Love to Wear High Heels? Here are 7 Tips to Prevent Pain

You love high heels and aren’t ready to give them up, but your feet hurt after wearing them. Is there a solution? 

At Peninsula Orthopedic Associates, our board-certified orthopedic surgeons, physician’s assistants, and nurse practitioners are here for you when you have foot pain. Below, our expert team provides seven tips to ward off foot discomfort if you wear high heels. 

Select lower heels 

Did you know the high heels you’ve been wearing can cause bunions, hammertoes, and stress fractures? If you develop a bunion and it needs surgery, you’re looking at a two-month recovery. It’s not painless. 

If you’ve been wearing 3-inch heels, try a lower heel. Kitten heels look charming, and they’re 1.5 inches. 

Lower heels relieve the pressure on your toes and the ball of your foot. Your weight is more evenly distributed across your foot, which helps prevent foot deformities.

Wear gel insoles

You can buy gel insoles at the drugstore. They help cushion your feet and provide a soft pillow that feels good. 

Soak your feet when you get home 

After a long day, give your feet a warm bath with Epsom salts. You’ll feel a sigh of relief as you put your feet into the warm water. Epsom salts help ease the pain of inflammation. 

Massage your feet 

After your foot bath, give your feet a gentle massage. Massage relaxes tight muscles and eases cramping. If you have a partner who can give you a foot massage, that’s even better. 

Stretch your calves 

High heels make your calf muscles function in a shortened position. Your calf muscles become tight and are more at risk of injury after you’ve spent hours wearing high heels. Take your shoes off and stretch your feet and legs periodically. 

Limit high heel use

If you have a short walk to your office from your car, wear athletic shoes to and from your car. You can change into high heels when you get to the office and hide the sneakers under your desk. You can also choose lower heels for the office and save the high heels for parties.  

Avoid high heels with extremely pointed toes

Shoes with high heels and pointed toes make your feet hurt after you’ve worn them for a while. The pointed form of the shoe doesn’t conform to the shape of your foot. Instead, it jams your toes together. 

With the addition of high heels, you place an abnormal amount of pressure on your toes and the ball of your foot, eventually leading to injury. 

If you have unexplained foot pain or suffer from a bunion, hammertoe, or other painful foot condition, call one of our convenient offices or request an appointment through our online portal today. We are located in Menlo Park, Daly City, and Los Gatos, California.