Killer Heels: A Survival Guide

Was just flicking through some info on footwear and stumbled this for women who wear high heels. It kind of has a 'if you can't beat 'em, join'em' feel about it. ;-)

"The ‘G’ Factor: Glamour, Glide, Guide and Give
Ask any woman…high heels are an essential part of the wardrobe – they make your legs look longer, bottom smaller and can convert you from a drab ‘shopper’ to a diva ‘spectacular’ and no podiatrist would dare to tell you otherwise!

However, ‘high’ heels can become ‘killer’ heels causing problems ranging from blisters, corns and calluses to serious foot, knee and back pain. But as it’s a party essential, rather than wagging the finger in caution, we are offering words of wisdom to help you and your feet.

Lucky for all divas, Podiatrists have discovered the ‘G’ Factor of High Heels, offering four easy tips to help women enjoy wearing high heels without damaging their feet:

Glamour – Let high heels give you that extra ‘sparkle’ and save wearing them only for glamorous, special occasions. Try limit wearing them to around three to eight hours, and the height of heels, even for the most ‘A-list’ of events, shouldn’t be so high you have trouble walking! For everyday wear, heel height shouldn’t be more than 4–5 cm’s.

Glide – Don’t look like you’re rushing to catch a bus…. slow down, take smaller steps and shorten your stride when wearing high heels. Put the heel down first and glide! Not only will this minimize damage to your feet, but will give you that sexy high-heel wiggle! In fact, Lady Di wore low heels as her long legs and slender frame didn’t allow her to wear high-heels and glide elegantly.

Guide – Let the experts guide you into buying the right size shoe. 90 % of patients wear shoes that are too small. Sizes vary according to the brand and style, so, be sure to have shoes correctly fitted and check that there is up to ½ inch of space in the shoe beyond the longest toe and that the shoes are not too narrow. Also, nip any foot related problems in the bud to avoid them getting worse and before they impact on your lifestyle - use the guidance of experts such as your local podiatrist for advice.

Give – Give your feet some extra special attention during, and after wearing high heels. Exercise the calf, heel and foot muscles by stretching them out to increase circulation and help them relax – you can even do it whilst standing at the bar waiting for a drink! Give your feet a moisturizing massage when you get home (after bathing!) to again help your foot muscles relax and put back some of the essential moisture you lose wearing backless, or open-toe heels.

“Forget the X factor, look out here comes the G factor!” says TV fashion expert and stylist to the stars, John Scott.

“All women love their heels, they look better, they walk better and most importantly they feel better.... so why do we abuse our feet so much? After all, we have facials and manicures and massages to look after the rest of our body so now lets all do the G's to look after our feet. Glamour...glide...guide and give will be the new mantra for the new year...so come on ladies put the spring back into your step and follow these simple but oh so effective tips”.

Women’s love affair with high heels means they are never going to go out of fashion. However, following Podiatrists’ four simple ‘G’ Factor tips means all women can experience and enjoy high heels!"