Sure, soaring stilettos can look flattering and add a touch of sizzle, but they can lead to pain or injury, too.
To the rescue comes Dr. Liza Egbogah, a Toronto-based chiropractor who shared her wisdom on picking shoes and how to relieve foot pain during appearances on Canadian TV programs she published Wednesday on thefixtto.com — her practice’s website.
Dr. Egbogah said she has treated women for high-heel-related injuries for the past 10 years and is an expert in body posture. She has worked with Jamie Foxx, among other celebrities, to help stars walk red carpets in comfort.
Here, we highlight some of her best tips on how to avoid pain related to wearing high heels.
• Cushioned insoles can help you last longer on your feet. “Anytime you have arch support, you don’t tilt forward as much and have as much pressure on the balls of your feet,” Dr. Egbogah told CTV.
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• Almond-toe profiles are better than blunt pointed toes. “When you look at a pointed toe, it’s going to squish your feet together and lead to the formation of bunions,” she told Global News. “With the almond toe you don’t have squishy or pointed [style], but you still have lengthening,” she told CTV.
• Unfortunately there is no stiletto heel that’s good for your body. “Because it creates instability in your ankles and on your knees,” Dr. Egbogah told Global News. “When you are balancing on a [thin stiletto] heel, you are likely to sprain ligaments because you’re unstable and you overuse the muscle, so you can have repetitive-strain injuries.”
• Maintain a heel height of no more than 3 inches by subtracting the height of the platform from the heel. “Anything over 3 inches can lead to injury. If you have a [3.75-inch] heel, you’ll want a platform with [.75 inches],” she told Global News. “When you’re looking at the overall height, look at the platform.”
• Ways to soothe aching feet after wearing high heels: “Make sure you’re stretching your calf muscles,” she told Global News. “You want to do ankle circles so you can stimulate blood flow that’s been restricted to the ankles. Soaking your feet in warm water with epsom salt can alleviate the pain associated with high heels.”
Dr. Egbogah developed a line of footwear that she believes can help prevent injuries associated with wearing high heels. Her namesake Dr. Liza pumps feature a 3.75-inch heel and retail for around $367 ($495 CAD) on Drlizashoes.com.
