Shoes Effect

Shoe Fantasy

Taking a few steps back and looking through the glass, it is love at first sight for her, if such a thing ever existed. A pair of red satin peep-toe stilettos nestled enticingly on a soft cushion set on folds of black satin to further enhance the luscious red with the spotlight shining bright above.

In spite of herself she goes into the store and asks to try on the shoes; after all she will just try them on. They fit her perfectly and when she wears them she towers above the shop assistant with those 5 inch heels at her feet. Taking them off she cannot bear to part with them as if they are her newborn babies.

Turning her back to them almost breaks her heart, but buying them would mean she would have little left for the rest of the month. She takes a few steps out of the store but she is pulled back by those shoes as if they have the power of silent hypnosis. Scouring her bag for every last penny, she manages to find just enough to pay for those beauties. It does not matter if she can not spend anymore for the rest of the month because her heart is content now with a pair of those red hypnotic monsters snug in a box just for her”.


This is the story of many a girl and as Marilyn Monroe once said, “I don't know who invented high heels, but all women owe him a lot”. However, in reality that man may actually owe women all around the world much more. While it is true that gorgeous high-heeled shoes are what a lot of girls and women love to sport, they do not come free of costs other than the monetary price one pays for them.

Those who have the habit of wearing high heels regularly have to pay the price through various physiological problems. It is common sense that the higher the heels the more out of alignment the foot will be. Anything higher than 2 inches, worn regularly, have the potential to cause problems by shortening the Achilles tendon leading to a condition called Achilles tendonitis.

High heels put abnormal pressure on the balls of the feet causing the ball to thin out resulting in acute pain that may become chronic. Plus if the feet hurt everything above the feet will be affected and the knees, back and hips will be stressed too.

Moreover, since the high-heeled shoes that women usually wear are at most times very tight-fitting, this may lead to bunions where the bone of the first toe is displaced causing the big toe to move toward the smaller ones and at times moving under/over the second toe.

Apart from this, high-heeled shoes, for some time now, have been considered to be, by experts, a possible cause of infertility. Shoes with over 3-inch heels impact a woman's posture by forcing the lower back outwards, causing a forward tilt in the pelvis.

With the pelvis at an awkward angle, the inner organs tend to get squished together in an unnatural manner. Some scientists believe this may cause some damage to the female reproductive system because this can slow down the gastric functions leading to menstrual dysfunction and ultimately impaired fertility.

The solution is to wear high heels sparingly, on special occasions, and take them off as soon as possible. Also avoid regular use of shoes that are both high and pointed since they can cause permanent deformity.

However, it would be completely wrong to see high-heeled shoes as the only kind of footwear responsible for any and every type of foot problem. Women in our country, especially university going girls and office going women, opt to wear flats, flip-flops and the now popular, ballerina flats. These can be as harmful as high heels. These shoes do not provide any arch support, lack cushioning and do not protect the foot making them prone to injuries. Troubles faced due to these shoes are scraped feet, strained ankles, chronic problems like tendonitis and plantar fasciitis.

Ena La Mode Fashion

Backless shoes are also troublesome since the toes start to grab the shoe for support contributing to hammertoes. Also, breaks in the skin and calluses are caused as the shoe constantly taps the heel.

Men wearing flat, open shoes and tight ill-fitting formal shoes to office everyday are faced with similar problems of bunions, corns, calluses or swollen feet.

One would think that all this would leave no choice of shoes to wear regularly but that is not so. For daily wear, wearing dressy flats or pumps with heels of 1-1.5 inches is ideal. While buying shoes pay attention to the heel as mentioned above, try and opt for thick heels as opposed to thin ones, saving these for special occasions only.

Look for stiff heel counters, the portion of the shoe which holds the heels in place at the sides and the back and prevents it from sliding around the shoe; as this supports the foot and maintains its positions as the shoe contacts the ground. The bottom of the shoe should be flat and be adequately cushioned. All this applies to both genders.

It is essential to take proper care of one's feet to remain mobile and the first step to healthy feet is to check one's shoes. Poorly designed shoes will lead to discomfort and more serious problems whereas, as mentioned above, supportive, cushiony and roomy shoes will result in prolonged foot health.