Are You Suffering In Heels? How Beauty Can Be Pain!

As a man, who loves to see my wife dressed to the nines, I am reluctant to write this blog. Yet, I know deep inside - that nothing I say will change women's take on shoes.

And, I would never attempt such a silly endeavor.

What I will show you is how your body mechanics change in your pelvis/hips and spine when wearing heels. So, lets start with a thousands words explanation – just kidding, please see the pictures below.

Great, the image below is of a female in bare feet, I would like you to notice the alignment of her hips to her feet, very straight and WELL with in normal range.

Now Look at the picture below, with the same women in high heels.

Note the dramatic contrast.

The pelvis is flexed, or in other words her hip bones are pointing down - this causes the backside to extend - this creates DRAMATIC abnormal pressure on your L5/S1 lumbar disc/s (low back).

Also, the heels push you forward, so you have to override this feeling by what?

Yes - that's right leaning BACKWARD.

Backward to me means posterior lumbar translation, in conjunction with the abnormal pelvic tilt - wreaks havoc on you low back.

Now, if you are a professional woman - work in an office setting and have to sit all day AND you like to wear heels to work - then YOU will have chronic back pain, no doubt about it.

Just think, your office chair makes you sit forward, abnormally altering your lumbar curve – then your heels make you shift forward, but you must lean backward to compensate creating a shearing (being pulled in two opposite directions) force on your low back.

NOT GOOD for your spine, BUT you'll LOOK GREAT :).

This next picture, shows an alternative for the summer, yes it's a FitFlop type footwear.

Or a flat would be another fine choice - in regards to bio-mechanics of your spine. Notice how the pelvis is not flexed, her hips are more in alignment with her feet.  Her spine is well with in normal range.

The other problem with heels I hear from women is that flats feel uncomfortable.

The reason for this uncomfortable feeling is the shortening of the Achilles tendon, as you know on the back portion of your lower leg. Because, the heels over time cause the dramatic abnormal  shortening of the Achilles tendon.

Dr. Chris's  advice:

1. Wear heels ONLY on special occasions.
    
2. Change your office chair that reinforces your lumbar spine.

Because of the primary condition of abnormal structural shift that you've unfortunately trained your body to remodel too, this will cause secondary conditions, such as: degenerative disc, degenerative joint disease, and LOW BACK PAIN.

Have a GREAT day!

Dr. Chris and the CREW