Heels: pain or discomfort or inconvenience

[pet8899]

I don't wear heels much these days, but its not because of pain. I never had real pain when wearing heels, discomfort yes, especially aching in the ball of my foot at the end of the day.
But it was the inconvenience of having to think all the time, plan every move. Like always remembering to keep my balance, hold my ankles stiff to stop wobbling. Or getting in and out of the car, or driving the car. Or coming down stairs, or watching for grilles in the street, or cobblestones. Or getting out of a low chair, never did manage to do that gracefully. Doing everything slowly, not being able to run or even hurry much.
What do you think? Did I give up too soon?

 

[Diorling]

Yes.

There are people who can do a triathalon in thier heels. It becomes second nature after a while. And have you ever been in an airport? Ive seen women running full speed in like 3 inch heels.

 

[crepebacksatin]

how long have you been wearing heels? after a while, you just kinda get into the groove of wearing them and don't have to think about it too much.

 

[renferme]

I'm too busy, I like to dash around and I find them too restrictive (I've a little bit of a feminist streak) , i agree that you have to think, think about everything you do /everywhere you go when you wear heels.

I feel ridiculous in them, like I'm on stilts.

Ironic seeing as I earn money designing the things! Admittedly I think if I wore heels to a factory they'd have a heart attack. Theres nothing glamourous about the shoemaking business!

 

[Melisande]

Oh no, my dear, dear Pet...good for you. Discomfort WILL lead to pain, unfortunately... The sooner you learn to listen to your body the better. Some people's feet are shaped so they can wear heels easier, some not. Did you check out this thread? Lots of good info.

http://www.thefashionspot.com/forums/showthread.php?t=8256

Believe me, I love shoes more than I could ever openly admit as a decent person. But what good is wearing gorgeous shoes when you can't enjoy life in them? There's nothing glamorous about bunions and back pain, if you ask me. They say with practice it's easy to walk in heels, but...I can't see how it could be good for you...

That said, not all heels are created equal, though. You should try some lower and sturdier good quality heels with good support. I very rarely go over 2 inches. Wedges, platforms, boots are easier to wear, as are round toes.

Wishing you all the best!

 

[Melisande]

By the way Lady Muck I think it's fabulous that you design heels with an understanding of how uncomfortable and inconvenient they could be! Do you find that it inspires you to design more comfy heels?
I would love to see your designs, have you posted some on this board already?

 

[polka-dot]

Ready made high heel shoes are not comfortable because:

There is not enough room in the toe box for a thick insert.
Human feet differ in more ways than length and width.
Human body is not perfectly symmetrical -- your left foot is not a mirror reflection of your right foot.
High heel shoes are much more demanding than sport shoes. If they do not fit perfectly, they are not comfortable.

A cobbler can make shoes more comfortable if you tell him how to do the job. Some custom made high heel shoes are more comfortable than the ready made shoes, but very few shoemakers have the required skill. The most important part of a comfortable high heel shoe is a custom insert that prevents the foot from sliding forward. Here is all the technical info you need to know about comfortable high heel shoes: http://www.medianet.pl/~andrew/shoes/comfy_heels.htm

 

[Kimbyanne]

I agree. my left foot is a size UK 6 and my right foot is a UK 6.5 and heels can kill me.

It really depends where I get them from as they all fit differently.

When I first get a new pair of heels I find it really hard to walk in them and like you say, I have to concentrate like mad not to trip up! After a couple of days wearing them though I get use to them and they are easy to walk in!

I use to get really bad pains in the balls of my feet to, but I just use those new foot gel things and that helps!

However, I can not understand how women can run in their shoes, I can just about manage a fast paced walk! Running in heels, that is a skill!

 

[polka-dot]

I use to get really bad pains in the balls of my feet to, but I just use those new foot gel things and that helps!

Sure. They help a little, but your feet still slide forward and squeeze your toes.



