The Truth About High Heels: What You Need to Know

Fashion is a thing millions of people feel a need to stay on top of, and while some trends are just expensive (and sometimes look a bit silly), some clothing options that are in can lead to bodily damage. High heels, for example, have been a fashion staple for women for centuries (although men used to be the ones to wear them!), and while they look sexy in moderation, wearing them all the time can lead to various medical issues.

Morton’s neuroma is a foot problem you may not even know you have, but once symptoms set in, it can be excruciating, and frequently wearing high heels is a factor that can cause it to happen. To prevent the complications of this and other foot conditions, let’s look at the damage high heels can lead to, how it can cause Morton's neuroma, and what treatment options are available.

Residents of the Weatherford and Fort Worth, Texas area looking for relief from this and other foot conditions can get help from Drs. Glen Beede and Gregory Jaryga and their medical professionals at Trinity Foot & Ankle Specialists.

Types of damage caused by high heels

Like most shoes that don’t fit properly, high heels force your feet into painful positions for extended periods. Research from the Royal National Orthopedic Hospital (RNOH) used 3D technology to show the extent of the damage these shoes can cause. The technology revealed the problems caused by women being forced to walk in high heels, which place tremendous pressure on the balls of their feet (specifically the sesamoid bone).

Wearing these shoes constantly squishes the toes, forces the feet into unnatural shapes, creates severe pain, and damages the middle and end joints of the toes. This can cause various foot conditions, including arthritis, bunions, fractures, and dislocations.

Factors that lead to Morton’s neuroma

Another problem that can arise from wearing high heels is Morton’s neuroma, which typically presents with pain in the ball of your foot or feels like you have a pebble lodged in your shoe whenever you walk. So, it also affects the same part of the foot that suffers from pressure from your body weight when wearing these shoes. Those shoes are a common cause of this problem, along with sports requiring tight-fitting shoes and foot injury, and the condition is tied to flat feet, bunions, high arches, and hammertoes.

Many women who wear high heels regularly also get used to the discomfort over time, which doesn’t help the problem, as conditions like Morton’s neuroma don’t always present with symptoms.

Treatment options

Treating this condition will vary with its severity, and there are plenty of ways we can use to manage mild forms of this neuroma. These include using ice packs, padding for the metatarsal arch, supportive shoes, orthotic inserts, ultrasound therapy, soft tissue massage, and physical therapy. Steroid injections may also be used, but if that and the mild treatments fail, surgery is an option. We specialize in performing minimally invasive surgery. Our team is experienced in nerve release methods that reduce the risk to the nerve and keep you from losing feeling in your feet and toes.

While high heels can be enjoyed for special occasions, everyday use can damage your feet and lead to many problems. If you have Morton’s neuroma or other foot problems, make an appointment with Drs. Beede, Jaryga, and Trinity Foot & Ankle Specialists today.