High Heels - Proof that some women are masochists (American football provides this evidence for males)
I read another study today which indicated that high heels are bad for a woman's health. This wasn't groundbreaking by any means, as I've read similar findings in a host of other such studies. So, I decided to do some further research on this topic and have to say, for the life of me, I can't understand why some women consistently wear high heels, especially the 3-4'' ones. Most women I know whom consistently wear heels do so because it makes them feel attractive and sexy, shows off more of their legs, makes them feel taller and more confident and because they think men feel this way too. Well, another study was released which stated that men don't notice women in heels any more or less than they notice women not wearing heels (http://newsfeed.time.com/2010/09/21/study-men-dont-notice-if-women-wear-high-heels/?hpt=Sbin). Being a man myself and knowing many other people of the same sex as I, I would say that I think this study is spot on. This isn't true for all guys. Some men do feel that they make the woman more attractive and sexy, but more times than not, we don't really care. One of the last things we look at are a woman's shoes. We'll look at her face, hair, eyes, smile, chest, backside and legs. We may notice heels once we look at the legs, but heels or not, we'll look at the legs.
For me personally, I could care less if a woman wears heels or not. I'm not going to find her any more or less attractive if she's wearing heels. I'm not going to approach a woman one night at a bar and find her beautiful beyond words and when I see her next, without heels, think to myself, "She's not that attractive anymore. What's the deal?" In fact, I think I'd prefer a woman who doesn't wear heels, because I don't want her to do any damage to herself in the long-term. She may appear attractive in heels now, but give it a few years and she won't look nearly as attractive limping around on her own or with the aid of crutches. I'd want for my girlfriend or wife to feel beautiful and be healthy, short- and long-term.
So, what are these long-term effects for many high-heel wearers? What aren't the long-term effects would probably make for a shorter list, but I think I'll go the scenic route for a change. Survey says...:
Sciatica - "A painful condition where nerves become trapped, triggering pain and numbness as far down as the feet."
The Knee - "...throws the body forward and puts increased pressure on the inside of the knee - one study found the pressure was up to 26% greater. This can lead to arthritis, the painful degenerative joint disease, in the knee."
The Calf - "Muscles in the calf naturally contract when you walk in high heels. However, long-term wear can cause them to shorten and tighten permanently - leading to pain in the ball of the foot, or knee, hip or back pain."
Achilles Tendon - "Heels put pressure on the Achilles tendon - causing it to shorten and tighten. If you wear heels constantly, this can actually shorten the tendon permanently, so that when you wear flat shoes the tendon becomes stretched and inflamed, known as tendinitis."
Pump Bump - "Also known as Haglund's deformity, this is a bony enlargement on the back of the heel. It is caused by straps and the rigid backs of pump-style shoes (hence the name) rubbing and irritating the heel."
Posture - "High-heeled shoes place the heels unnaturally above the toes and throw your whole body - your hips, shoulders, back and spine - totally out of alignment. In the long-run this can cause severe lower back and leg pain."
Pressure - "The higher the heel, the more pressure there is on the front of the foot. Over long periods this can cause bruising and other problems."
Ankle - "High heels affect your balance and increase your chance of falling - particularly if you are older or overweight. Injuries can include sprained or broken ankles."
Ball of the Foot - "Wearing high heels causes most of your body weight to be pushed forward on to the ball of the foot. This can lead to a condition called metatarsalgia - pain in the area of the foot just before the toes. Age increases your susceptibility."
Hammertoes - "Squeezing feet into ill-fitting high heels can cause the toes to curl up to fit the footwear. Eventually the toes, but usually the second one, become so misshapen they can't be straightened - even when not wearing shoes."
Bunions - "Badly-fitting shoes can cause a bony swelling at the base joint of the big toe. This leads to the big toe angling inwards, towards the other toes, and can lead to the bump becoming swollen, inflamed, painful and unsightly."
Morton's Neuroma - "High heels with narrow toes often lead to the nerves thickening, causing a lump on the underside of the foot. This is usually found between the third and fourth toes, and leads to toe pain and numbness."
