High heels are dangerous!

[Skirted-UK]

Here we go again,

Experts warn of high-heel danger

High heels can cause serious ankle injuries

Women are paying the price for fashion in the form of broken bones and sprained ankles, a doctor has warned

see this link, http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/5235630.stm

[sendra45]

quote 'Alcohol and heels are a bad mix' Damn, hic. I saw this on telly this morning, but had a 'summer cold' and thought I was dreaming. the woman news reader with the stupid style glasses does not do heels, I have even seen her wearing trainers under the desk. huh, what does she know, I also watched Lazy town today, the baddy, robby rotten, wore heels and struggled with them, he then shouted out tht the preson who invented high heels, must have been.............................................................................. short. no kidding! great day one way and another for heels. Nigel

[balacau]

Stilletos can cause serious injury to other people too, that has happened to me. I got my foot stood on by a woman wearing a pair of high heel shoes. The bruise lasted a long time and it wasnt too much of a nice experience lol. Luckily she was lightly built!! But yeh it doesnt take a rocket scientist to imagine what kind of damage you can do if you lose your balance while in high heels

[micha]

Here we go again,

Experts warn of high-heel danger

High heels can cause serious ankle injuries

Women are paying the price for fashion in the form of broken bones and sprained ankles, a doctor has warned

see this link, http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/5235630.stm

Hmmh, since decades I have read publications and warnings of pompous doctors. Concerning the wearing of high heels, Dr. Rupert Evans has naturally no own experience. Nevertheless he is claiming to be an expert. His advice to limit the heels height to 4 cm seems to me ridiculous. For me that are grandmother shoes!

From my own experience platform shoes might be dangerous, especially if I've drunken too much. But I have never sprained a foot in a sober state on 3 or 4'' high heels. Even drunken with stiletto heels on the worst pavement it was never a problem. Its simply a question of experience and of training :drinking:

Every year hundreds of hikers are dieing in the Alps. I'm pondering also since decades how they managed their suicide successfully. The big majority of them wasn't wearing high heels on a glacier But is this fact an argument to warn against mountain tours?

[Shafted]

I have had a much harder time walking across pebble strewn parking lots with a chunky heel than a stiletto. If you step on a pebble with a stiletto heel its already centered under your heel, so you can easily walk through it. But those chunky heels on the same surface I really have to watch my step, as I have put my ankle right over sideways when my heel hits a pebble off center. Those things are dangerous. Fortunatly I have very strong flexable ankles, and as a result no injury. So for me, the stiletto is safer.

[hoverfly]

He added that Dr Evans' advice was very reasonable.

"Of course it could be a problem associated with alcohol. Alcohol and heels are a bad mix," he said.

I am willing to bet it's a risk most young women are willing to take to get the selvs laid!!

[Shafted]

I'm willing to bet that a lot of the women he treated didn't wear high heels on a regular basis either.

[micha]

I'm willing to bet that a lot of the women he treated didn't wear high heels on a regular basis either.

I join to your bet! How many girls are wearing in summer always flip flops but at saturday night they like to pull on high heels for the dance floor ...

[HeelD]

Badly fitting shoes is the real problem here. Many girls squeeze their feett into little toe boxes of stilletto heels thus creating problems like bunions in the future (look at Victoria Beckhams feet as an example). Many girls will wear ill-fitting shoes (even clothes) to appear "trendy". An ill-fitting shoe is hard to walk in - I speak from experience (you end up twisting your ankle a lot more). A stilletto shoe that fits well will cause far less foot problems in the future. Walking in high heels all the time can't be good for the feet, as is walking in 100% flat shoes all the time. I think a variation in heel height is the best way to approach it. (Why I own shoes of various heights). All things in moderation.

[Phoenix]

Here we go again,

Experts warn of high-heel danger

High heels can cause serious ankle injuries

Women are paying the price for fashion in the form of broken bones and sprained ankles, a doctor has warned

see this link, http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/5235630.stm

BEWARE of steps in heels. Wow, talk about an adventure. I admire women who can navigate steps in heels.

[Shafted]

What's so hard about steps?

[Wolfgang]

I almost fell down one because the pointy toe of my stilletto boot wouldn't let the heel part fit all the way on the step. I have to go up and down steps with my feet and an angle.

[BobHH]

My Beautiful Wife used to wear high heels everywhere. One day she caught a heel going down concrete stairs with an armload of files and fell down the stairs. It took her a year to fully recover and she never wore heels like that again.

[xaphod]

......

the woman news reader with the stupid style glasses does not do heels, I have even seen her wearing trainers under the desk.

huh, what does she know,

......

