Sometimes an occasion calls for a great-looking pair of heels, but no one wants to sacrifice their health and well-being for fashion. The following celebrity photos identify common mistakes women make in choosing heels, helping to guide you toward choosing better shoes for your comfort and health.
Avoid these three Mistakes to Find the Best High Heels Ever
Mistake # 1 - The Shoe Doesn't Fit
Notice the gap between the shoe and the wearer's heel and arch areas -- it likely indicates a shoe that is too long and too wide. This can cause the foot to shift around in the shoe while walking and will surely lead to pain and discomfort. In this case, she probably chose a style that was too wide for her foot.
Better Choice: The next time you shop for shoes, be sure to measure your feet for both length and width. Be aware that the right size shoe may not always be a good fit, so it helps to try on a few different styles until you find the most comfortable fit.
Mistake #2 - Extreme Height
One of the most common problems with high heels is pain under the ball of the foot. A higher heel means more stress on the ball of the foot, ankle, and knee, which increases as the height goes up.
Better Choice: Even though these heels have an extreme heel height and appear to be too small in size (notice the dangling toes), they do have three preferable features:
- The thickness underneath the ball of the foot offsets some of the heel height, and depending on the shoe's material, may offer better cushioning than a thinner-soled shoe.
- The chunkiness of the shoe's heel is preferable to a stiletto heel because it is more stable.
- The heel is positioned more toward the back of the shoe, which is more stable than a heel positioned more toward the center of the shoe.
Mistake #3 - Toe Torture
Seeing the way the toes are squeezed into these pointy-toed shoes is painful to observe. Besides the toes being pushed into a cramped space, there is an issue with the shoe's toe material not covering enough of the toes. This forces the toes to work harder at maintaining stability, possibly contributing to toe contractures, such as hammer toes.
Better Choice: A better choice is a shoe that has more material across the toes and more of a rounded toe box. Another toe problem that can be aggravated by high-heeled shoes is a bunion deformity.