Killer High-Heel Shoe Pain? Here is Help!

Easter is over and if you are a woman, there is a great chance that your feet are killing you today! The culprit? High-heeled shoes that just look so awesome with that Easter dress of course!

Give up heels? Not anytime soon, say most women. I even have patients into their 70’s that visit my Grapevine and Keller, TX offices, that refuse to give up their high heels and wear “granny shoes” or “grubby looking sneakers”, as they refer to sensible shoes.

A survey conducted by the American Podiatric Medical Association showed some 42% of women admitted they'd wear a shoe they liked even if it gave them discomfort; 73% admitted already having a shoe-related foot issue. These issues can be anything from corns and calluses to bunions, hammertoes, neuromas, and Achilles tendonitis.

Still not convinced to give up those sexy shoes? Here are some tips to make you feet more comfortable when sporting those killer heels:

6 Tips to Protect Your Feet When Wearing High Heels

1.       Get the best-fitting high heel possible.  While this may seem like a given, stop and think: How many pairs of high heels cause your feet to slide to the front, leaving a gap big enough for a small cell phone behind your heel?  High heels that don't fit properly cause the front of the foot to fly forward, creating more pressure -- and pain -- on toes. Look for narrow heels with a snug but not tight fit to correct the problem.

2.       Cushion, cushion, cushion. While a full-shoe insert can help, if you have pain in the ball of the foot -- or you'll be standing in your heels a long time -- invest in silicone metatarsal pads. They look like flattened gummy bears, but they do a super job of shock absorption.  It's like have a fat pad augmentation.

3.       Wear a thicker, chunkier heel for stability. A thicker heel will give you better balance and may help relieve some pressure by distributing the weight on your foot more evenly. Platforms are best.  Alternating heel heights can also help reduce problems with the Achilles tendon.

4.       Pay attention to the "slope" or "pitch" of the heel.  While some 4-inch heels will give you a straight drop down to the flatbed portion of the shoe, others will be a more gradual slope. This may be easier on the arch and might help relieve some pain in the ball of the foot.

5.       Wear open-toe high heels to relieve pressure on corns and calluses. See one of our podiatrists to have corns and calluses professionally removed and correct the problem that’s causing them. But if that's not possible, opt for open-toe shoes to take pressure off inflamed areas.

6.  We have a new solution coming soon! Come by Healthy Steps adjacent to out Grapevine and Keller locations and try out the new line of “34 Minutes” shoes. A new brand of sexy heels that are actually comfortable so that you can wear them longer than 34 minutes! These shoes are on the assembly line and should be visiting Healthy Steps by early May! I’m so excited to have a new solution for high-heeled shoes!

Sandal Fever at Healthy Steps!

A review on many comfortable sandal solutions available at Healthy Steps Shoe Stores with Janet Dixon, CPed as commentator. Many people think that comfortable sandals have to be ugly. This is so not true!! Janet reviews the new styles from Orthaheel. Foot pain relief in a convenient cute sandal! More reviews to come from Foot and Ankle Associates of North Texas in Grapevine and Keller, Texas. For more go to their website at www.myrundoc.com or www.faant.com.

Loving the New Orthaheel Sandals at Healthy Steps!

The new sandals are in at Healthy Steps from Orthaheel! Love them! Supportive and really cute as well! They are in stock at Healthy Steps in the Grapevine and Keller locations! Come check them out.... These are a preview. Multiple color choices are available in all styles!

Tips on Finding Shoes For Orthotics

So you love your running shoes and your orthotics, but you can’t wear them to work! Bummer! But seriously, lots of patients come into my office asking about specific shoes that work with their orthotics. Unfortunately, shoes are much like jeans. There are lots of styles that fit different people well, but you probably don’t want to wear my jeans (unless you are 5’2” and 100 pounds, ha ha). You need to find the non-athletic shoe that work for you!

So here are some simple rules to follow when trying to buy non-athletic shoes to work well with your orthotics.

1. You should not be able to play twister with the shoe! If you can make the shoe into a pretzel, your foot can deform it as well. A shoe should bend in the toe box and not bend in the arch or the middle.

2. The bottom of the shoe should be sturdy, not flimsy. A good ½ inch to inch width in the sole is helpful. Leather soles should be avoided if you can.

3. Try on shoes in the afternoon or evening since your foot swells during the day.

4. Bring your orthotics with you when trying on shoes. They should fit in the bottom of the shoe flat. If the shoe is too narrow or curved, it can lift the orthotic and make it uncomfortable.

5. Lastly, if your orthotic squeaks in the shoe then you can fix this with a dryer sheet under the orthotic.


The staff at Healthy Steps is well versed in fitting shoes with orthotics, so stop on by and they can help!