We’ve all been there. Bought a pair of
brand new high heel shoes and found it impossible to wait to break them in and
wore them outside at any given opportunity.
At first, you LOVE your new shoes. They
do look very beautiful, you must admit. And wow! They are very comfy. First
couple of hours, you think this is easy. But then ouch. Ow ow ow ow ow ow!
Your toes are pinching and the back of
the shoe is rubbing against the back of your heel. Blisters! Argh! You really
hope you’ve got some plasters in your handbag otherwise you may not make it to
the end of the day.
And more often than not, there are no
plasters. Not in your handbag, not in your desk drawer at work and not even a
colleague or friend has them. You end up having to embarrassingly limp to the
first aid box if you’re at work or limp to the local pharmacy with everyone
watching you as you burn with shame. You start to regret buying those shoes,
quietly cursing them under your breath.
To help prevent this from happening in
the future, we have a few tips for you to try out. It’s important to bear in
mind that what may work for others may not for yourself.
Tip
1: It is the most completely obvious tip you could
possibly think of, but it is an important reminder; Wear the correct shoe size.
Your feet don’t stop growing as soon as
you reach adulthood. They can change as much as a whole shoe size when you’ve
had children. Get your feat measured at least once a year, for width as well as
length as you could very well think you have wide feet when actually you don’t.
Tip
2: The Stiletto heel is not your best friend. The
thinner the heel the more damage there is to your feet. (More on that later) Go
for a thicker heel to help you feet balance and take more strain off the balls
of your feet.
Tip
3: Opt for the platform – this ties in with tip 2.
Thin soles on shoes will no doubt create pains in your feet. A thicker sole or
a platform shoe will offset some of the pressure incurred while walking.
Tip
4: Tape your third and forth toes together with
surgical tape to ease pressure on nerves between the toes. This is tip is
favoured by catwalk models and will help you feel more stable and dulls any
aches and pains.
Tip
5: Another obvious one, but limit the time you
spend in high heels. When and where possible, take your shoes off and stretch
your feet and toes. Stretching the Achilles tendon can also help prevent any
pains in the heel.
High heels can cause damage to skin and
toenails, the pressure placed on the toes and the ball of the foot is
tremendous. Problems include blisters, ingrown toenails, ankle sprains, nerve
damage, corns and fungal toe nails.
Cut your toe nails often and moisturise
your feet daily. Invest in some silicone toe pads and where possible, go for
high heels that have a rounded or square toe box so your toes aren’t
restricted.
Following the above tips and speaking to
a podiatrist will certainly allow you to wear you high heels in comfort and
with a smile on your face.
PS – You can always carry a pair of our
fold-up handbag shoes with you. Small, lightweight and discreet, you can
quietly swap your shoes over and still maintain all the glamour required. Go
back to our website to see for yourself.
