How Not To Take Care Of Your Feet

[kikepa]

I now have a podiatrist! Not for my feet, thank God, but for an ankle problem I developed since I sprained mine in 2011.

I shared this with my podiatrist, and he just laughed and said, "That's what they get for wearing heels all their life!"

I've been on this forum for a few years, and all I've heard here is how wearing heels does not produce the sort of deformities you see in these 15 celebrities.

Maybe I wasn't paying attention....

Anyway, I was a bit flabberghasted, so I asked the Doc, "Are these really caused by wearing high heels? I thought that was largely a myth."

He said, "Oh, no. Not a myth at all. Here, let me show you," and proceeded to walk me through every one of the 15 photos, describing what happened with each of them, and why. I can't remember most of what he said, but the bottom line is:

1. If the heel is too high, that alone bends the ball of the foot at an unnaturally large angle, and puts an unnaturally disproportionate amount of pressure on the ball of the foot at the same time. Over time, this results in a change of the morphology of the bones in the first three toes. He clarified and said, "Just like braces, it will permanently change the shape of the bones." Example: Janice Dickson

2. If the toe of the shoe pushes toes left or right from where they would normally fall walking barefoot, that will also, "just like braces, permanently change the shape of the bones." Example: Naomi Campbell.

3. If the shoe doesn't have the proper suppert along the instep (as in nearly all pumps), and the wearer's toes are bearing the brunt of the forces, jambed up against the inside of the toe of the shoe, it will fold them over time, accordian-style, so even walking barefoot they'll be crinked at an angle. Example: Katie Holmes.

4. Combinations of 1 and 2, above, will either initiate or exacerbate bunions. Example: Iman.

5. The other combinations (1-3, and 2-3) simply result in two combinations instead of one.

6. The younger the wearer begins wearing high heels, especially if the heel is guilty of problem 1, 2, 3, or a combination thereof, the more prounced the problem will be, and particularly if the wearer's bones are still forming, which my doc said, "continues happening until we're about 25 years old."

7. The longer a wearer is in heels throughout the 16-hours people are typically on their feet each day, the worse the problem will be.

So I asked him, "What's a heel wearer to do?" He laughed and jokingly asked, "Why, do you wear heels?" before adding, "If you do wear heels, wear them as seldom as possible. The more time you spend in them, the more problems you will have. Wear one that's low to moderate height, about 3-1/2 inches max for your size foot. It needs adjustable support for your instep. A lace-up oxford or boot is good. Make sure the footbed is cushioned and follows a natural countour, supporting your foot along it's entire length. And for God's sake, don't wear heels that scrunch your toes, either sideways or straight on! That's the biggest problem I see in here!"

Then he thought for a moment and said, "I should thank the designers, though, as they've made me a lot of money."

I then asked him about wearing higher heels, for me, 4"-5" and he said, "Why on Earth would you want to do that?" before adding, "As long as you don't spend all day in them, or wear them day after day, a few hours in a higher heel every once in a while isn't going to kill you."

By now I knew that he knew I was a heel-wearer, and he came right out and asked: "Do you wear heels?"

I dodged it by asking him, "Do you get that a lot in here? Male heelers?"

He replied, "More than you might imagine."

Then I said, "Yeah. I sometimes wear heels."

He said, "As long as you keep it to 'sometimes,' you should be ok. Your foot doesn't show any signs of long-term damage of the type normally associated with wearing heels. Not going to help your ankle, though."

And that, my friends, was one of the most interesting conversations I've had all year!

[Shafted]

What's funny to me is this doctor was blaming high heels for these foot deformities. If you take the words you quoted of his though, the fit is the real issue. After 8 years of daily wearing, outside of a few callouses my feet still look like the feet I've always had. Last year doctors "killed a quarter of a million people in the US." Why on earth would anybody would even give them the time of day is beyond me. I watched doctors destroy my fathers life. Butchers, murderers and drug (poison) dealers, that's all they are. Sadly, there seem to be a large number of people now who are unable to take care of themselves. It's a flaw which will eventually cost them not only their quality of life, but their life. Why do good people voluntarily fall into the healthcare trap? Do they enjoy being a eugenics experiment? I call it a trap because once you are in the system, it is virtually impossible to get out

[AZShoeNut]

And that, my friends, was one of the most interesting conversations I've had all year!

I bet it was.