That wasn't even the full list. I'll provide a couple links at the end of this blog to showcase a more complete list of potential long-term complications due to the wearing of high heels.
Given all of this information with regard to negative long-term consequences and the fact that a majority of men don't care about them, like I said at the outset, I can't for the life of me understand why some women consistently wear high heels. Legs may be attractive, but bruises, deformed toes, pain and hobbling certainly aren't.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1053601/High-heel-horrors-The-hidden-cost-body-crucial-extra-inches.html
http://foothealth.about.com/od/shoessocks/a/HighHeelsBad.htm
For me personally, I could care less if a woman wears heels or not. I'm not going to find her any more or less attractive if she's wearing heels. I'm not going to approach a woman one night at a bar and find her beautiful beyond words and when I see her next, without heels, think to myself, "She's not that attractive anymore. What's the deal?" In fact, I think I'd prefer a woman who doesn't wear heels, because I don't want her to do any damage to herself in the long-term. She may appear attractive in heels now, but give it a few years and she won't look nearly as attractive limping around on her own or with the aid of crutches. I'd want for my girlfriend or wife to feel beautiful and be healthy, short- and long-term.
So, what are these long-term effects for many high-heel wearers? What aren't the long-term effects would probably make for a shorter list, but I think I'll go the scenic route for a change. Survey says...:
Sciatica - "A painful condition where nerves become trapped, triggering pain and numbness as far down as the feet."
The Knee - "...throws the body forward and puts increased pressure on the inside of the knee - one study found the pressure was up to 26% greater. This can lead to arthritis, the painful degenerative joint disease, in the knee."
The Calf - "Muscles in the calf naturally contract when you walk in high heels. However, long-term wear can cause them to shorten and tighten permanently - leading to pain in the ball of the foot, or knee, hip or back pain."
Achilles Tendon - "Heels put pressure on the Achilles tendon - causing it to shorten and tighten. If you wear heels constantly, this can actually shorten the tendon permanently, so that when you wear flat shoes the tendon becomes stretched and inflamed, known as tendinitis."
Pump Bump - "Also known as Haglund's deformity, this is a bony enlargement on the back of the heel. It is caused by straps and the rigid backs of pump-style shoes (hence the name) rubbing and irritating the heel."
Posture - "High-heeled shoes place the heels unnaturally above the toes and throw your whole body - your hips, shoulders, back and spine - totally out of alignment. In the long-run this can cause severe lower back and leg pain."
Pressure - "The higher the heel, the more pressure there is on the front of the foot. Over long periods this can cause bruising and other problems."
Ankle - "High heels affect your balance and increase your chance of falling - particularly if you are older or overweight. Injuries can include sprained or broken ankles."
Ball of the Foot - "Wearing high heels causes most of your body weight to be pushed forward on to the ball of the foot. This can lead to a condition called metatarsalgia - pain in the area of the foot just before the toes. Age increases your susceptibility."
Hammertoes - "Squeezing feet into ill-fitting high heels can cause the toes to curl up to fit the footwear. Eventually the toes, but usually the second one, become so misshapen they can't be straightened - even when not wearing shoes."
Bunions - "Badly-fitting shoes can cause a bony swelling at the base joint of the big toe. This leads to the big toe angling inwards, towards the other toes, and can lead to the bump becoming swollen, inflamed, painful and unsightly."
Morton's Neuroma - "High heels with narrow toes often lead to the nerves thickening, causing a lump on the underside of the foot. This is usually found between the third and fourth toes, and leads to toe pain and numbness."
That wasn't even the full list. I'll provide a couple links at the end of this blog to showcase a more complete list of potential long-term complications due to the wearing of high heels.
Given all of this information with regard to negative long-term consequences and the fact that a majority of men don't care about them, like I said at the outset, I can't for the life of me understand why some women consistently wear high heels. Legs may be attractive, but bruises, deformed toes, pain and hobbling certainly aren't.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1053601/High-heel-horrors-The-hidden-cost-body-crucial-extra-inches.html
http://foothealth.about.com/od/shoessocks/a/HighHeelsBad.htm
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