10 Tips For Walking In Heels Without Pain

May 29, 2018 by apost team

From corsets to high ponytails, fashion has a history of hurting for the ladies. Heels are no exception, and they seem to be a fashion piece that just will not go away.

Whether flats or stilettos are your go-to shoe for everyday play and work, most ladies will find that there are some occasions where you just can’t escape the heeled duo of pain and torture. So, it’s best to learn some tricks on how to not end up with heels being your Achilles heel. 
 

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Podiatrists will tell you that incorrectly wearing heels changes the composition and operation of small foot muscles, leading to painful overuse syndrome and strains. With changing gait to compensate for pain and injury, you leave your ankles, knees, calves, and lower back subject to injury.

If you must wear heels or simply can’t fathom going without them, experts recommend making them as comfortable as possible.

Here are some tips for feeling comfy in heels. 
 

Remember, shoe salesman Al Bundy from Married with Children? Old Al didn’t have a lot of sage words of wisdom when it came to women, but he was right about one thing - a lot of women try to squeeze their feet into shoes that don’t fit. Podiatrists will tell you that properly fitting shoe selection is key in avoiding hammertoes, bunions, and neuromas. 

Leave a little space between the longest toe and the end of the shoe. Choose a shoe that’s not overly narrowed at the end, thereby bunching all toes together unnaturally. Look at both length and width of a shoe when making a selection. When you buy shoes, try to do so at the end of the day. This is when your feet are at their most swollen and you can better determine the best width to avoid a too tight fit. 
 

It’s a lesson that most of us have learned first-hand on many occasions as we’ve hobbled home bruised, bloodied, blistered, and calloused from immediately wearing new shoes all day long. Yet, we keep doing it. Stop this foot torture by slowing doing trial runs of the shoes to break them in.

Walk around the house in them and don them for very short trips. Shoe stretchers work well, but what works even better is to wear a thicker than normal pair of socks, such as a heavy wool one, to stretch the shoes out to a width slightly bigger than your foot as you do walkabouts in your home. 
 

You’d be surprised at how a well-cushioned insole can minimize discomfort. They not only provide a soft bed for the foot... many brands are fantastic shock absorbers and provide orthopedic support for an array of problem areas, including plantar fasciitis, misalignment, and supination and over-pronation. 
 

If you have a problem with your feet rubbing and blistering no matter what kind of shoe you wear, Good Housekeeping has a tip for you. Deodorant. Applying just a thin line on the heel and sides of feet can reduce friction and provide a barrier between skin and shoe.

If the bony areas of the feet continue to chafe, you may need try moleskin. It’s really easy to use; just cut the sheet into whatever sizes you need to cover problem areas. 
 

The higher the heel, the more of an unnatural position your foot is being forced to endure and perform in; opt for a more moderate heel height. If your favorite pair of heels are just unsightly high, carry them to a shoe repair store to be shaved down.

Most shoes can be shaved up to an inch before the shoe loses its integrity. 
 

The more surface area of a heel that hits the ground, the more stability it gives to the toes all the way up to the lower back. Go with boxy heels over stilettos. And if your main objective is height, then try a wedge or platform shoe, which more evenly distributes the weight from the heel to the ball of the foot.
 

The way you walk in heels versus athletic shoes is quite different. Heels have already thrown your natural gait off since your foot is in an unnatural position from nature. You can correct this to some degree by maintaining good posture, powering movements from your core and leg muscles,  and allowing the foot to strike on the outer border of the heel, and pushing off toe first.
 

Think of your feet as valuable employees. To keep them productive, you got to offer variety and breaks. Wearing heels only for special occasions and social functions isn’t likely to cause significant foot damage, but wearing them all day, every day can lead to a multitude of long-term foot problems.

A lot of working, active women are donning sneakers for their commute to and from places and switching them out for their heels once they arrive. Take the opportunity when sitting to allow your feet to stretch out and get into a more natural position. Alternate your shoe choices, wearing heels with every other outfit versus all outfits.

By whatever means necessary, just give your feet a break. 
 

You might want to go with paper medical tape, not duct tape, if you value your skin. You’ll tape your fourth and third toes together. Make sure you don’t tape so tightly that you cut the circulation off, however. According to The Guardian, binding these toes together removes the pressure off the ball of the foot. 


There you have 10 ways to take the pain out of wearing heels. Which will you try? We’d love to hear your stories, suggestions, and questions!