AHA, so you too watch breakfast telly to see what heels the women are wearing. It's a pity that the BBC are so prissy about footwear so as to seem to be actively worried about showing shoes.

Xa

[hoverfly]

My Beautiful Wife used to wear high heels everywhere. One day she caught a heel going down concrete stairs with an armload of files and fell down the stairs. It took her a year to fully recover and she never wore heels like that again.

Good grief!! Way did she not take her shoes off or find a different way to move those files? They say all ways have in hand on the railing when going down stairs when wearing heels.

[Phoenix]

What's so hard about steps?

I've gone up and down steps a lot in heels. Inside the house and out in public. Probably took it for granted this time. Any way, I’m in my 4” Steve Madden ankle boots on the landing between the 1st and 2nd floors of my house. Gone up and down these steps hundreds of times in heels. This time I didn’t get my heel far enough back on the first step, pitched forward slightly slipped a little and then fell to my left down about 4 or 5 steps. Luckily the steps are carpeted and I was able to break some of my fall by grabbing the banister. Still, I was bruised up a little and slightly wrenched my shoulder. Amazingly (happily) I didn’t hurt my ankle. Kept wearing the boots the rest of the day. You fall off your heels you get right back on

[Dawn HH]

The good doctor says to wear a heel no higher than 1.5 inch high. That's not a high heel---my cowboy boots that I wore for years had a 2 inch heel and I never fell off of them. I wore them everywhere and on all types of terrain for years daily. Cheers--- Dawn HH

[micha]

Hi Dawn, exactly my opinion!

[Wolfgang]

There are some dangers of flat shoes too, I saw a site about them. Probably anything touching your feet and changing your natural stance is going to hurt a little.

[dr1819]

I love this quote: "Women should stick to shoes with heels less than 4cm (1.5in) if they wanted to avoid a trip to hospital, he advised."

Huh. My old combat boots had a 1.5in heel. I guess all the soldiers fighting overseas are headed to the hospital. Well, that explains the casualties. And here I thought it was due to bullets, morters, and IEDs. Come to find out it's the high-heeled combat boot.

Nice. What out governments won't tell us...

For that matter, my hiking boot has a 1.5 inch heel. It appears, Micha, that would explain the fatalities in the Alps, too.

Here's another quote that I found ridiculous: ""There can be serious consequences, but we are not trying to ban them," he said."

Ban heels because they're dangerous? Even though he says he's not going to try banning them, why would the thought even cross his mind? Still, given some country's socialized medicine, I wouldn't be surprised if they said, "either wear flats or pay the medical bill!"

What's next - banning corsets because they can lead to internal injuries if laced too tight? Banning underwire bras because some studies has associated them with an increased risk of breast cancer? Banning soap because it's slippery in the shower? Banning beer because it leads to abdominal fat, the most dangerous kind with respect to heart disease and diabetes mylitus? (sp) Banning butter for the same reason? Banning whole milk for the same reason? Banning all foods except water, fresh fruits and vegetables, lean meats, poultry, and fish because all other forms of food are comparatively unhealthy? Banning computer screens to reduce the chance of cataracts? Banning indoor lighting because it tends to lead to sleep disorders which reduce a person's lifespan? Banning construction because of the higher than average accident rates on construction sites as opposed to those in an office setting? Banning coffee makers to prevent burns? Banning all plastic bags because they're a hazard to children?

Banning all objects heavier than 2 lbs because in the event one drops them on one's foot it can lead to broken bones, as can the inadvertant spill while wearing heels?

Of course heels can lead to injury. So can soapy water in a shower. So can riding a bike, playing football, skiing, and driving a car.

Yet in the last few decades, I've known precisely one person who was actually injured while wearing heels. She was walking off stage, transitioning from very bright lights to the dark stairs, stage rear left. She misplaced her footing, and during recovery twisted and broken (hairline fracture) her ankle. They again, she was wearing 5" heels with a 1" plat (mid-70s).

And since I first began wearing heels five years ago, I've had my share of missteps, but I've never strained anything, much less broken anything!

Here's an idea - let's change the speed limit to 5 mph in cities, 15 mph in rural areas, and 25 mph on interstates and autobahns. That way we reduce the risk of serious injury or death to almost zero!

As for alcohol and heels, I've always found they're a good mix, as the alcohol loosens you up a bit and one tends to walk much more fluidly, instead of stiffly. If you have enough to the point where it becomes dangerous, just remove the heels and walk barefoot.