[ilikekicks]

I had a check-up today from landing on those nails. The doctor saw the flats I was wearing and stated " Womens shoes? ". ' No, MY shoes. '. She asked if I wore heels and I told her ' all the time '. Not really the response she expected but they are my feet. I was there to have them check for tetanus, not give me a 5th grade lecture. Im going for a stroll tonight. I doubt said ' doctor ' could walk as far as I could.

[kikepa]

What's funny to me is this doctor was blaming high heels for these foot deformities. If you take the words you quoted of his though, the fit is the real issue.

I think he was blaming the generally poor fit of most high heels. I buy my shoes online, but I return 4 out of 5 pairs due to poor fit. If I can wear them for at least four hours out of the box without discomfort while I sit and type, stand to do the dishes, and walk back and forth taking care of other things, they're keepers. If not, I send them back.

I think the problem arises when people like the way the shoe looks more than they're concerned about its comfort. They kid themselves into thinking "they'll break in" but keep wearing them even after it's clear the only thing that's "breaking in" is the person's foot.

In the meantime, consider this:

“By one recent estimate, seventy-five percent of the problems eventuating in the more than 600,000 bunionectomies, hammer toe repairs, neuroma excisions, and bunionette corrections performed annually in the United States ‘either result from or are greatly aggravated by the use of high-fashion footwear.’”

That's not a quote from a medical journal. It's a quote from a law journal.

After 8 years of daily wearing, outside of a few callouses my feet still look like the feet I've always had.

Anecdotal evidence. I'm a statistician, so I tend to side with scientific studies which are properly devised and conducted over a sample population of one. Nothing personal, mind you! I'm just all too aware of the many and varied biases which creep into the human experience.

[Shafted]

Moving this topic to "For everybody". It just doesn't seem relevant to this forum.

[Guest]

I know heels have changed my feet but I am ok with that. Some ways its for the better. My feet now fit the shoes better. As a shoe and foot lover I notices feet all the time. There is a friend of my daughter that has about the nastiest looking feet I have ever seen and I know she never wears heels or shoes that would make her feet look like that. I sometimes think about that eddie murphy movie wear he has a thing for feet and he talks about "hammer time" going on in those shoes. Now when I see woman that have feet that are messed up from heels I think of it as "battle wounds" from heels and can only imagine how much time she must have spent in heels and what she has worn and how much her feet have hurt.

[kikepa]

I had bunions and hammertoes before I started wearing heels, which I only do seldomly.

I suspects genetics have a lot to play.

I suspect they do play a role. However, the podiatrist specifically named half a dozen over-use/pressure injuries, of which he said 90% of his cases are long-term HH wearers (as reported by his patients), and he suspects the other 10% are too, but are too ashamed to admit they messed up their own feet.

Now when I see woman that have feet that are messed up from heels I think of it as "battle wounds" from heels and can only imagine how much time she must have spent in heels and what she has worn and how much her feet have hurt.

I'm not knocking wearing heels. But why live with "battle wounds" and chronic pain throughout the second half of your life when you can avoid it by wearing heels less and flats more? Or by choosing properly-fitting heels? Or by combining both approaches?

I'd wear heels all day, if it wouldn't adversely affect my feet. More than one long-term member, here, has had to curtail, if not halt their heel wearing later in life because they spent too much time in heels and not enough time allowing their feet to readjust to the position and stresses for which feet have evolved.

Enjoying the best of both worlds (heeling now, good foot health later) requires some sacrifice now. If I don't, there will be hell to pay later.

[hhboots]

I feel genetics are definitely involved but poor shoe choices will absolutely exacerbate this condition. My podiatrist tells me 85% of his bunion patients are women, and there are several statistics posted that confirm this imbalance.

I had foot problems (bunions) that started long before I ever considered putting high heels on my feet, I have pictures from my childhood that shows this. Also, there are several others in my family with bunions.

Anyway, I had corrective surgery about 10 years ago that resolved my issues, and since then I have been wearing heels far more than I ever did before the surgery (but I am mindful to wear proper fitting shoes), and I see no evidence that the issue has returned.

So my point is that some people are genetically predisposed to be more far likely to have these sorts of foot issues, but they aren't necessarily guaranteed to have those issues as long as they stay away from narrow / poor fitting, high heel shoes. On the other hand, there are those that will never have foot issues even with a lifetime of wearing heels. So I am absolutely convinced genetics is a major player in this.