Emily Swanson is a dancer who wears very high heels. She wrote an article about high heels for Fantasy Fashion Digest. The article mentioned using double stick tape in the shoes to prevent the sliding forward of the feet. I have not tried that because I am sure that the custom insert is more effective.



My former friend permanently damaged her ankle while wearing platforms.



I thought about starting a business of making comfortable high heel shoes. I gave up when I realized that women do not care if their high heel shoes are comfortable.

However, I can not understand how women can run in their shoes, I can just about manage a fast paced walk! Running in heels, that is a skill!

I jog almost every day in 6-inch high chunky heels. The heels are sturdy and rigid -- that surely helps. They have high heel races in Israel and New York City: http://web.israelinsider.com/Articles/Briefs/4485.htm



PS. Baseball is no longer an Olympic sport. Maybe high heel race could replace it?

 

[la_mie]

I thought about starting a business of making comfortable high heel shoes. I gave up when I realized that women do not care if their high heel shoes are comfortable.

I care! Do you have any suggestions for how to find a good shoemaker who could make custom heels? (Or if you happen to be in New York... ) I have flat feet and I'd really be interested to look into it...

 

[polka-dot]

I care! Do you have any suggestions for how to find a good shoemaker who could make custom heels? (Or if you happen to be in New York... ) I have flat feet and I'd really be interested to look into it...

There are two projects: making the shoes and making the inserts. You can easily find a shoemaker who can make high heels shoes in the New York City, but you may not find anyone who can make the inserts.



I cannot recommend any shoemaker in the New York City. (Japanese publisher made a list of the best shoemakers in most big cities – I could look it up in a few weeks.) Good shoemakers display their work in the shop – if you can see high heel shoes there, it means that they can make them. I would take a shoe from the display and bend the heel to see how rigidly it is attached to the rest of the shoe – it should be rigid. Shoemakers are not smart. If you tell them to make spacious tow box, they will make it narrow anyway. This is why I would make the inserts first and I would tell the shoemaker to glue them into the shoes. I would also tell him to curve the shanks more than my own feet, because my own feet are flat. Wood is strong enough for a chunky heel., but the bottom part of a stiletto heel MUST be made of stainless steel. Any turner can make it.



To the best of my knowledge nobody makes the high heel shoe inserts. If I were you, I would have someone make the inserts based on the drawing (http://www.medianet.pl/~andrew/shoes/insert.gif). Then I would step on the inserts to test them. Next, I would grind them away (either with electric grinder, or by hand using bastard file) in spots where they are too thick, and I would build them up with adhesive tape in spots where they are too thin. Shoemakers have the right equipment (electric grinder) and the right material (rigid rubber foam), but they may not have the patience to make the corrections. Orthotic insert makers also have the right tool (electric grinder) but they make the inserts from very rigid plastic which is difficult to grind by hand (you would have to use strips or very coarse sandpaper). You will probably end up making the inserts yourself from the duct tape. If you wear open sandals, you can stick the tape directly to the sandals -- it takes only half a day to make inserts for the sandals. Note that the inserts are very thick in the spot behind the toes. Standard orthotic inserts do not look like that. Nobody can tell you what is the best shape for your inserts – only your own can tell you that.

 

[ilovegemma]

look at these....from style.com (chloe f/w rtw)

these poor models...look what they go through

 

[Echoes]

^^^^^^^^^ I don't see much arch support in those. ^^^^^^

 

[la_mie]

polka-dot, if you could let me know what shoemakers in nyc were reccomended in that publication (or even just which one it was, since I can read japanese and could maybe try and get my hands on it), I would greatly appreciate it.

About inserts, can't a chiropractor or podiatrist make them? I read over the instructions for making them from duck tape, but I um... didn't really get it, haha.

Sorry for hijacking the thread somewhat, although I think this is still quasi on-topic

 

[polka-dot]

polka-dot, if you could let me know what shoemakers in nyc were reccomended in that publication (or even just which one it was, since I can read japanese and could maybe try and get my hands on it), I would greatly appreciate it.

I can’t get it now because the shoemaker who has it is busy like hell.

