ulli

From today's NY Times. Of course, I disagree about the last statement. In the Relentless Pursuit of Fashion, the Feet Pay the Price By LORRAINE KREAHLING Americans seem to suffer a disconnect between what logic dictates is good for their health and what they do. They exercise, but they also sunbathe. They eat large salads instead of dinner, but snack on high-calorie, high-cholesterol junk foods. This habit extends down to the toes, or at least the toes of many women. Just ask the podiatrists and foot and ankle surgeons who do a brisk business in repairing feet wounded by the fashion industry's love affair with high-heeled shoes. "The current trend in fashion is very bad for women's feet," said Dr. Lloyd Smith, president of the American Podiatric Medical Association, who practices in Newton, Mass. "Superhigh heels with very narrow toes create problems and exacerbate existing conditions." Round-toed shoes with five- or even six-inch heels, fashionable this season, are hardly better; likewise the popular thong sandals, which completely expose the feet. "Flip-flops are close to horrible for the feet," Dr. Smith said. "They are totally flat, soft and squishy, and offer no support and no protection," not to mention their penchant for causing accidents by catching on things or inviting being stepped on. Even athletic shoes, experts say, occasionally lead to problems that require medical intervention. Medical experts agree that the best shoes for healthy feet mimic the foot's natural shape, while offering support in the arch and a flexible sole underneath the toes, the way most athletic shoes do. "A good shoe has a relatively flat sole and something that fits the heel snugly," Dr. Smith said. "There is lots of room in the toe box for the toes, and the uppers are of soft materials. Ideally laces make the shoe adjustable." So-called healthy shoes manufactured by the athletic industry bring in $11 billion annually, nearly one-third of the $35 billion Americans spend on shoes each year, said Marshal Cohen, chief industry analyst for the NPD Group, a fashion market research organization. But Mr. Cohen said sales data indicated double-digit growth for women's dress shoes in the last four months. High heels can be bad for wearers for several reasons, said Dr. Tzvi Bar-David, a doctor of podiatric medicine at Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center in New York. An elevated heel lifts the foot out of its natural position and shortens the Achilles' tendon. Such shoes also pitch the weight of the body forward disproportionately onto the ball of the foot, which in turn upsets the stabilizing mechanics of the foot. "High heels have a narrow area of contact and they point the toes downward, which puts the foot in an internally rotated position and makes their wearer more prone to spraining an ankle," Dr. Bar-David said. The padded human heel is there to absorb the shock, he said. When the heel hits the ground, the pressure is that of two and a half times one's body weight. "When you walk on your heel, you need to be able to absorb the impact of the heel strike," Dr. Bar-David said. "Your foot then becomes a rigid stabilizer, so you can push off in the toes in a balanced way. You don't want that rigidity to travel up through your bones." Pain in the back, neck and knees can be the result of shock that travels up the skeleton from a nonresilient heel. "When you start playing around with shoes that take away from the natural functions of your feet, you start to have problems," Dr. Bar-David said. In addition, fashionable shoes that try to convert the foot into an ideal form, with the toes narrowed or tapered to a point, often require cramming the foot into less space than it would normally occupy. Regular tight shoes put pressure on nerves and even damage them, and also contribute in the long run to arthritis, doctors say. Shoes with pointed toes or stiff soles, like the leather versions common in many high-quality shoes, can impede the foot's mechanical function by limiting toe and ankle flexibility, said Dr. Thomas Novella, who practices podiatric medicine in Manhattan and counts many professional dancers and athletes as well as leisure-time runners among his patients. "Metatarsal pads or stiff shoes inhibit the toes' range of motion and can make you lose toe strength," Dr. Novella said. "You are cheated of the power of your toes, those little muscular soldiers lined up in your feet that are there to help carry you forward." Dr. Novella said inflexible toe beds were one of the most common causes of shin splints. "If you can't push off with your toes, you begin to pull up or grip with them," he said. Because tendons in the toes attach to the tibia, when the toes tug, it can register in the shins. Tight shoes also can produce foot deformities in the toes, and can lead to symptoms from deformities that might otherwise go unnoticed, said Dr. Gary Jolly, president of the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons, who practices in Hartford. People have a genetic predisposition toward bunions and hammer toe deformities, he said, but shoes are often the factor that turn conditions into problems. "Almost all bunion surgeries are done on women," he