I am sure there are a lot of men like me that either have bunions or have a tendency to develop them, but since they normally don't wear shoes that exacerbate the issue, bunions will not become an issue for them, or they may just live with them since they normally wear wider shoes it won't really bother them enough to see a doctor about it.

Update - I found this article that pretty much confirms most of the same things I just said above:

http://www.dailymail...unions-too.html

[Curt]

I wear heels every day and refuse to stop. Btw, I don't own any flats. But I wear well made heels.

[Gudulitooo]

If its the 15 ugliest celebrities feet, it is not so bad, Among the 15 showed, Serena Williams, Sarah Jessica Parker, Kate Beckinsale, Renee Zellweger and Angelina Jolie have nice feet. Feet are a base for our body, and always in contact with the ground (or not far) so why would you expect them to be first all the same and second, all perfect as the vitruvian man has. As for genetics. Let's say my grandmother and my mother's feet were modified from wearing high heels, do that leave enough time for their genetic pool to have integrated the alteration as a mutation, and then transmit it to me ???

[Impala]

My big toes are pointed very outwards, which makes my feet even wider than they already are. Because of this, most of the shoes I try on, including male shoes, feel too narrow at the toes. I used to to often buy male shoes that were actually a size too large, to give my big toes enough space. I bought two pairs of pumps, both labeled "wide feet". One pair is too small in general, and I feel it really pushes on my toes. I think my big toes are pushed inwards. The other pair is good in size, but my toes still don't have that much space. I don't wear heels often, most days not more than half an hour, some days around an hour, because I can only do it when I'm alone, but if I'd wear heels a lot, would it permanently put my big toes inwards? If this would happen, and nothing more, it would actually be good because I could fit into more shoes. Or should I on the opposite be even more careful not to wear heels that push my toes inwards to avoid pain and problems?

[Trolldeg]

Last year doctors "killed a quarter of a million people in the US." Why on earth would anybody would even give them the time of day is beyond me. I watched doctors destroy my fathers life. Butchers, murderers and drug (poison) dealers, that's all they are.

I assume you match your heels with a tin foil hat.

[Shafted]

Tin foil hats make the wearer look stupid, and everyone else act stupid. Sorry, but I would like to keep stupid as far from me as possible.

[kikepa]

I feel genetics are definitely involved but poor shoe choices will absolutely exacerbate this condition. My podiatrist tells me 85% of his bunion patients are women, and there are several statistics posted that confirm this imbalance.

I had foot problems (bunions) that started long before I ever considered putting high heels on my feet, I have pictures from my childhood that shows this. Also, there are several others in my family with bunions.

Anyway, I had corrective surgery about 10 years ago that resolved my issues, and since then I have been wearing heels far more than I ever did before the surgery (but I am mindful to wear proper fitting shoes), and I see no evidence that the issue has returned.

So my point is that some people are genetically predisposed to be more far likely to have these sorts of foot issues, but they aren't necessarily guaranteed to have those issues as long as they stay away from narrow / poor fitting, high heel shoes. On the other hand, there are those that will never have foot issues even with a lifetime of wearing heels. So I am absolutely convinced genetics is a major player in this.

I am sure there are a lot of men like me that either have bunions or have a tendency to develop them, but since they normally don't wear shoes that exacerbate the issue, bunions will not become an issue for them, or they may just live with them since they normally wear wider shoes it won't really bother them enough to see a doctor about it.

Update - I found this article that pretty much confirms most of the same things I just said above:

http://www.dailymail...unions-too.html

Good post and link, hhboots - thanks!

Update: I had surgery two months ago, and am recovering slowly but surely. Due to the nature of the surgery, I'll be in athletic walking shoes for six months, at least until I can walk two miles every other day without pain or swelling. Only then will I try heeling, and I'll be starting from the ground up, literally.

In the meantime, I now have access to a great deal of top-quality, peer-reviewed studies on various abnormalities of the foot. One of the most encompassing ones notes that regardless of one's genetic disposition towards bunions, studies done on all genetic types throughout the world notes a very high correlation between wearing either wide-open sandals or going barefoot and the lack of bunions. The crux is that a lot of male dress shoes employ pinched toes, as well, and if you're genetically disposed to bunions, pinching your toe, even slightly, can result in a bunion. Even if you're not genetically disposed, you can still get bunions from pinched toes, it just takes a lot more pinching. Also, even if you are so disposed, wearing flats will not necessarily prevent them, as a lot of people who sleep on their sides unknowingly put inward pressure on their toes.

