5 Conditions Caused by High Heels

It’s hard to deny that high heels add high-fashion flair to everything from a cocktail dress to designer jeans but at NY Foot Health, we want to caution patients about spending too much time in them. Frequent wearing of high heels comes with risks to the health of your feet, including the 5 conditions below:

1.       Hammer Toe—typically, high heels are accompanied by narrow, pointed-toe boxes. The height of the heel forces your foot forward, and if there's not enough room, one or more of your toes may end up getting squished up against the front of the shoe. Eventually, this will lead to a hammer toe deformity. The affected toe(s) may be difficult to fully stretch out, causing pain and limiting mobility if left untreated.

2.       Morton’s Neuroma—this condition has a similar cause to hammertoe (and may even stem from a hammertoe). Still, it affects the nerve tissue and manifests on the bottom of your foot, usually between the third and fourth toe. Thickening nerve tissues can result in pain or a burning sensation in the ball of your foot. Some patients report that it feels like a pebble in their shoe or that their socks are bunched up.

3.       Ingrown Toenails—an ingrown nail is another painful foot problem that develops from toes not having enough wiggle room. As one toe presses up against another toe, the nail may start to grow into the nail bed. Once it penetrates the skin, it becomes excruciatingly painful and can become infected.

4.       Haglund’s Deformity—more commonly known as “pump bump,” this podiatric issue occurs when the bony enlargement at the back of your heel is aggravated by being rubbed by the stiff back of a pair of heels.

5.       Plantar Fasciitis—we often associate this with flat shoes with no arch support, but overly high heels can also cause it. When you are wearing heels, the weight on your foot is distributed unevenly, with much of it landing on the balls of your feet. This also places a strain on your arch and can result in inflammation.

The bottom line is that it’s best to limit your use of high heels or give them up altogether. Fortunately, today many shoe manufacturers are making stylish shoes that are good for your feet.

If you believe you are experiencing any of the above conditions, it’s important that you contact your podiatrist and get your feet examined. If you need to locate a podiatrist, use our online directory. To learn more about how to take better care of your feet, contact us and subscribe to our free e-newsletter.