I switched to women's shoes after many ankle reconstructions. I would have to wear 9.5 EEE male shoes and I then my heel would swim in the back of the shoes, 1/2 inch of extra space on each side between my heel and the shoe. While recovering from a reconstruction I started to look for a shoe that would FIT my foot. Every search can back with women's shoes. So, I bought a cheap pair of women's running shoes from DSW and they fit like no other shoe ever did. And they were a women's size 10. I have not bought a pair of "men's" shoes since and have not had ankle issues. Heel height was not an issue then as I wore 1 to 2 inch booties.
I had to raise my heel 4 inches to relax my calf so that it could heal. And because of other reasons I had to raise both heels 4 inches. You cannot walk around in 2 plastic medical booties, so I got a pair of high heels. During that time my hip pain subsided and 5 months later when I went back to 'flat shoes' the hip pain returned. So, for the last 10 years I have been wearing heels. It does take away all my pain but makes a tremendous difference.
Does height matter? YES. My sweet spot is 3.75 to 4.5 inch difference between platform and heel. Platforms are okay with me. It's the difference that matters. I will wake up in pain and put on a pair of heels (mules) to reduce the pain. Style, wedges, block, narrow, or stilettos are all good. The only important factor is fit. I will wear my shoes (heels) for up to 16 hours a day so fit is extremely important.
Wearing heels does not mean you have to pair them with a skirt or dress. I dress in 'male' style clothes. I have many leggings and will wear them as my pants often. Compression leggings are great for many sports, especially when you don't want the bulk. And I love my bodysuits as a base layer in the winter.