Drawing (used with permission) by celebrated fashion illustrator Michalis Christodoulou
Walking in high heels almost parallels walking on a balance beam over hot coals.The trick to keeping balance is to strut confidently with a healthy infusion of grace and poise. A lot goes into creating seamless style and mastering a steady stroll--Keep reading for tried and true sky-high shoe walking tips.
Walking in High Heels
Limit your time. Change into flats when possible and alternate wearing high heels, low heels and flats. Wearing high heels every day can damage your feet and shorten calf muscles.
Take care
of your toes. Bandage your big and little toes before slipping
into pumps to prevent chafing. Open-toe high heels will relieve pressure on corns and calluses and
reduce pressure on inflamed areas. Round-toe shoes allow your toes to be more
spread out than pointy shoes. Keep a couple band-aids in your purse, just in
case.
Customize! Skid pads
prevent embarrassing falls, slips and skids. Ball Pads can ease the impact of
walking and heel liners keep heels from being rubbed raw. One or more of these
may help make for a more comfortable walk. Keep in mind—some brands are better
than others!
Acknowledge
age. Feet change with age and can make wearing high heels less comfortable.
With age, comes depletion of the fatty deposits that protect the ball of the
foot. Some of the fat ends up sliding towards the toes, leaving less protection
for the spot all your weight rests on.
Break in
those bad boys. Before wearing high heels for any amount of time,
break them in first. Wear brand new shoes around the house for 10-15 minutes a
day—for a week—before wearing them around town.
Perfect
your Posture. Carry yourself gracefully and walk with little
steps. Keep your shoulders back and your pelvis tucked. By contracting your
lower abdominals, you lift the body to resist gravity, lifting pressure off
your feet. Remember to Breathe!!
Pay
attention to Pitch. For a more comfortable walk, choose shoes with a
more gradual slope. While some 4-inch heels will give you a straight drop down
to the flatbed portion of the shoe, others will have a more gradual slope. This relieves pressure on the ball of your foot.
Not too
narrow. Make sure your shoes aren’t too narrow in width and that they don’t constrict
your feet unnaturally and uncomfortably. Additionally, a thicker heel will
allow for greater stability and better weight distribution.
The Day After
Soak
your feet. Fill the tub, sink or baby basin with warm soapy water.
Start reading a new novel or monthly
magazine as you soak soreness away. Soak for 30-40 minutes.
Stretch
away stiffness. Roll a golf ball under each foot for
at least 5 minutes. If you’re feeling adventurous, try slowly standing with a
golf ball under each foot. Next, sit on the ground with your legs extended. Loop
a towel, belt or stretchy exercise band, around your feet and pull back
(keeping your legs straight) until you feel a stretch. Hold for about 30
seconds and repeat 3-5 times.
This is great! It's so nice to see this approached from a foot-and-leg-health perspective! I have had surgery on both my legs (and a foot injury following a car accident) and I have to wear heels to work. My trick? I look for gum sole wedges. Wedges are a little easier on the feet since thy distribute pressure evenly and the gum sole absorbs shock.
ReplyDeleteBest,
Rachel
www.thecuratorial.com