Since the time of Cinderella,women have a fascination for heels. A popular style for the women of today ishigh heels often worn in any formal occasion. For those women who want tohighlight their legs; high heels accentuate the view of their calves and showthem in an appealing way much better than regular shoes. It increases theself-esteem of a woman. A wide range of heels are available in the market todayranging from boots to stiletto shoes. These shoes are available from a fewcentimeters of height, to shoes that raise the foot around half foot from theground. Heels below 6 centimeters (2.5 inches) are considered as low heels, 6to 8.5 centimeters (3.5 inches) are considered as mid size, and anything morethan 8.5 centimeters are called as high heels.
Historyof the Heels:
The history of high heels datesback to the ancient ages where; in Egypt they were worn only during ceremonialpurposes and were worn only by the upper class people. In Europe, they wereused as riding boots. They were associated with monarchies in conservativeways. In 1400s the French breathed a new life into these shoes and made it afashion icon. The shoes became a craze when Queen Catherine de Medici broughtthe impression that not only women look good in high heels, but they can also reachthe height of men.
Women who are prone to slumptheir backs can correct their posture, since the extra height needs the wearerto have a more upright stance while walking. High heels give the illusion oflong and slender legs. It helps the foot to appear smaller and the legs; longer.While many find it difficult to manage high heels, varieties of heels are availablein the market today with varying heights, and with even more ways of wearingthem. It defines the glutial muscles of the wearer and gives an attractive lookin tight pants. A research by a urologist at the Verona University reveals thatwearing moderately high heels will tone the body, condition the muscles andimprove her personal life without the need for onerous exercises. During herstudy, it was revealed that women who held their feet in an angle of 15 degreefrom the ground (7 centimeter heels), exhibited 15 percent less electricalactivity in their pelvic muscles.
HealthHazards:
But prolonged usage of highheels and wearing very high and pointed heels quite often will only createadverse effects. Walking with high heels puts constant pressure on the wholebody beginning from the feet. Every coin has an other side indeed. Continuoususage can give a bad back, bunion, knee problems, disabling injuries, unnaturalgait, and other health related problems. They are considered biomechanicallyand orthopedically unsound. Swelling of the joint at the base of the big toe,hammertoes, a permanent bend in the middle of the joint of a toe, nerve issuesthat cause shooting pain into the toes, ingrown toe nails and stress fracturesare more likely to happen. Regular usage can also result in foot deformities.
The heels push the centre ofthe body mass forward, taking the hips and spine out of alignment. As the heelsget steeper, the pelvis is forced forward and ultimately results in back aches.This results in gastric function, menstrual dysfunction and may ultimatelyimpair fertility. These shoes increase the joint pressure of the knees. Asurvey reports that joint knee pressure increases 26 percent more for womenwearing these shoes. High heeled woman are prone to more nail problems as thetoes are being pressed against the end of the shoe. This may result inthickening of nails, ingrown nails, and growth of foul-smelling fungus. Everydayuse of stilettos, pencil heels and strappy shoes with slender heels will be veryharmful.
Safe Usage of High Heels:
Heels should have thick soles that put less pressure on the foot. A thicker heel will enable better balance and relieve pressure by distributing the weight of the foot evenly. Shoes should be selected with a gradual slope rather than having a straight drop down. This will help to relieve some pain in the ball of the foot. The upper material should be of leather or microfibre that would minimize foot swelling and avoid pinching of shoes. Open toe shoes will help to minimize pressure in the inflamed areas. These shoes must be worn for a limited time and during the time of wearing them one must avoid walking long distances. The feet should be immersed in lukewarm water followed by a nice massage at the end of the day.
A survey says that 48 percent of women feel more confident while wearing high heels at work, 24 percent feel assertive, and 18 percent believe that high heels will have a positive effect on their work and provide greater chances for promotion. 78 percent of the British women admit they use high heels. 63 percent of UK women feel that these shoes give glamour to their appearance. The psychological effect of heels is more among women in the age group 18 -44. London has the highest percentage of woman who prefers to wear high heels. Extra confidence is drawn by increasing the height.
Imperialism and tides of globalization has brought high heels all over the world today, making it a common sight everywhere. A single exception is the Islamic countries, where taboos still exist regarding the appearance of women in public. A balance stricken between perceiving an enduring beauty and withholding pain; by taking adequate precautions will keep woman ahead in style, comfort and good health.
References:
2) http://catholicgauze.blogspot.com
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