No platform shoes?

[tiffany]

Hi all, I wanted to know for those of you who wear heels with no platform how long it took you to get used to them and not have pain in the ball of the foot? Now that I am going out for walks nightly the low heel pumps I wear do not have a platform and to be honest after a while of walking, in them, they start hurting a bit so I start to wobble since I don't transfer all my weight there and I'm not that balanced on a stiletto Tiff

[Dr. Shoe]

It depends on the shoe, some are more comfortable than others.

[Bubba136]

It depends on the shoe, some are more comfortable than others.

And some lasts fit your foot better than others. Any shoe that you choose to wear has to fit the shape of your foot and give support along the arch. Any style of to wide width or shortened length will tend to make your feet sore after a short period of wearing. If you're going to spend a significant amount of time (a couple of hours, or so), it is very important for maintaining healthy feet to try them on before you buy them.

[Histiletto]

Not knowing all the details of the fit, the type, the ability of your feet to adapt the positioning of the greater raised heel than you wear regularly, and etc. I can only offer a few remedies other than those that have been posted. You may need padding for the toe ball joints. Do the heels really support your feet or can you twist the soles easily with your hands. Not knowing your body mass, loosing weight could be part of the solution. Have your feet ever sustained serious injury that prevents their comfort from your extensive use of heels? It could be just a matter of getting familiar with walking in heels for longer periods of time. Everyone has their own set of issues in their high heeled wearing and they have to learn what they can expect and what their limits are, so don't be discouraged. I would love to be able to walk gracefully in 6" high stilettos with no platforms, but so far my limit is around 5" and the shoes have to fit well, have the construction and materials of good quality, and they must fulfil the requirements for the type of heels I want to wear and be seen in. This list doesn't mean they have to be expensive, but that depends on the familiarity with the heels, the brand, and/or the retailer.

[tiffany]

I did try the shoes on before getting them but they were cheap as I only bought them for practicing (as I obviously can't walk in 4" heels). The heel is very similar to this one only with a 3" heel http://stuartweitzman.zappos.com/n/p/dp/59006334/c/828.html

The shoes do feel comfortable in every aspect as long as I don't walk more than a block with them, that is when the pain starts.

I tried twisting the shoes and they can bend from the front. I have never sustained any damage to my feet but do have flat feet.

So I guess the lesson I'm getting here is always buy quality and I should try heels that are not pointy (although in this case that is not really an issue).

I bought some padding for the ball area, I will let you know if that helped.

Thank you all for your input.

[Dawn HH]

Tiffany:-) wearing a 3" heel isn't that extreme to get used to unless you are a real novice at wearing heels. I started the very first time in a 4" heel, but that is just me. Not everyone may be able to do that the first time. You should be able to go more than a block in heels without any problems. Try the ball of the foot pads and see if that makes a big difference. After all you are probably used to mens shoes with a much thicker sole as compared to a womans shoe with a much thinner sole. That may be a problem and you will have to keep wearing heels with a thinner sole to build up the padding thickness thats built into your feet over time. Keep us posted as to your progress and by all means, don't give up trying. Cheers--- Dawn HH

[tiffany]

Dawn HH, Thank you for your words of encouragement. The shoes I have are fine height wise; I don't have pain in the arch or elsewhere due to the height it is just the sole area that bothers me. I did try going out in 4" shoes at first but to be honest I could not walk very long before giving up. However, I think that if the 3" shoes had a platform I would not have any problems. I went to payless today looking for something that would have a ~3" heel with a platform but sadly I could not find anything; at least nothing that I liked and that was more discreet.

[Dawn HH]

Tiffany:-) Thank you for your up-date and reply. Cheers--- Dawn HH

[tiffany]

Just wanted to post a quick update, I bought some pads for the ball area and now I don't have any more issues. My feet still hurt but now just a normal amount. Thanks for the suggestion!

[pussyinboots]

I began heel wearing at 15 and I think it took me a number of years to learn how to walk in non-platform heels correctly, starting out in low heels about 2.5" or 3", then gradually increasing the heights once I had mastered the art of balance.

In my experience of heels without platforms, the problem with foot pain boils down to 3 factors.

1) The steepness of the arch of the shoe, and the support built in there.

2) The quality of the cushioning in the inner sole (sock).

3) How you walk in them.

If the arch of the shoe is designed correctly and gives your foot the correct amount of support in the first place, then the pressure on the ball of the foot is lessened considerably, as the wearer is able to walk in the heels in the correct manner. It also allows the wearer's weight to be more evenly distributed along the entire length of the shoe, instead of the foot being 'tipped' towards the toes.

If you add good quality cushioning in the inner sock of the shoe, as opposed to just a thin layer of covering material which so many manufacturers use, then the sensitive areas of the wearer's foot are better protected.

The trick is to walk in high heels correctly, i.e. heel down first, then toes. This minimises the pressure on the ball of the foot, and the toes.

[roniheels]

I have had an easier time walking in high heels without any platforms that platform high heels. Sometimes for me, the platform throws me a little off balance.