Shocking, I know, but it turns out high heels really do cause health problems.

Where should we start? How about the achilles? Heels force your feet into such a position that the front of the foot is lower than the heel, which means the achilles tendon is in a contracted, shortened position. Over time, the achilles will become shorter and tighter and you can develop achilles tendonitis, a painful condition that is difficult to treat. Often, the tendon simply becomes permanently damaged. Some doctors have elderly patients who still have to hobble around in high heels because it’s too painful to put their feet flat. Heels that are 3in or more are the dangerous ones – and you only have to wear them more than once or twice a week.

From the Daily Mail

Ever had calf cramps? Heels are notorious for causing these, due to – once again, muscles that are contracted as they are forced into an unnatural, angled position. High heel wearers are also at risk of osteoarthritis of the knee. This is a result of posture – the pressure of the leg places excessive force, even up to 26% more, on the medial side of the knee. With this also comes lower back pain, as the weight of the wearer shifts forward. In order to avoid falling forward, you then need to compensate for this by arching your lower back. Do this for any period of time and you’ll have considerable back pain. This type of posture puts pressure on nerves in the back, and can cause sciatica, a painful condition where nerves become trapped, triggering pain and numbness as far down as the feet.

Have you ever seen bunions? They’re pretty ghastly. Funny how one of the main reasons for wearing high heels – beauty – leads to one of the ugliest conditions. Again, causing the foot to overarch means there is more pressure on the medial side of the foot. Weight distribution of the body is altered, and a bony growth (bunion) can develop on the joint at the base of the big toe. Hammertoes are also common, where tight-fitting shoes force a wearer’s toes to bunch up. This shortens the muscles inside and leaves them permanently bent, even without shoes.

The thing about high heels is that the body works as a whole. When you force your feet into an unnatural position, the rest of the body has to compensate. This is why you get calf, knee, and back problems. But it can even extend further, with some women experiencing shallow breathing and a tight neck and shoulders.

Wearing high heels also puts you at a greater risk of falling. It’s common for women to fall on to the side of their foot and twist their ankles. If you’ve never had an ankle injury, then you need to know how debilitating they are – and painful. You could quite likely end up on crutches and out of action for six weeks or more. Some falls even result in fractures, which may need surgery.

Oh, sure, there are medical studies out there that say heels are great for strengthening pelvic floor muscles, and hence may result in a better sex life. Chances are, though, that if you’ve got achilles tendonitis, calf cramps, bunions, hammertoes and chronic back pain, are you really going to be that keen?

Seems to me that sacrificing pain-free movement for (what was it again?) – longer legs, a tighter looking butt and extra height – seems pretty daft to me.