said, adding that because men's shoes normally fit the natural contours of the foot and have plenty of space inside, men may have bunions but no pain. "I don't remember the last time I did a bunion surgery on a man," Dr. Jolly said. He also advised against a practice that is becoming more common: surgery for exclusively cosmetic reasons, like having toes shortened, straightened or even removed so the foot will fit into fashionable shoes. "The foot is a highly unique weight-bearing mechanism with a rich network of nerve endings, and a complex system of muscles and ligaments that stabilize it," Dr. Jolly said. "Foot surgery carries risks that can be greater than the more common forms of cosmetic surgery." He added that the college of surgeons did not support this surgery when there was no medical gain. Bunion surgery is sometimes deemed elective by insurance companies. Dr. Smith, who said bunion surgeries in his practice had doubled last year, also said recuperation time had recently been cut in half, to an average of six weeks from three months. Increasingly, bunions and other foot ailments are being treated in earlier stages with orthotics. The American Podiatric Medical Association reports that about 13.7 million Americans over 18 have used prescription orthotics at some time, and 23.5 million more have bought orthotics over the counter, though few of the devices will fit into a high-fashion dress shoe. Orthotics are used to do more than fix foot pain, said Dr. Lori Weisenfeld, a podiatrist who began practicing 15 years ago with her father, the late Dr. Murray Weisenfeld, who wrote "The Runners' Repair Manual." Dr. Weisenfeld said imbalances that begin in the feet can create groin pulls, knee pain, and back and neck pain. "When the alignment is off or the range of motion is limited in the foot, other joints compensate for it, and this is what often causes pain," Dr. Weisenfeld said. "An orthotic can correct faulty biomechanics, including how the foot is tilted. It can disperse pain away from painful areas by taking the pressure away." Foot specialists agreed that the wide variety of athletic shoes make it almost worth seeking the advice of a medical professional before selecting a pair. "People need to choose the right shoe for their foot type and their activity," Dr. Weisenfeld said. For example, she said, people with high arches may need more cushioning, and people with relatively flat feet may need more arch support. Dr. Novella said he had seen innovations in athletic shoes that caused problems, including plantar fascial tears from overly flexible arches. He has also seen bruised heels and sprained ankles from shoes with heels that were soft on the outside and hard inside, he said. His advice to his patients is that if the shoe fits, keep on wearing it, and if pain coincides with a new pair of shoes it is probably the fault of the shoes. "I tell my patients, 'Don't throw your old running shoes away until you are comfortable in your new ones,' " Dr. Novella said. "You may save yourself a trip to the doctor, simply by comparing the old with the new and finding what is different." With all this use and abuse of feet and fashionable foot flesh on display, it is no surprise that the pampering and repairing of feet has become a booming industry. Day spas have evolved new therapies for comforting tired, well-used, expensively shod feet. There are hot-towel foot "facials"; grainy rubs to remove the outer layers of dry skin; soaks of rosewater and milk or almond oil; and lengthy massages, which often use applications of stimulating menthol, which gives the skin a rosy glow. Regina Viotto, director of the Paul Labrecque Salon on the East Side of Manhattan, said the recent expansion of the foot-care department had helped accommodate the growing numbers of male customers, but catered particularly to women who were committed to their high-fashion high heels. "We are aware of women's obsession with their Jimmy Choos and their Manolos," she said, mentioning two high-end shoe designers. "We know these shoes are hard on the back and the body, so we have focused on creating relaxing treatments that alleviate the stress that women are putting on their feet." Dr. Novella held out hope for at least some women and their favorite shoes. He said that his goal was always to keep patients in "asymptomatic equilibrium," and that the formula was highly individual. "There are certain ways to test a person's calf tightness, as well as using other parameters which help you determine the degree of heel height the person should wear," he said. "The fact is some women are more comfortable in high heels." He added that jumping suddenly from stilettos to flats - or from daily flip-flops to high heels - was not a good idea. "Human tissues can adapt, and the best way to allow your tissues to adapt is to make no rapid changes," he said. "I tell my patients that changes in footwear and training should always be gradual - evolutionary, not revolutionary." Simon Doonan, the creative director of Barneys New York, had a simpler explanation for women's ability to wear the shoes they love. "Women have a higher pain threshold," he said. "Men would not do this." Copyright 2004 The New York Times Company