Reminds me of the time when I was exiting a casino, carrying a pair of heeled sandals while walking barefoot. A rather bold lady waiting to cross the street asked me, "Who's sandals are you carrying?" As this was in my earlier days of heeling, I said, "My wife's - she left them in the casino earlier this evening. I'm taking them back to our room." She took one look at my bare feet, which still bore the strap-marks, and said, "Uh-huh. They're yours, aren't they?" Getting my dander up a bit, I said, "Of course they're mine. Do you see any other males around here carrying women's shoes?" That caught her off guard a bit, and she asked, "why are you wearing heels?" to which I replied," because I like they way they look and the way I feel wearing them." She asked me to put them on, but we were in a crowd waiting to cross the street, and I wasn't all that steady on my feet, so I declined, fearing I might take a spill just putting them on while standing up. "Sorry, but I've had a bit too much to drink." She said she understood, the light turned green, and off we went in separate directions.

The most telling comment in the article was this: "Martin Shalley, president of the British Association for Emergency Medicine said he had not spotted a recent increase, but he reiterated that high heels could definitely lead to serious injuries."

No recent increase, as was claimed by Dr. Evans, who provided no basis upon which he based his conclusion, other than the fact that "he noticed." One of the principle fallacies is that just because someone notices something that there's been an actual increase. People can begin to notice things for many reasons, and they assume there's an increase, even when there's a decline. When I bought a Honda years ago, I noticed an explosion of Hondas on the road! There weren't, but that was my perception, as I then had a personal interest in Hondas.

If there were any increase, I would attribute it to the spaghetti-strapped sandals which offer very little support compared to a high-heeled boot, which offers tremendous support, particularly if it's adjustable (buckles, lace-up, etc.). Even a good adjustable, thicker-strap sandal provides very good support, provided the straps are at key points.

I'm wearing a pair of RSVP Shandra's, with a 4-1/2 heel:

The cool thing is that the toe thong is very stable, as it's snug, without being too tight. The instep strap is a little tight, but that's good, and because it's woven fabric, it's non-slip. Plus, the footbed is contoured. Result - a very comfortable and stable sandal. I got them yesterday and have been wearing this around the house all yesterday evening and all day, today, with narry a bobble.

[Shafted]

dr1819, love the casino story. Nice pair of sandals you procured for yourself as well.

[dr1819]

Thank you - I'm quite happy with them!

I discovered rather quickly that casinos could care less what you're wearing, provided it's not distracting the customers (could given an uneven advantage to an alliance at a table - against the gaming laws, which casinos enforce as much as possible themselves as it keeps the gaming commission out of their hair).

If the casino has a movie theater in it, all the better. One of my favorite hangouts, and the first place in which I wore heels was a casino with a movie theater. I walked up to the bar, began playing video poker, was comped a beer, bought another, then walked over to the theater. A couple of people noticed my heels, but didn't say anything.

After pushing the envelope during the second and third years, I've settled into a routine of wearing whatever I want around the house (usually a skirt, and usually heels), but out on the town I usually wear a very conservative pair of heels, just boots with a 3" block heel.

dr1819, love the casino story. Nice pair of sandals you procured for yourself as well.

In re-reading, I just saw the part about the casino story - thanks!

Here's another I thought you might like (I couldn't tell anyone this before my divorce):

I was in Vegas, early in my heeling days. After spending about 2 hours at the video poker bar at the Riviera, trying to screw up enough courage to swap my sneaks for heels (aka, plying myself with drinks), I finally exited, changed footwear, and strolled back in wearing a pair of dark, muted two-strap sandals with three inch heels. With low jeans they appeared to be men's sandals, as the straps were wide.

I strolled around the casino, extremely aware of every eye on me. I must have been very nervous as the security guards picked up on it and I noticed them staring at me, but they were staring at my eyes, not my heels. So I forced myself to relax, strolled up to the bar, and ordered another beer, feeling a bit tipsy at that point.

After about five minutes of playing video poker, I strolled over to the craps table, where the action was rather hot (well, excited, anyway). I noticed a beautiful dark-skinned brunette at the table next to what appeared to be a rich man. Our eyes locked for a moment, and we exchanged the gentlest of smiles before returning to the action. I wandered a couple of tables over, watching the blackjack action at a $100 minimum table - boring, but I am into blackjack.

After a couple of minutes, I felt an arm slide into mine.

It was her.

She told me her name, I told her mine, then she suggested we get some fresh air.

I was married at the time, but I thought "how often does a beautiful brunette take you by the arm and ask you to go for a walk?"