About inserts, can't a chiropractor or podiatrist make them?

No. Try shoemakers or orthotic insert makers.

I read over the instructions for making them from duck tape, but I um... didn't really get it, haha.

If you have strappy high heel sandals, try to make the inserts simply by sticking small pieces of duct tape to them. Duct tape is removable so it will not ruin the sandals.

 

[pet8899]

Inserts?

I've never heard of these inserts. It seems that they are hard to get. What difference do they make when you wear heels?

Pet

 

[fashionista-ta]

I don't wear heels much these days, but its not because of pain. I never had real pain when wearing heels, discomfort yes, especially aching in the ball of my foot at the end of the day.
But it was the inconvenience of having to think all the time, plan every move. Like always remembering to keep my balance, hold my ankles stiff to stop wobbling. Or getting in and out of the car, or driving the car. Or coming down stairs, or watching for grilles in the street, or cobblestones. Or getting out of a low chair, never did manage to do that gracefully. Doing everything slowly, not being able to run or even hurry much.
What do you think? Did I give up too soon?

I've been wearing heels for many years now (more than 20), and I still have to think to a certain extent, probably because I have to walk over pretty rough terrain on a regular basis. Your best bet is to get some of the new sturdier heels vs stilettos. I find those to be much more pleasant all the way around from a functional standpoint. I can walk really fast in heels, but I don't know how anyone can completely forget about the terrain. I find that stillettos (or even kitten heels) are liable to catch in certain kinds of welcome mats, will punch a hole in that squishy stuff between large panels of cement, and certainly you have to be conscious when walking over uneven cobblestones (I curse the man responsible every time I walk into my office building).

The best I've seen were Dries van Noten, let me see if I can find a picture for you ... also wedges are great and they're very available for fall as you know ...

Here we go, from headstartshoes.com

 

[polka-dot]

I've never heard of these inserts. It seems that they are hard to get. What difference do they make when you wear heels?

Pet

This is new idea similar to wearing custom made orthotic inserts. Standard orthotic inserts are too flat for the thigh heel shoes. They spread your weight over the entire surface of the ball of the foot, but they do not prevent forward sliding of the foot. When the foot slides forward, your toes are squeezed, blood circulation stops, and you know the rest of the story. Inserts optimized for the high heel shoes have a bulge behind the toes. The bulge prevents forward sliding of the foot. These inserts work best with high heel shoes that have the ankle strap and plenty of room in the toe box. If I were you, I would print the drawing of the insert (http://www.medianet.pl/~andrew/shoes/insert.gif), take it to orthotic insert makers and shoemakers, and ask them if they can make such thing. Do not expect perfect fit on the first try – your feet will tell you if the inserts need to be fixed. Experiment with different location of the inserts – move them forward and backward and glue them to the shoes with a few drops of shoe glue. When they feel just right, glue them to the shoes with more glue. You may have to stretch the toe boxes to make room for the inserts – cobblers do that for a very small fee.

 

[polka-dot]

I've been wearing heels for many years now (more than 20), and I still have to think to a certain extent, probably because I have to walk over pretty rough terrain on a regular basis. Your best bet is to get some of the new sturdier heels vs stilettos. I find those to be much more pleasant all the way around from a functional standpoint. I can walk really fast in heels, but I don't know how anyone can completely forget about the terrain. I find that stillettos (or even kitten heels) are liable to catch in certain kinds of welcome mats, will punch a hole in that squishy stuff between large panels of cement, and certainly you have to be conscious when walking over uneven cobblestones (I curse the man responsible every time I walk into my office building).

The best I've seen were Dries van Noten, let me see if I can find a picture for you ... also wedges are great and they're very available for fall as you know ...

There is middle ground between the stilettos and the chunky heels. If the bottom of the heel has diameter of ½ inch and is covered with plastic, it should not damage parquets. Well made, stainless steel stiletto heels are sturdy. Heels covered with leather are vulnerable to scuffing. If you do not like the looks of bare steel, paint it with nail polish.