Thursday, August 19, 2010

Wearing HIgh Heels

I know women tend to look good in high heels and I know I've done a post on this in the past, but I thought I'd share an article in the Los Angeles Times that said wearing them for a long period of time can cause neuromas, shortening of the Achilles tendon, hammertoes and possible sprains and fractures.

And research was done by Danielle Barkema, a kinesiology student at Iowa State University, in which she recruited 15 women to wear high heels on a special platform in her lab that measured the motion of their joints and the forces acting upon them. Sensors and motion cameras documented the force and pressure in the women's legs as they wore flats, 2-inch heels and 3 1-2 inch heels.

It turned out their knees and ankles absorbed the most wear and tear and higher heels increased the compression inside the knee, creating additional joint joint pain and strain.

The heels also forced their ankles, knees and hips into unnatural positions that increased their risk for joint degeneration and osteoarthritis.

But she wasn't recommending eliminating the wearing of high heels (which isn't going to happen) but to limit their use and not wear them every day.

So what are your thoughts?

FD

26 comments:

  1. Mistress certainly looks compelling in her heels, but I worry about her falling or hurting her ankles. (She once had a bad break on an ankle when she was wearing heels). So I think she should ration them. Her call though, of course.

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  2. When I dress to impress, heels are an absolute must (even though I am 5'11 in socks). They also make me feel uber powerful in a business setting. Otherwise I feel frumpy.

    But as soon as I can, those heels come off.

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  3. Most of the time I don't wear high heels. My Husband doesn't really want me to wear them often because of the damage they can cause. But I have this one pair of high heeled boots I just love. They make me feel so sexy. I've never admited this, not even to myself, but they do tend to make my back hurt.

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  4. This just made me chuckle!
    I adore wearing high heels although I hardly ever have any reason .
    I'm 5'11" too .. and agree with barely.pink about the power I feel wearing heels.
    I have a huge collection and mostly they sit in a closet.
    The dom I am seeing couldn't care less if I wear them or not.. so I don't.
    They DO make my back hurt!

    All of that being true, I never go to a shoe store without checking out the heels.
    Just something about the way I feel wearing them~~

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  5. I almost never wear them - and when I do, I doubt any of you would classify them as "high" heels. I'm big on comfort, and on not squishing my toes, and on not twisting my ankles. I'm a practical girl.

    Luckily, the sadist requires me to receive him in a state of perfect nakedness, except for the occasional times he has me wear plain, white, cotton panties - with once or twice the addition of a plain white sports bra.

    However, he does have certain plans that I fear would require some measure of dressing up, in which case... well, he's the boss.

    o.g.

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  6. I absolutely love heels and would wear them all the time if they weren't so uncomfortable. I usually have several pairs of shoes in my car so I can slide on something a little more comfy if I need to. But for the most part, I think the pain is worth how cute they look. :)

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  7. I'm more than a foot shorter than my husband, but heels just aren't part of my wardrobe. The rare occasions that require them remind me why. On the other hand, I stay employed tending to the joint problems most everyone here mentined.

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  8. I'm with Heather on this one - I LOVE heels! They look so beautiful, and I'm always much more confident when I'm wearing them... I'm only little though, so I suppose it doesn't add to hurt a few inches ;)

    Having said that, agreed - they are uncomfortable. I often take pumps in my bag so I can trek across the city in flats then put the heels back on when I arrive.

    Jx

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  9. I love the way heels look, and of course, wear them for my work. However, I am known for doing a quick circuit at a party, before tearing them off my feet. The boys complain (well, not the foot fetishists), but I love the feel of bare feet. I also suffer from really weak knees, so day to day, trainers/sneakers are a must.

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  10. I fucking love heels!! (And fucking in them...lol) but they hurt my feet, my back and if worn for the full day, my legs feel all tingly for ages after I take them off. They fuck up my running form when I jog too. I (like some of the other commentators) check out the shoe department for cute slingbacks every chance I get, but I rarely buy them and try to avoid wearing them at all costs. (Unless ordered to, of course) I'm pretty clumsy at times and when in heels I'm no where close to powerful, I'm simply dangerous! (But only because chances are that I'll fall over, and it's likely I'll be holding something when that happens)

    Why can't the things we love be good for us more often than naught?

    --ariia

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  11. i love heels...and Master enjoys how pretty they look thats usually all i am wearing by the time he is done with me!..lol
    comfortable? no. but sexy?..hell yeah!

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  12. Loving the heels, in moderation (unfortunately), sexy, erotic, cute, make me taller than my 5'3"(AND A HALF)! and my red patent Mary Jane heels with fishnets...mmmmm.
    oh sorry! got carried away.

    x

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  13. I am happiest in a three inch heel. The high heels are for playtime. I am very choosy as it is the position and design of the heel which can make a difference between comfort and pain. A badly designed heel on a low pair of shoes can be every bit as painful as a 5 inch heel.


