Picture Perfect Posture In Heels

At the posture doctor, we love our heels, we know sometimes the finishing touch to that special outfit is often a pair of gorgeous heels.  However, those sleek sexy heels will often cause problems, which often leave me wondering … is the pain worth the extra style?

The higher the heel the more pressure is placed on your forefoot. Wearing high heels regularly can have a long-term impact on the structure and function of your feet, but can also affect other parts of your body.

So before you slip on those pumps, you may want to consider a few things:

• Wearing high heels for longer than three hours a day can actually shorten the length of the Achilles tendon
• High heels may be a risk factor for developing knee pain as the body weight is shifted forward which takes the hip and spine out of alignment
• High heels are known to be a risk factor for osteoarthritis, ankle sprains, heel pain and the development of bunions.

 

These may come as a surprise to many, especially to those who enjoy extra height. If you aren’t ready to kick your heels to the curb, our chiropractor advises the following four exercises to help reduce foot and ankle pain and discomfort…

Chiropractic Exercises to reduce foot pain

1. Standing calf stretch: Place the ball of your right foot on the edge of a stair. Keep your right leg straight and let your heel fall backward off of the step. Hold for 30 seconds, then repeat with the left foot.

2. Hip-flexor stretch: Step backward with your right leg, both toes facing forward. Bend both knees and tuck your pelvis so your hip bones move toward your ribs. Feel a stretch in the top of the right thigh and hip. Hold for 30 seconds, then repeat with the left leg.

3. Posterior tucks: Lie on your back, legs bent and feet on the floor. Tuck your pelvis so your hip bones curl toward your ribs. Feel your lower back gently move towards the mat. Don’t force your back down and engage the muscles between your pubic bone and belly button to initiate the tucking motion. Try to imagine you are putting on a tight pair of jeans.

4. Toe spreading: Spread your toes five to 10 times. Try to make each toe spread evenly.

If you love you heels, and love walking tall ensure you look after your posture. Contact us today on 028 867 61861 and let us help you discover the perfect posture.