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Each summer seems to bring with it shoes that are increasingly bad for your health. Last year, it was the stiletto; this year, the high platform wedge which is taking young women to new fashion heights. Just when you think the shoes couldn't get any higher or any more unstable, a new version hits the stores and soon flies off the shelves.
Models wearing these shoes are known to take a fall every now and then. The latest episode occurred at the Fashion For Relief at Forville market during the 64th Annual Cannes Film Festival. You can watch a video that shows what I'm talking about from the latest Cannes. These shoes don't look quite so glamorous on a beautiful model who has just taken a brutal spill on the runway.
If you've suffered the occasional twisted ankle, bleeding toe, or bruised heel, you know that it's painful and possibly embarrassing to suffer the consequences of encasing your feet in these 4-inch or 5-inch wonders. However, what you may not realize is that over the course of your life, research shows that shoes like these will increase your risk of arthritis, the #1 chronic illness affecting individuals in middle and later life. If you know someone who suffers from this disease you know that it causes pain and mobility limitations that can significantly interfere with quality of life. And worse, there is no remedy other than replacing diseased joints.
The wisdom of wearing the right shoes was revealed to me many years ago when a wise elder interviewed in one of my studies announced her secrets of successful aging. Her first recommendation was "Good shoes, of course!" she said without hesitation.
It is a well-established fact that by wearing high heels on a frequent basis, women are more likely to develop osteoarthritis because of the increased force placed on the joints in the knee and feet. Some shoe companies are building Nike Air technology into their design, most notably Cole Haan. There are also some trendy shoes coming out of Naturalizers and Aerosoles, intended to appeal to the fashion conscious young.are slim that you'll head toward the "sensible" Cole Haan's and instead go f
or the Jimmy Choo's or, thanks to , the Sex and the City heroines, Manolo Blahnik's. As you tower toward the ceiling (or more likely, totter) you may feel and possibly look sexy (assuming you don't actually fall) but you will be signing the death warrant for your lower extremities. The
The irony is that as stilettos have been getting more ridiculously extreme, the technology on workout shoes has vastly improved. Nike revolutionized sneakers and as a result we are better protected from injuries acquired while exercising. It's a situation similar to the use of ear protectors. To prevent auditory damage from exposure to noise in the workplace, a variety of ear plugs and ear protective devices became mandated. At the same time, though, Sony invented the Walkman, soon to be followed by the Discman and now Apple's iPod. Plugging the earphones into your ears results in the same damage to the ear as hours spent at work exposed to industrial noise.
Similarly, as medicine is making huge leaps in improving the treatment of cardiovascular disease, the incidence of obesity and availability of fast food is rising at a commensurate pace. Humans must be the only species capable of developing innovations that would extend life and improve its quality and then manufacturing products that entirely negate those advancements. In fact, obesity only compounds the shoe problem because the added weight puts increased pressure on your lower joints, hence accelerating the development of arthritis (among other diseases).
In my paranoid moments, I wonder if the shoe manufacturers are in cahoots with the pharmaceutical industry to ensure that there will always be a market for arthritis pain relievers. Perhaps Apple is busy developing a future market for hearing aids (the "iHear"?) and that's why they keep pushing the i-this and the i-that.
But I digress. Getting back to the footwear issue, if you think that by wearing flats, flip-flops, and Uggs you are protecting your sole, I'm sorry to say that you're wrong. Shoes that have no support may be less bad than shoes that give you a 4-inch boost off the ground but they aren't necessarily going to protect you from damage to your lower extremities. The sole needs physical support!
Here are some practical tips to keep that bounce in your walk for many years to come:
1. Follow the newest trends in comfort, not just style: Try out the latest Naturalizers or Aerosoles. You can be at the forefront of this new wave of the health-conscious AND stylish.
2. Make sure your shoes are the right size. Trying to save on stylish shoes leads some women to put on whatever they can find on sale or on the discount racks. It's not worth the pain and damage to your joints to wear shoes that don't fit.
3. If you must wear sky-high stilettos, at least bring along some flats. When your feet are screaming so loud they can't be ignored, at least you'll have something to wear instead.
It's possible to be fashionable and wise, preserving your image and your health with the right shoes.
Follow me on Twitter @swhitbo for daily updates on psychology, health, and aging. Feel free to join my Facebook group, "Fulfillment at Any Age," to discuss today's blog, or to ask further questions about this posting.
Copyright Susan Krauss Whitbourne, Ph.D. 2010
