Fashion and good sense may diverge as women buy shoes this spring

By Kate Richards

May 17, 2005 | A walk through the Dillard's or JC Penney shoe department reveals the flat and the high-heeled shoes are the trends for spring.

Beaded, slipper-style shoes with no heel and thin soles come in a plethora of colors and adorn shoe racks everywhere. The high-heeled sandal is also a hot item.

Trendy or no, shoes like these might not be the best bet for your feet.

In a 2001 study by the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, 60 percent of women admitted to wearing uncomfortable shoes. Podiatrist say wearing the wrong shoes can cause permanent damage to your body.

Stephanie Bishop, a Utah State student who works at Payless Shoe Source, said some of the shoes women are willing to wear in the name of fashion surprise her. Not that she thinks the high-heeled sandals aren't cute; she just values her comfort more.

"I love them—I think they look so good. But never for extended periods of time," she said.

Her roommate, on the other hand, also works at Payless and will wear high heels all day at work.

Bishop said how far customers are willing to go in the name of fashion often depends on their age. Younger girls love the tall sandals and pointy shoes. "And then you have older women who say, 'Oh man, this is terrible,'" Bishop said.

Bishop was wearing her favorite shoes—sandals with woven toe and ankle straps. The platforms were about 2 and-a-half inches tall, but she said they were still comfortable. She wears them all day at work.

Rachel Baird works at Aggie Quick Stop on Utah State's campus and said she stays away from shoes with any heel. The main reason for this, she said, is that she's tall, but she also thinks high-heeled shoes are uncomfortable. Instead, she prefers flip-flops in the summer and tennis shoes in the winter.

Her roommates, however, regularly wear sandals with heels around campus.

"A lot of times my roommates come home with blisters on their heels," she said.

She said they come home wishing they hadn't worn the uncomfortable shoes all day, but as soon as the blisters are gone, they put them on again.

In a Nov. 14, 2004 Australian Associated Press news feed, podiatrist Josh Burns said the shoes women subject themselves to can cause long-term problems for their feet and posture.

He said heels higher than three centimeters were risky—women have to shift their weight to the ball of their foot and grip the shoes with their toes to keep them on. Burns said hip, knee and back problems as well as ankle sprains were common results of high-heels. Once damage to the feet is done, it cannot be reversed.

Burns suggested trading heels for flats whenever possible and stretching the calf muscles because they actually get shortened in high-heeled shoes.

In the spring 2004 issue of American Fitness, podiatrist Oliver Zong compared high heels to Chinese foot binding. Many high heels, he said, constrict the foot by up to an inch.

Binding feet to keep them small was a popular practice among women in China until the 20th Century. It is seldom practiced today, but many American women seem intent on perpetuating the tradition.

At least, Zong said, high heel wearers should choose shoes with wide heels, plenty of toe room and cushioned soles.

Though flat moccasins and slipper-style shoes eliminate the problems associated with high heels, they may not solve all your walking woes.

Utah State student Jeni Smith said she often gets shin splints from walking around campus. According to The Better Health Channel, this could be caused by walking on pavement without adequate support.

According to the site, walking or standing on concrete for long periods of time often causes pain. The Web site recommends wearing supportive shoes with softer soles and using over-the-counter arch support inserts to alleviate pain from concrete. The nearly-soleless shoes gaining popularity are neither soft nor supportive and there isn't a place for an insert.

The Bupa Health Insurance Web site outlines what women should look for when shoe shopping. You shouldn't buy shoes in the morning when feet are smallest—your feet tend to spread during the day; look for a heel that grips the foot; look for strong fastenings for more support (buckles, laces or straps); and don't expect to be able to break your shoes in. If they fit, they should be comfortable right away, according to the Web site.

Also, shoes become less supportive as they are worn, so you shouldn't wear your favorite pair of shoes every day after about a year.

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