Stilletos
Is your idea of comfortable foot wear governed by looking good is feeling good, allowing your conscience to settle for nothing less than stilettos or sling backs? Or do you take pride in being the comfort-seeker who has filled up her wardrobe with colourful flip-flops and ballerinas to prove style is not all about high-heels? Either ways, you are headed for a sole-disaster unless you sit up and incorporate little alteration in your shoe statements.
Ballerinas
The heels v/s flats debate is as old as the invention of the former, which dates back to 15th century and even earlier, what with Egyptian murals depicting men and women in heeled accessories. While there is zero debate on the style statement heels make, its comfort quotient, rather discomfort quotient is being talked about increasingly, more so as women stay out of the home for longer hours, literally on toes. Certainly, obscenely high-heels (four to six inches) a standard with stilettos, sling backs and mules are fatal for one’s body posture. They not just result in severe conditions for the foot, but also affect the lower back and the knee.
Wedges
However, for reasons purely fashion-centric, fashionistas have little emphasized on the benefits of pumps with kitten heels, well-strapped wedges, peep toes and wide-stacked heels. Apparently, these sober cousins of the high-heel come with many ‘comfortable’ advantages. Apart from the fact that they add a few inches to your height and give you that extra dose of confidence, they also improve blood circulation. Yes! You read it right. Footwear with two inches of heels or lesser can modify the centre of gravity of your body and in turn, generate muscle not just in your foot, but also your calf and thighs.
Peep toes with kitten heels
They also prevent much friction for the heel, unlike flats such as big boots, ballerinas and flip-flops which strain the Achilles tendon, resulting in sore heels and lower foot arch. Another condition arising out of super-flats is plantar fasciitis, a result of the inflammation of the tissue supporting the arch as well as muscle and tendon strains throughout the leg. This again, is often a result of little support for the arch’s natural shape and increased pressure on the heel.
Mary Jane with wide-stacked heels
Yet another design element you need to consider while on a shoe-hunt is its shape. If you have broad feet, opt for round fronts rather than pointed shoes. A big toe box ensures enough space for each of your toes and they don’t have to juggle with each other for space. While this is sure to reduce skin irritations arising out of sweat (if you happen to live in a humid city), it will also widely reduce your scope to encounter bunion. A rather painful condition, it can be best identified with those classic pointed pumps which push your big toe toward the second one. On a regular basis, toe fights can result in jutting out of an extra bone at the base of your big toe, causing severe swelling and pain.
Pumps with kitten heels
Clearly, while there are occasions that demand you to don classic pumps or even thin strapped stilettos to radiate unlimited power and glam, alternating them with semi-closed wedges, kitten heels or wide-stacked ones should help deal with signs of sole-discomfort. Remember, the best way to counter it is by investing in multiple pairs of different shapes and heels and alternating them every other day, just like you do with your other accessories.
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