High Heels are one of a womans favorite fashion items, but they can come at a cost of harming your body.

A woman’s body will attempt to compensate for the off-kilter balance heels cause by flexing the hips and spine forward.

To maintain balance, the calf, hip, and back muscles become tense. After several hours this creates excessive muscle fatigue and strain.  Over time, wearing high heels can also cause the calf muscles to cramp and bulge.

A high heel shoe places an increased amount of pressure on your forefoot causing you to adjust the rest of your body to maintain balance. The lower part of your body leans forward, and to compensate the upper body must lean back to keep you balanced.

The normal s-curve of the back acts as a shock absorber when walking and reduces stress on the vertebrae.

Wearing high heels causes lumbar spine flattening and a posterior displacement of the head and thoracic spine. High heel shoes cause you to pitch forward and the body’s response is to decrease the forward curve of your lower back to compensate. This poor alignment may lead to muscle overuse and back pain.

28% of women never wear heels, and 72% of women wear high heels at least some of the time.
In 1986 60% of women wore high heels, and in 2006 only 39% wore them.
77% wear them for special occasions, and 31% wear them at work.