To think your body can adapt to heels?

[FairTurtle]

I wore some heels for the first time after ages yesterday. They were these: https://www.reiss.com/style/SU416555/AA4571?utm_content=search&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQiAoae5BhCNARIsADVLzZckMVGe6XrGvCeqMN4WHe8aS9mYOcfJcBNWe3AbZ0jmHIA8XZ3eyOQaAncOEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds#AA4571

About 7 inches. Today my lower back is killing me. So are my calves, hips and hamstrings. They weren't even that high, plus I was sitting down most of the evening as it was a dinner. Only walked for a total of 30 mins?!

Does anyone have any advice? I really wanted to buy some nice Esska heels, which I'm told are comfortable and high quality, but if they also result in more than a day of back pain, its not worth it!

In my 20s I only wore heels and yes I adapted but at a cost. Ended up with such short hamstrings that I struggled to walk in flats.

Look at how very many women develop bunions in later life; then look at how many men get them.

The physiology of male and female feet is pretty much the same; so there's only one other possibility as to why it happens.

Without wanting to sound like a drama llama, I think the idea of 'training' your body to cope with repeated unnatural pressure until you cease to suffer from it just makes me draw the tragic comparison with children who are neglected, unloved and ignored and who gradually come to accept it as the norm.

In both scenarios, the best way by far to 'cope' with it is to never be in the position where you have to in the first place, if you have any personal choice or agency in it.

I should clarify - I don't intend to wear heels full time or anything. On a day to day basis I wear some super comfy wide block heels that are literally an inch or so high.

But occasionally I'd like to be able to wear something 2.5-3inches without being in such pain afterwards!

It's now been 24 hours and my lower back is still pretty painful.. has anyone else had this? In the past I've only had foot pain so it's a bit concerning.

No real advice, apart from if it hurts stop doing it!

I’m 50 and have worn heels that height for years. Work and leisure. Higher with a platform sole. I have bought five new pairs in the last fortnight. No problems with flats.

What someone said about weight is interesting because I’m quite slim.

We should take tips from Princess Kate

Heels can cause serious foot and back problems.
Of course there'll be lots of posters saying they've never had problems despite wearing heels every day. However this is a stupid argument a bit like my dad who is 84 and has smoked since he was 16, claiming that smoking is okay because he hasn't got lung cancer (yet).

Your body CAN adapt to heels, yes. But not in a good way, I'm afraid. Your body accommodates to walking wrong, for example by shortening your calf muscles. Some people who have worn heels continuously for years and years, actually have trouble walking in flats for this reason. I think it's hard for a body to be adapted to both flats and heels.

Historically, people with high shoes - the "well heeled", didn't walk much at all. I read somewhere that the heels showed off the fact they could afford to sit and be waited on all day!

My 15 year old daughter pointed out today that only old people wear heels. It’s made me take notice and I think she’s right 😆 when I was out today I could only see women 50+ wearing heels.

Somebody can always be relied upon to trot out a made up post like this on a heels thread.

It’s the shoe thread equivalent of Godwin’s law.

I have ESSKA shoes, a few pair, and I’d never go back to conventional heels. Insanely comfy, you won’t know you are wearing heels. I find the quality great, no issues with the sole peeling, as someone mentioned.
You’ve held yourself differently in the heels, I would think. That’s what’s causing the back pain.

Why would you want to put your body through that?

I don't get why anyone would wear something that's causing them pain and permanent damage just because they think it looks good.

Personally I find heels quite old-fashioned now.

This.

Had a job for seven years that required heels. Later in life have had terrible sacroiliac joint problems that has stolen almost ten years of my life and repeated surgeries.

Huge regret.

I don't think you can wear them occasionally and be pain free. You need to buildup muscles in your feet and calves and get your posture in the right place like ballet dancers do for pointe. When we are younger we are likely lighter and more flexible but that decreases with age.

Zendaya talk about doing doing foot and ankle exercises and learning to walk properly in the heels she wears and does so regularly.

When a woman wears them with confidence and elegance, it does look attractive.
BUT !!!!
Just why?
Women have worn too tight corsets in past times just to look as though they have a teeny waste.
In some cultures tiny feet (on women) was a thing.
Those rings around (womens) necks, are absolutely frightening.
I'm sure there's a lot of other "fashion" fads that (women) had to be either endured, or persuaded were to beautify them or make them look alluring.
When do men ever have to be uncomfortable?
When women go out on the town, they shiver in flimsy clothing, whilst the men get to wear trousers, shirts, jackets... all warm an comfortable...

I'd say wear what you want, but sometime later in life, you may pay the price, and what for?

Just my thoughts.

I'm a foot and ankle surgeon. I have the same opinion of heels as most lung surgeons do about cigarettes.

A self inflicted disaster.

I haven’t worn heels for years and live in DMs and Crocs. But then again, I am in my 60s…
My 24 year old DD never wears heels. She always looks elegant without them and I think teaming boots and trainers with dresses and smart trousers looks edgey.
IMHO heels make women look weak and feeble. For a wedding or night out, wedges or a kitten heal are a good compromise and far more comfortable.

Re: the older women mostly being the only ones to wear heels now - a while ago yes. I remember doing an actual double take in Tesco a couple of years ago seeing a woman shopping in high courts and a pencil skirt, sometime as we came out of covid era. And thinking that looks soooo dated, heels are never coming back.

Now i see heels creeping back.

I have 3 lovely trendy 20 something daughters and see them and their mates when they're going out out. Heels are coming back.

However - it's not so much the ubiquitous stiletto courts of Princess Kate fame, it's more block heels and wedges.

I'm sure you can adapt over time if you think it's worth it, but if you're planning on wearing them the majority of the time your feet are in shoes just be warned as my aunty wore heels her whole working lofe as she was a PA and it was expected, now she can't actually walk bare foot comfortably as her calf muscles have shortened or tightened so much that she wears slippers with a small heel even at home in her 70s now.

I also agree on the weight thing. When you think about it, it makes sense. The more weight bearing down on the feet, the more painful it will be.

I’d be more inclined to take this as a warning OP. As others have said, yes you could train yourself to wear them but at what cost?

I tried very hard with heels in my 20s. Never got used to them. I was always in pain after 15-30min walking. I gave up in the end. Some of us might just have lower pain threshold, who knows why.

I think there is a problem with the definition of “heels”, particularly on MN. Some people think only stilettos while others include the far more easy to live with block and wedges. I’m in the latter camp.

Yes your body does adapt. Slowly. Heels can change the curve of the spine, the orientation of the pelvis, thicken your tendons, adjust your stride, slowly adjust your joints. I think your back also does something to account for the change in your centre of gravity? Won't happen overnight, but prolonged wear and you physically adapt. My mum was advised not to go more than a week postpartum before she put her heels back on or she'd 'lose the knack'.

This article suggests that the older you get the longer it takes/harder it is for your body to physically change - www.womanunclouded.com/all-articles/get-them-off-cant-wear-high-heels-anymore?rq=heels Also talks about the longterm detrimental affects of wearing them. Glad I've never really bothered!

I remember a boss once telling me that heels are to a woman what a tie is to a man. They complete the outfit, make you look smart and feel powerful. I laughed out loud (was genuinely worried he was going to sack me, was just an impulsive response). Ties don't make basic life more difficult, they don't make walking and standing painful. Hardly the same! Ugh.