Khaberni - Khaberni - Andrew Goldberg, an orthopedic surgery consultant for feet and ankles at Wellington Hospital in London, talks about the long-term impact of high heels on the shape of feet, asserting what was once thought of as a "genetic myth" is now confirmed as a scientific fact.
Goldberg told The Guardian: "15 years ago, if someone asked me if high heels change the shape of the feet over time, I would have said it was total nonsense, and that shoes are not to blame for any issues. However, three-dimensional images showed me the reality in a shocking way."
Goldberg conducted two scans on someone’s feet, one barefoot and the other wearing high heels. The results showed the toes in the high-heeled shoes were cramped together, a bump had formed on the big toe, while the little toes were bent, as if trying to cling to maintain balance.
He explained: "Imagine your feet hurting after a few hours, and once you remove the shoes, the toes return to their normal position. But if you wear high heels eight hours a day, every day, as years pass, things start to set in that position. With continued stress, the soft tissues expand, a bunion appears, and hammertoes form, leading to arthritis caused by wear.
Goldberg also mentioned that all shoes impact the shape of the foot to some extent, as they gradually push the toes towards each other and narrow the foot, adding that tight or pointed shoes worsen the issue, especially when people wear shoes smaller than their real size.
Goldberg advised those who wear high heels to perform simple foot exercises daily, such as picking up items with their toes or walking barefoot on their tiptoes for a minute, to maintain foot flexibility and muscle strength.
Goldberg concluded by emphasizing the importance of moderation in wearing high heels: "If you wear high heels to a brief event like a dinner, it's fine, but wearing it all day every day puts a lot of stress on your poor foot, and no wonder you feel pain after a while."