For years, I've worn male Merrell clogs to work. No bunions. Regardless, my surgery was on my ankle, nothing more. I do know that so long as I wore heels on occasion, it didn't really yelp, but when I began wearing heels all the time, it steadily degraded.

Shafted, while I'm very sorry to hear about your father, that's a single instance, and is not statistically relevant to the topic at hand, particularly when studies involving hundreds of thousands of people tell a far different story. I do not appreciate your continued revulsion of science and the practice of medicine exhibiting itself in the form of derisive comments describing those of us who respect doctors as "wearing tin hats." That's wholly inappropriate and a violation of forum rules.

[Shafted]

I do not appreciate your continued revulsion of science and the practice of medicine exhibiting itself in the form of derisive comments describing those of us who respect doctors as "wearing tin hats." That's wholly inappropriate and a violation of forum rules.

I didn't say that! Get your facts straight. The tin foil hat comment came from Trolldeg, not me and it was aimed at me.. Read before you write.

And for your information, it is not a single incident from a physician standpoint, but multiple physicians on multiple occasions. My dad would be dead now if family had not intervened on those occasions.

Why are you bashing me for another's post? Huh? Have you got it in for me or what? What the hell did I ever do to you?

[fatfuzz]

What's funny to me is this doctor was blaming high heels for these foot deformities. If you take the words you quoted of his though, the fit is the real issue. After 8 years of daily wearing, outside of a few callouses my feet still look like the feet I've always had.

Last year doctors "killed a quarter of a million people in the US." Why on earth would anybody would even give them the time of day is beyond me. I watched doctors destroy my fathers life. Butchers, murderers and drug (poison) dealers, that's all they are.

Sadly, there seem to be a large number of people now who are unable to take care of themselves. It's a flaw which will eventually cost them not only their quality of life, but their life. Why do good people voluntarily fall into the healthcare trap? Do they enjoy being a eugenics experiment?

I call it a trap because once you are in the system, it is virtually impossible to get out

I feel genetics are definitely involved but poor shoe choices will absolutely exacerbate this condition. My podiatrist tells me 85% of his bunion patients are women, and there are several statistics posted that confirm this imbalance.

I had foot problems (bunions) that started long before I ever considered putting high heels on my feet, I have pictures from my childhood that shows this. Also, there are several others in my family with bunions.

Anyway, I had corrective surgery about 10 years ago that resolved my issues, and since then I have been wearing heels far more than I ever did before the surgery (but I am mindful to wear proper fitting shoes), and I see no evidence that the issue has returned.

So my point is that some people are genetically predisposed to be more far likely to have these sorts of foot issues, but they aren't necessarily guaranteed to have those issues as long as they stay away from narrow / poor fitting, high heel shoes. On the other hand, there are those that will never have foot issues even with a lifetime of wearing heels. So I am absolutely convinced genetics is a major player in this.

I am sure there are a lot of men like me that either have bunions or have a tendency to develop them, but since they normally don't wear shoes that exacerbate the issue, bunions will not become an issue for them, or they may just live with them since they normally wear wider shoes it won't really bother them enough to see a doctor about it.

Update - I found this article that pretty much confirms most of the same things I just said above:

http://www.dailymail...unions-too.html

My dad had bunions as does his mum and my sister. None of whom have ever spent anytime in heels (actually my grandma may have in her youth but that was the '20's so unlikely to have been anything as wild as the shoes I wear!). My sis reckons she looks like a man in drag when she wears heels ( I said "so do I!") so she doesn't. I don't have bunions as such but I do feel that they have changed shape a bit and the start of bunions maybe forming. I have also become more flat footed. My point being there's definitely a genetic link with them and here is a case in point.

I was thinking about getting it looked at by a chiropractor I saw for my back when I did that in as she noticed it at the time. SHe is good and I trust her - she worked wonders on my back so I hope she might be able to give good advise in this situation too. I never did tell about the heels thing tho. I probably should if I'm gonna see her again tho.

[meganiwish]

  (actually my grandma may have in her youth but that was the '20's so unlikely to have been anything as wild as the shoes I wear!). My sis reckons she looks like a man in drag when she wears heels

That's no way for a girl to talk about her grandma

[Gudulitooo]

I had bunions and hammertoes before I started wearing heels, which I only do seldomly. I suspects genetics have a lot to play.