Shortly after we strolled outside, talking about all kinds of things, she asked, "what's that sound?" We'd wandered away from the crowds, and she'd heard the clicking on my heels (she was in flats). I showed her my sandals and she said, "Ohmygod! You're wearing heels!" She laughed a bit, but I didn't care, as she was good company. Then she said, "That is so incredibly sexy," and tried kissing me on the spot, obviously intent on helping persuade me to go elsewhere. I averted her kiss, then told her, "I'm sorry - I really do enjoy your company, but I'm spoken for," showing her my ring." She said, "That doesn't matter," and it was my turn to laugh, for in my much younger days I'd have gone with her willingly, and she was obviously quite a catch, physically speaking. I explained that I was faithful, and while I didn't mind strolling around with someone as beautiful as she was, I'd never been unfaithful to my wife, and that night would be no exception. She tried once more, and when I averted that one, too, she asked if I was gay, to which I replied, "Not by a long shot. If I were gay, I certainly wouldn't be with someone as beautifully sexy as you!" We walked for about another ten minutes, and she said, "I have to get back to the casino. It's been really nice talking with you. You're wife's lucky. I wish I was as lucky as she was."

At that point, she turned, and walked off. I thought about calling after her, but I just stood there, watching her walk away. About twenty seconds later she turned around, looked back, saw me still watching her. I smiled at her and waved. She smiled back and blew me a kiss. I caught it, and brought it to my heart to let her know how much I thought of her, even though it wasn't meant to be. She just smiled more, turned, and headed back to her friends, and to her own husband, the guy who was at the craps table when she and I first exchanged smiles.

[Shafted]

Wow, talk about good vibes. What a really neat experience. I can see why you had to wait until your divorce before you could tell it.

[dr1819]

Wow, talk about good vibes. What a really neat experience. I can see why you had to wait until your divorce before you could tell it.

The funny thing is that while my wife supported it for the first couple years (I think she thought it was novel), she rebelled against my wearing heels the last, then finally began calling me "gay," even though I through out everything that wasn't plane-jane chunk low heel.

Yet I never cheated on her, even in my heart. She really hasn't a clue as to what she's lost.

Fortunately, my girlfriend, a far more stable individual, accepts me for who I am, heels, skirts, and all, and we're able to actually discuss contentious issues. How's that for "novel?" I call it "neat!" And very near and endearing to my heart.

[Guy N. Heels]

"Women should stick to shoes with heels less than 4cm (1.5in) if they wanted to avoid a trip to hospital, he advised." Well now, do we have doctor do-good or what? I know some women who couldn't walk a straight line in beach flip-flops while others have little difficulty on 6" skyscraper heels! Also, with my collapsed spine, it's not impossible for me to hurt myself just getting out of bed. Someone please tell the good doctor that the world is a dangerous place. By the way, please see my latest poll on the minimum height of a high heel on this same forum.

[Dawn HH]

Dr1819:-) What a stroke of luck for you at the casino in one way and in another way what a cavalier way that you defended your wife and marriage. That has never happened to me yet and probably never will, but I'm sure that I would, (without a doubt), handle it in the very same way as you did. Congrats to you for being a gentleman. A gentleman who wears heels may be quite rare these days. No doubt, you will try to dig up some statistics on that one. TEE! HEE! Cheers--- Dawn HH

[HH_addicted]

any sport is dangerous I once walked down a slippery slope ... gras... had rained... I was young and I was not even into hh... but I sliped and got my hand very unlucky bhind my back to catch my fall and broke my arm... so no need to wear hh to break something!

[muddypaws]

AHA, so you too watch breakfast telly to see what heels the women are wearing. It's a pity that the BBC are so prissy about footwear so as to seem to be actively worried about showing shoes.

Xa

:w00t2:I said the same thing a few weeeks ago, and was told nobody else wanted to see them.

I agree with you. Keep looking very closely- they do get a glimpse now and then

Muddypaws:sad:

[thedesigner]

If wearing heels is dangerous, then i love danger, bring it on!!!

[benthere]

Walking in high heels all the time can't be good for the feet, as is walking in 100% flat shoes all the time. I think a variation in heel height is the best way to approach it. (Why I own shoes of various heights).

All things in moderation.

I must have stumbled on the same conclusion. I only wear what fits - comfortably. Even if it's comfortable during the first hour, if it gets uncomfortable, I step down.

[b1tmaster0]

I believe, that the "not knowing how to walk in heels" is dangerous. As every-thing in this world need practice, so and for the heels. If "you" want to walk in these without injury and without look like a duck or ready to fall front or back, then you 'll have to excercise your feet, walking in them. You can not wear straight out of the "box" 6 inch and complain later that you have pains on you feet. As athlets do, you start from low and go higher. The point is, to, like you wear heels. Most of us, wear heels, without training. I think the "NO training before" is the problem and not the heels.