Do high heels cause back pain?

Do high heels cause back pain? The short answer to this question is no – according to Hannah Walder, Senior Registered Osteopath for the Osteopathy First Group.

if high heels caused back pain, then everyone who wore them would suffer – all of the time – and this is not the case. As a longstanding wearer of high heels myself – being of 5ft 4" stature, I felt compelled to investigate this question while at University – my undergraduate research paper asked this question – and the answer was "no". Five years on, ongoing analysis of the issue has shown several interesting facts.

On a crowded tube train, one person may have flu and is coughing and sneezing and streaming – but only five out of the other fifty people catch it. This is because these five people are more susceptible to this infection – perhaps a low immune system due to stress, poor diet or tiredness. In the same way, only those people with a predisposition to back pain will suffer after wearing high heels. Their back may have already been displaying some of the warning signals that come as a pre-cursor to pain (stiffness, tension and aching) and wearing heels is akin to the phrase "the straw that broke the camel's back" – one final thing that has 'tipped the balance' to precipitate the onset of pain.

So does this mean that we can all wear high heels with no ill-effect? Sadly not! Wearing high heels day in, day out, will cause shortening of the calf muscles, pressure over the front of the ankles, and cause flattening of the arch across the bridge of your foot – all of which can lead to chronic postural problems.

Further to this, we can see problems with the large hip and buttock muscles which have to work overtime to maintain your upright stance against the strong forward pull of gravity placed upon your body from wearing heels. Over time, these muscles can go into chronic spasm and trap the sciatic nerve – resulting in the ever painful 'sciatica'.
 

So what is the answer?

1) Vary your footwear – don't wear the same shoes all day every day.

2) Only wear high heels when you will not be on your feet constantly. 'Drinking Shoes' are there to look gorgeous while you are perched on a stool in a wine bar or sat at a table for dinner, not to walk home in after a night on the tiles.

3) Wear flat shoes to the office – and keep your killer heels at work. There is no doubt that heels make us feel more powerful and confident – there is nothing wrong with wearing them at work at your desk, for an interview or for a meeting with the boss. Just don't trudge from the Elephant and Castle to London Bridge in your Jimmy Choo's!!! Take your shoes off when you are at your desk and no-one can see you….and do these two exercises while you are working.

I) Straighten your leg and push your heel away – then pull your toes towards you. You should feel a stretch in the back of your calf.

II) Put a pencil on the floor and try and pick it up with your toes – you should be able to do this with both sides. If you can't, keep practicing. This helps to keep the small muscles stretched.

4) If you have pain – whether it be your back, hips, knees or feet – this is not normal and should be checked by a Registered Osteopath who can correct any underlying problems, as well as advising you on how to prevent re-occurrence.

The Osteopathy First Group run Osteopathy and Sports Injury Clinics throughout Hertfordshire – visit them at www.osteopathyfirst.co.uk.