The cost of wearing high heels for your patients
There are more women than ever wearing high heels, with the new trends as the bigger the heel, the better, but they can also caused a variety of foot problems.
High heels make us taller and make the body appear slimmer, boosting confidence and improving self image.
One in 10 UK women wear high heels three days a week, and they are becoming more popular in younger women and even children.
The total cost of fixing foot problems caused by wearing high heels is £29m a year, with a third of UK women suffering from permanent foot injuries from wearing heels.
Bunions, corns, bent toes and trapped nerves are just a few of the foot conditions that healthcare practitioners are seeing more of, and one in five feet treatments are to remove bunions.
When people wear high heels, they raise the heel and put more pressure on the ball of the foot, causing ball of foot pain and heel pain among other condition. The toes can also be squashed and deformed by wearing pointed heels.
To treat these conditions, recommend heel cups and pads, and arch pads and supports to reduce the pain and provide more stability.
Insoles, such as those from Sorbothane, can also help to provide more cushioning to the feet. Sorbothane Heels can provide more comfort to the heel and Sorbothane Full Strike insoles are ideal for full support.
To reduce injuries to the toes, suggest toe separators to your patients to reduce friction and prevent the toes being pushed together.
The ankles can also be affected, making them less stable and putting the joint at a more pointed position, which it is not designed to do so. This can cause arthritis and Achilles tendonitis.
For treating ankle injuries, wearing an ankle support like the Vulkan Ankle Wrap will help to alleviate the pressure placed on the ankle.
High heels also cause all kinds of back problems, as they push the pelvis forward and put the spine and pelvis in the wrong alignment, and disrupt the natural S-shape. This causes the back to arch and create lower back pain.
Treatment for lower back pain for your patients should consist of ensuring correct posture through the use of lumbar rolls.
The McKenzie Original Roll can be used while sitting and the McKenzie Cervical Roll is ideal for in bed.
You could also recommend a back support for long term use, which will provide more support, while a seat wedge or cushion can help to improve a poor posture.
Many women are also turning to private practitioners to fix their foot problems quickly because of waiting lists on the NHS.
The cost of fixing foot problems through private practitioners
Bunion removal - £4,000
Total spend: £10.5m
Toe straightening - £1,200
Total spend: £10.4m
Big toe joint replacement - £4,000
Total spend: £3.3.m
Corns - £800
Total spend: £3.3m
Neuroma (removing trapped nerves) - £2,000
Total spend: £2m
Ingrowing toenail - £250
Total spend: £200,000
Some women are even having cosmetic surgery to improve the look and state of their feet, such as ‘plumping in’, which is a dermal filler injected into the ball of the foot to make walking in heels more comfortable.
But you should reassure your patients that such drastic action isn’t required if they take care of their feet.
Recommending your patients to wear a variety of styles of shoes, including heels, flats and trainers, will allow their body to recover and reduce the risk of injury.
You should also suggest that patients wear high heels only on special occasions and if they wear them more regularly, then a heel of no more than 1.5in is recommended.
