Are Heels Bad For You?
Also Known As: high heels, high-heeled footwear
Short answer
Yes, high heels are very bad for you. Anything that has a great danger of disfiguring or even killing you should be avoided.
Harmful to your health. Very few, if any, benefits are present. Things in this category should be avoided as much as possible.
View Full Grading System
Category 'A'
Very healthy and numerous health benefits. Side effects are rare. Things rated an 'A+' are typically necessary for survival (for example, water).
Very healthy and numerous health benefits. A few harmful qualities may be associated, but only under certain circumstances such as an allergic reaction.
Very healthy and numerous health benefits. Harmful qualities may be associated, but aren't usually serious.
It is important to note that even the best things in life can become bad in immoderate amounts. So, although something may be rated an 'A+', overconsumption/overdoing can bring unwanted effects.
Category 'B'
Very beneficial to your health. Things rated a 'B+' may have a few harmful qualities to pay attention to.
Overall beneficial to your health. Things rated a 'B' may have some harmful qualities to pay attention to.
More beneficial to your health than not. However, harmful qualities are most likely associated and shouldn't be overlooked.
The main difference between category 'A' and category 'B' is the harmful qualities typically present in 'B' items. Serious side effects are usually uncommon, but are still possible and should be taken note of.
Category 'C'
Both beneficial and harmful qualities associated. Things rated a 'C+' are typically a bit more on the beneficial side. Still, moderation is important.
A fairly even ratio of beneficial and harmful qualities. Moderation is important. Very general topics that can lean towards both sides of the spectrum will be placed here as well. Rice, for example, can be good or bad depending on the type.
More harmful than beneficial. Side effects are common, especially when consumed/done excessively. Moderation is very important.
Category 'C' usually denotes to both good and bad qualities. When it comes to this category, it is important to keep this word in mind: moderation.
Category 'D'
Harmful to your health. Although benefits may be associated, the bad most likely outweighs the good. Moderation is very important.
Harmful to your health. A few benefits may be associated, but the bad outweighs the good. Moderation is extremely important.
Harmful to your health. Very few, if any, benefits are present. Things in this category should be avoided as much as possible.
Category 'D' is typically for things that are more harmful than beneficial. While consuming/doing something unhealthy once in a blue moon shouldn't hurt, we definitely recommend eliminating 'D' items as a regular part of your routine/diet.
Category 'F'
Category 'F' is for things that fail to bring anything beneficial to the table, and are very harmful to your health. We recommend completely avoiding anything in this category. Long-term side effects of 'F' items are usually very serious.
Category 'N'
'N' stands for neutral. Things placed into this category are generally (a) neither good nor bad for you, or (b) lack the necessary evidence to reach any conclusions.
Long answer
High heels are in high demand as a stylish enhancer, making you appear taller and accentuating your legs to make them look longer and leaner. Additionally, some studies have shown wearing high heels gives shape to calf muscles and strengthens pelvic floor muscles. So then, what makes them so bad?
Well, unless your goal in life is to use heels to attract someone to have children with - no matter what the cost - there are some very real dangers of wearing high heels that you need to know about.
The problems caused by high heels happen primarily due to two reasons: the body is not in the correct posture and pressure is unevenly distributed to places that should not be absorbing so much shock. With regard to incorrect posture, when a person wears high heels, the body is propelled slightly forward. While a casual observer may not notice this, the body does, since the hips and spine are thrust out of alignment. This can cause a myriad of problems, including pain in the hip joints, back pain, foraminal stenosis (a spinal nerve condition characterized by intense shooting pain, spasms, numbness, tingling, etc.), spondylolisthesis (a condition in which one vertebra slips over another), etc. Additionally, osteoarthritis can be either caused or made worse by wearing heels - especially ones that go over two inches in height.
The fact that body weight is distributed unevenly - and primarily to the knees, hips, and front of the foot - means that besides chronic pain in the mentioned areas, people wearing heels run the risk of developing shorter calf muscles and thicker tendons. For people who are longtime regular wearers of heels, this can lead to a shortening of the Achilles tendon to the point that the heel cannot fully touch the ground. Walking can become a nightmare and indeed some are unable to do so.
Yet another problem from heels is that the body being pushed forward restricts circulation in the lower limbs. This can lead to feeling weak, dizzy, or worse - developing a blood clot that can lead to heart attack or stroke.
Still thinking about how heels can make your legs and calves look more defined? Then consider this list of unsightly - and painful - foot problems: bunions, corns, callouses, ingrown toenails, and hammertoes.
High heels may be in demand for style, but they can quite literally kill you.
Possible short-term side effects
- corns
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foot pain
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ingrown toenails
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callouses
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hammertoes
Possible long-term side effects
- osteoarthritis
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spondylolisthesis
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foraminal stenosis
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heart attack
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stroke
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chronic pain
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shortened achilles tendon
Benefits
- may strengthen pelvic muscles
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can make legs look leaner
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can give definition to calf muscles
Healthier alternatives
- flat shoes
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sandals
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platform shoes
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