Women often complain about their aching feet after a long day of wearing high heels, but they keep on wearing these uncomfortable and painful shoes for the sake of beauty and fashion. Wearing high-heeled footwear on a daily basis may be the cause for structural foot deformities resulting in serious long-term damage to their feet and lower body.

The main reason that frequent high heel use leads to acute foot pain is that human feet were not meant for using high heels. On the other hand, high-heeled shoes were not designed to provide foot comfort either. Our feet are designed to provide us with strength and balance while walking or running. Wearing high heel shoes can change the shape and structure of our feet, which causes pain and inhibit proper foot function over time.

Women who wear high heel shoes are not the only ones who suffer from ball of foot pain. This condition can also occur when wearing normal shoes, especially after walking for long periods of time or standing all day at their jobs. Ball-of-foot pain is also caused by over-pronation of the feet, and can be alleviated by wearing a full-length orthotic insole that features a metatarsal raise to help relieve the pressure and friction in the ball of the foot.

Technically, women suffer from pain in the ball of the feet after wearing high-heel shoes because their feet slide forward into the shoes, redistribute their body weight while creating numerous pressure points and upsetting their bodies’ biomechanical alignment..

There are many reasons for foot pain related to wearing high heels. Some of the most common ones are metatarsalgia (ball of foot pain), bunions, callous and corns, Achilles Tendonitis, hammertoe, and many others.

The uncomfortable ball of foot pain, the most common effect of wearing high heels for prolonged periods of time, occurs when one or more of the metatarsal heads become inflamed due to too much pressure. This is a painful condition of the metatarsal area of the feet, which can be found below the toes.

People who suffer from ball of foot pain typically feel a burning sensation on the metatarsal area, often having excessive callous formation in this area. Wearing high heel shoes often or for long periods of time can make the situation worse, so if you need to wear high-heels, you should wear orthotic insoles to redistribute your body weight more evenly across your feet.

Tips for Preventing Foot Pain From Wearing High Heels

  • Go for wider shoes instead of narrow ones.
  • Always bring spare running or tennis shoes.
  • Buying shoes in the afternoon or at night allows a better fit.
  • Do stretches before walking or before doing any strenuous physical activity.
  • Buy leather shoes instead of synthetics.
  • Get regular foot massages to alleviate muscle soreness and improve circulation of blood.
  • Stay away from pointed and extremely high heeled shoes.
  • Stick to one height. Having many shoes of different heel heights can lead to inflammation of the Achilles tendon.
  • Save your high heel shoes for special occasions instead of wearing them every day.
  • Seek medical attention if you feel constant pain in any part of your feet.

Wearing high heels seems like a euphemism to the ancient tradition of foot binding. Let us all remember, that more than beauty and fashion, health and comfort should always be more important.