Hi! In the current special edition of NME/Uncut magazine on Glam Rock there's a picture on page 4 (I think) of David Bowie on stage wearing high-heeled platform sandals. I'm aware that he and many others wore platforms in the '70s, but these are definitely women's shoes. I didn't know he went that far with his androgynous image. Ulli

I've heard she is a highheel woman.

Years ago I read an interview with her in a German keyboard magazine where she mentioned that she has a large (in number, not size) pumps collection.

Ulli

Hi!

In today's online edition of the New York Times there's an article on cross-dressing called "Learning to Walk in Size 17 Pumps." You will have to register (for free) to read it. Here's the link.

Hi!

In my first post in this forum I described a TV commercial for the Austrian shoe store chain Humanic, which at that time unfortunately wasn't available on their website. As I have just discovered, one can now download it again, which I can only recommend! Follow this link.

There's one line spoken in German, which roughly translates into (from memory, I haven't seen it in a while) "And where's your mom, young man?"

If you haven't done so already, you should also check out the other spots, "Trying On" being my personal favorite. The commercials by this company always deal with shoe fetishs. Interestingly, as many have reported here, the beginning of their love for high heels dates back to an early age. Many of you may therefore recognize yourselves in the "New Mom" clip.

Wow! Thanks for the pics, barney15c. I find it extremely exciting if women whom I usually don't associate with high heels actually wear some, much more than seeing someone like Kylie Minogue in yet another pair of heels. Like when I saw Jodie Foster on Jay Leno a couple of years ago where she wore a short skirt and strappy sandals with what must have been 5" heels. Took me completely by surprise. If anybody has any pictures of this event, please post them.

A rather curious item is being offered on German ebay right now: A handbag whose bottom side is shaped like a platform shoe with high heel. Check it out:

http://cgi.ebay.de/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2874038060&category=23445

Has anybody seen her Live in Paris DVD? Did she wear high heels during that concert?

One more:

By the way, the cover for Kylie Minogue's new album, to be released in a couple of days, is a major disappointment. She's wearing panty hose, but NO shoes.

More album covers:

Don't ask me about the music, I haven't listened to either of them.

Thanks, Akev44. I will rent the DVD once it is released in Austria. It has received some very good ratings at the IMDB, and I can enjoy a movie even without any high heels in it

Does this page at http://www.humanic.at/xtragroessen.html -- Humanic / Schuhmode / X-TRA 32-52 Größen -- mean that they really do shoes from Euro size 32 to 52 ? If this is so then that is a really wide range indeed.

That's what it says: In some select stores they maintain an assortment of 300 different pairs of women's shoes in sizes 32 to 46 and 200 pairs of men's shoes in sizes 38 to 52. I didn't know that, quite impressive.

Carmen Electra in this week's TV Media:

I would like the shoes more without the joint between heel and sole.

The poster artwork for many movies does not always represent accurately what you will see in that particular movie.

True, you can't judge a book by its cover. But the plot summary of "Secretary" suggests a possibility of heels featuring more prominently than usual when they are shown in the poster artwork. Unfortunately, the film is not yet available on DVD here in Austria, so I cannot check.

We could open a new thread about movie posters featuring high heels. For instance, the poster for Gwyneth Paltrow's last film, View From The Top, shows several female flight attendants in very nice shoes.

The poster artwork for this film looks very promising:

Apparently it's about an SM relationship between a secretary and her boss, which is not my cup of tea, but this being a Hollywood film it can't be too extreme. Has anybody seen it? What's it like from a shoe lover's point of view?

Finally I was able to convince my computer to play the movies. They are great, thanks a lot! Love the sandals in catwalk02. They look almost like mine in my avatar.

Name: Ulli Age: 32 Gender: Male Location: Austria Occupation: Physicist Height: 172cm, 5'8" Weight: 57kg Shoe size: 41, 7.5 UK What's your favourite heel style: Stiletto What's your favourite shoe style: Sandals Do you wear your heels outside: No, and don't want to What is: (a) Your favourite heel height: 5" ( Your highest heel height: 6" (platforms) How often do you wear: (a) Your favourite heel height: rarely ( Your highest heel height: rarely Do you wear socks, hose, stockings or bare feet with your shoes: all Anything else you wish to add: I like shoes in general, not only high heels, but flats (such as penny loafers) as well

Hi!

This is my first post in this forum. I'd like to call your attention to a very hot high heels TV commercial by the Austrian shoe chain Humanic: http://www.humanic.at/tv_26.html

They have a few others on their website (click on "Werbegalerie", and then on "TV Spots"), but this is the best in my opinion.

I found it when looking for another of their TV spots called "New Mum", which is currently running here in Austria. Unfortunately, it's not available anymore on this website, so maybe I'll give a summary:

Little boy accompanies his mother to a shoe store. While she is trying on some pairs he wanders around and suddenly spots a gorgeous blonde in high-heeled strappy sandals posing in front of a mirror (close-up on the shoes). A clerk comes up to the boy and asks him where his mother is. He looks back to her while she's trying on a boring pair of sneakers, looks disappointed, and then points to the blonde, grinning. The end.

That boy could have been me (though I would never disown my mum. :-)) My interest in shoes started at an early age as well.

Hope you like the movies,

Ulli