    In all the reports I have seen of this research it hasn't been disclosed what the results were for the lower heels. I am sure I have heard in the past that a 1 inch heel is better for the feet than a flat.

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  14. I love the way heels look on me (and others). However for comfort...they suck! I'm also rather tall, but enjoy wearing them for certain meetings and other situations just to "send a message." I also have to agree with ariia, they're great for fucking too! And my sissy hubby looks great in heels :)

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  15. The first time I ever wore heels I was 14... my mom pushed me into wearing them because she wanted me to be more feminine. Well I ended up taking a tumble down a flight of stairs resulting in severely sprained ankle... and I've sworn them off since. I think those things are truly evil.

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  16. Being under 5'5.. I do love that heels make me feel taller. But, I am not able to wear them everyday.. I just can't suffer them.

    Most days you will find me in sandals, flip flops, or sneaks... but, there is nothing like the feeling when I put on heels.. can't explain it.

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  17. Do we really need a study to prove that heels hurt our knees and ankles? But just like there are studies about what we eat...do any of us really change our eating habits? Some yes..most no.

    I love heels. They make me feel taller, sexier, more confident. SO I will be risking it for the time being.

    Carrie

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  18. I wear heels as often as I can. Unfortunately, that's not as often as I would like. They make me feel very hot and sexy...and who doesn't want to feel that way?

    Tina

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  19. I have to admit that I have only worn heels a few times in my life. They hurt my feet, period. I love comfort and that also makes me happy and less distracted.
    On the other hand, OMG, I love some sexy legs in thigh highs and heels. One of my weaknesses when admiring a woman.
    PY

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  20. I adore heels. Just absolutely love them but don't wear them often. I have some that I'll only wear if I'm not going to be walking ~ bedroom heels.

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  21. I love wearing heels. I feel very sexy in them :)

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  22. I have to agree- though I love high heels and enjoy wearing them for Master I found they were very much affecting joint pain. After being diagnosed with fibromyalgia I do not wear them much anymore. I miss them but unless Master *makes* me wear them (which he seldom would do because of the soreness that I sometimes get) I am not prone to putting them on at all as of recently...

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  23. Mick and Molly: Sorry to hear about the broken ankle.

    barelypink: At 5-11, you must look great in heels and I can understand why you feel powerful in a business setting and also why you take them off as soon as you can.

    Serenity: Sorry to hear they make your back hurt.

    nancy: Yes, you must feel good wearing them even if they make your back hurt. And thanks for commenting Nancy and I wish you wold start a blog of your own to tell us about your lifestyle with your dom.

    oatmeal girl: He probably likes you receiving him in a state of perfect nakedness so much that he may not require heels very often.

    Heather B: If you can take the pain, I am sure you look great in them.

    greengirl: If you are a foot shorter than your husband, he must be a tall man who likes petite women so you are perfect for each other.

    L: Good idea to wait until you arrive to put the heels on. You often see women dressed up on the streets wearing tennis shoes and you know they put the heels on in the office.

    Proud Maisie: I think women in bare feet at a party look sexy.

    ariia: Fucking in heels sounds like fun. And, yes, why can't the things we love be good for us. Frustrating.

    His mountain girl: I am sure they are sexy and it sounds like he wants them on you until he is done with you.

    LittleOne: Hey, nothing wrong with getting carried away. We can imagine how sexy you look.

    doll: Oh, interesting that a one inch heel may be better than flats for the feet.

    Suzanne: Do you and your sissy husband wear matching heels? And nice that they are great for fucking.

    turla: I can understand why you awore off heels.

    Jen: I can understand that you can't explain the feeling when you put on heels even though there is nothing like it for you. And I am sure men like to see you in them.

    Carrie: Hey, if yoiu love heels, wear them proudly with no regrets.

    Tina: Yes, I am sure all women want to feel hot and sexy.

    PV: Yes, sexy legs in thigh highs and heels get noticed.

    nitebyrd: the thought of bedroom heels is enticing.

    Spanked Army Wife: Not surprised that yoiu feel sexy in them.

    viemoira: I can understand why you wouldn't want to put them on if they cause joint pain.

    And thanks for all the comments on a subject women seem to love to talk about.

    FD

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  24. I LOVE CFM shoes -- that means sexy sky high heels. But, I've had shortening of the Achilles tendon myself, and it is not good. The doctor told me I HAD to start wearing flats on occasion to lengthen the tendon again. Good news ... it does heal (no pun intended ;-)

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  25. I love my high heels, but i ware them when my ankle works well. See i popped the acl tendon in my ankle 20 years ago, and lets just say i agree with the writer in the article that you have talked about. but i do still ware my black pumps every once in a while.

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