High Heel Shoes: The Bitter Price of Elegance

When it comes to shoes, some women will go through hell for a pair of the London Jimmy Choo brand. The brand became notable in the fashion circles, especially for its high heeled bridals since 1996.

Since wearing high-heeled shoes is an art, women deserve medals for learning to walk in them let alone run! But what effect does wearing high heel have on our bodies?

Most women believe that if they wear high-heeled shoes they will become more attractive, sexier, more cultured, corporate and sophisticated as well as boost their confidence.

These days at social functions, including churches, as every day wear, especially in the corporate world, Nigerian ladies can be seen wearing these ridiculously high-heeled shoes that come as high as 14 to 16 inches.

There are different kinds — the wedge, clogs, ankle strap heels, wedge sandals and the high heel sandals and they come in assorted colours.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that unknown to many, the constant wearing of these shoes presents some very serious health risks as experts have warned that they could constitute harm to the feet, hip, back and even lead to permanent body deformities. Read more after the cut...



The negative effects of wearing high heels can be experienced in particular sections of the feet, knees, legs and back.

Dr Onyebuchi Ahoma, a Clinical Psychologist, says that ladies who wear heels put themselves through unnecessary misery and pain.

“Some of them cannot even walk straight on heels because they feel uncomfortable but because they think it is chic and trendy they want to endure and ignore the pains they feel,’’ he said.

Dr Abubakah Muhyi, an Orthopaedic Surgeon with the National Hospital, Abuja, says that high heel shoes have been the leading cause that usually brought female patients to visit orthopaedic doctors.

Muhyi says that the constant wearing of shoes with high heels or narrow toes have led to a high incidence in corrective foot operations.

According to him, this is what happens when women choose fashionable footwear over health, and many of them aren’t even aware that they are causing harm to their health.

“Years of wearing heels can lead to bunions or other infractions of the toe and calf. These signs often surface in middle aged women.

“When a woman is walking on heels, she is basically walking on the balls of her feet. The ball of the foot will experience intense pressure and this pressure more than doubles with every inch in the height of shoe heel.

“Ankle injuries are always a threat and the degree of injuries can extend from sprains to fractures. Calluses, corns and bunions can be formed on feet due to high heels, especially if the shoes are tight or walked on for long periods.

“Metatarsalgia is a condition affecting the ball of the foot, where all the weight is concentrated on when a woman is in heels.

“Hammertoes is a condition where the toes are maintained in downward curled position because of the continual confinement of the feet in the high heels.

The negative effects of wearing high heels can be experienced in particular sections of the feet, knees, legs and back.

Dr Onyebuchi Ahoma, a Clinical Psychologist, says that ladies who wear heels put themselves through unnecessary misery and pain.

“Some of them cannot even walk straight on heels because they feel uncomfortable but because they think it is chic and trendy they want to endure and ignore the pains they feel,’’ he said.

Dr Abubakah Muhyi, an Orthopaedic Surgeon with the National Hospital, Abuja, says that high heel shoes have been the leading cause that usually brought female patients to visit orthopaedic doctors.

Muhyi says that the constant wearing of shoes with high heels or narrow toes have led to a high incidence in corrective foot operations.

According to him, this is what happens when women choose fashionable footwear over health, and many of them aren’t even aware that they are causing harm to their health.

“Years of wearing heels can lead to bunions or other infractions of the toe and calf. These signs often surface in middle aged women.

“When a woman is walking on heels, she is basically walking on the balls of her feet. The ball of the foot will experience intense pressure and this pressure more than doubles with every inch in the height of shoe heel.

“Ankle injuries are always a threat and the degree of injuries can extend from sprains to fractures. Calluses, corns and bunions can be formed on feet due to high heels, especially if the shoes are tight or walked on for long periods.

“Metatarsalgia is a condition affecting the ball of the foot, where all the weight is concentrated on when a woman is in heels.

“Hammertoes is a condition where the toes are maintained in downward curled position because of the continual confinement of the feet in the high heels.