It's no secret that wearing high heels gives us, women, a boost of confidence. When we wear high heels, we feel elegant and graceful. However, it's very important to understand that prolonged wearing of high heels and unsuitable high heels can have a negative impact on our health. We often only think about the harm high heels do to our feet, but it's important to understand that wearing them changes our entire body posture.
SPINAL CURVES
When talking about posture, we need to imagine what a human spine looks like. It is made up of many vertebrae, which connect to each other to form joints, allowing us to move. It is important to understand that the spine is not perfectly straight. Viewed from the side, we have four physiological curves: cervical and lumbar lordosis (forward curve) and thoracic and sacral kyphosis (backward curve). These curves are supported by the muscles that stabilize the spine.
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE WEAR HIGH HEELS?
Standing barefoot, our body forms a 90-degree angle with the ground. Imagine if our body were straight as a stick and our spine inflexible, then with high heels, this angle would be smaller, as we would lean forward.
Of course, our body is not like that, so when wearing high heels, it adapts: the spine curves more in the lumbar region, the chest is pushed forward, and the buttocks backward. Due to these changes, the physiological curves of the spine change, especially the lumbar lordosis increases, and then the pelvis tilts forward. All these changes lead to incorrect posture and cause back pain.
WHAT ARE THE POTENTIAL LONG-TERM CONSEQUENCES?
As I mentioned, the spine consists of many joints, so when they move improperly, are constantly in a forced uncomfortable position, the load is unevenly distributed, and intervertebral disc herniations, ligament injuries, and even osteoarthritis (joint wear) can occur.
When wearing high heels, the back muscles, trying to maintain physiological curves, are more tense and tire faster, leading to chronic back pain.
DO I HAVE TO GIVE UP HIGH HEELS?
Absolutely not! I am sharing this information not to show how bad high heels are and that they cannot be worn. I want you to understand that wearing high heels can carry risks, so you need to choose and wear them responsibly.
WHAT CAN I DO TO AVOID POOR POSTURE?
1. Assess your abilities; not everyone can walk in high heels like models, but not everyone needs to!
2. If possible, choose lower heels, and save high heels for special occasions.
3. Choose high heels that are suitable for your foot, are the right size and width, and are made from quality materials.
4. Let your feet and back rest and don't wear high heels every day.
5. Perform stretching exercises. After wearing high heels, it's very important to allow your muscles to relax and rest from the unusual strain. Perform foot, calf, and also back stretching exercises.
6. Don't forget to strengthen your back muscles at the gym.
7. When walking in high heels, remember to maintain correct posture, try to straighten your back, don't bend your neck, don't drop your shoulders, and don't overarch your lower back.
8. And most importantly, listen to your body; if you feel back pain while wearing high heels, consult a specialist who can help you find out why the problems are occurring and how to solve them.
Do you have any questions? Write to me, and we will try to find the most suitable solution to your problems together!
Karolina
