. OrthoNOW™ accepts most major insurance, has extended weekend hours and no appointment is necessary.
