With more women advancing within the professional world, there are many who view having a stylish wardrobe as being a key component of their professional and workplace image.  Fashionable but appropriate outfits include footwear as well.  There are many women who wear ballet flats or high Heels when going to work at the office.  They can both cause foot pain and discomfort.  However, rest assured that there are comfortable and stylish shoes that exist for professional women to wear to work.  Here are some useful tips on how to take good care of your feet through selecting the right work shoes.

High Heels

One of the major causes of adult women’s pain comes from wearing high heels.  There reason so why pain is caused on a consistent basis by high heels is due to how these shoes are structure.  The height of the heel on the shoe shifts the weight of your body forward.  That places increased pressure on your toes and balls of your feet.

According to Neal M. Blitz, ankle and foot surgeon and Doctor of Podiatric Medicine (D.P.M.), it is very important to realize that it is unnatural to walk in high heels.  Your feet and body will gradually start to compensate for the unnatural gait that you have developed, which lead to:

Unstable ankles

Weakness in the toes

Tightness in the Achilles tendon and calf muscles

Matthew G.Garoufalis, past APMA president and D.P.M. says, reducing how long you wear high heels is one of most effective things you can do to prevent foot problems from arising in the future.  Moderation is key when it comes to high heels he adds.  It is better to not wear them every single day.

So what are some of the more practical ways that heels can be worn in moderation as part of your professional wardrobe?

Wear supportive shoes such as sneakers while you are on your commute to and from work.  Do you take train or drive?  Do you actually walk to work?  When you wear supportive shoes and insoles it can keep your feet healthy and happy.  After you arrive at the office, change into your high heels.

Try to avoid wearing heels every single day.  Vary your choice of shoes, and wear some work-appropriate flats some of the time.  Be sure that your flats have insoles in them to provide you with some extra support.

Make modifications to your heels.  Take our favorite high heels to a cobber and have them add heel tips and rubber soles to your shoes.  That will make the sole thicker, which will be more comfortable.  Rubber will help to prevent you from slipping as well.

Garoufalis says that walking in heels every day can cause your Achilles tendon to shrink, which is the strong tendon on the back of the ankle.  That increases your risk of injuring it while you are doing things in flat shoes.  This includes when you are exercising.  When you are wearing heels is it critical that you take good care of your feet so that you can avoid injuring them.

Foot Pain and High Heels

APMA says that heels should be treated like dessert by women.  They should only be worn on special occasions instead of every day.  If high heels are worn too much, you may start experiencing something that is referred to as “high heel hangover.”  So if your feet are in pain on a consistent basis after you wear heels, even after switching to flats or sneakers, them most likely your feet are “hungover.”  After spending the whole day in heels, there are ways that you can effectively relieve your foot pain:

Stretching. It is important for you to ensure that you stretch your muscles and Achilles tendon since both of them can be shortened due to wearing high heels.  You can try to do poses such as downward dog which stretches your calves, along with standing balances that work to strengthen and stretch your feet.

Range-of-motion exercises.  Move your foot in circles, up, down, left, right.  Or use your foot to trace the alphabet.  Repeat with your other foot.

Epsom salts.  Twice a day soak your feet in water with Epsom salts for half an hour. The sulfate and magnesium in the slats get absorbed into your skin and work to repair tissue.  It can also help with ingrown toenail problems.

Your pain can vary depending on what kind of foot structure you have as well as other underlying foot problems such as plantar fasciitis or bunions.  If you have serious pain and swelling after you wear heels visit a doctor.

How To Choose Comfortable and Fashionable Shoe Tips For Professional Women – Wearing High Heels

The following are some practical tips from www.soletrader.co.uk you should consider when buying heels for work:

Choose heels that are 2 inches high maximum.  The higher that the heel is, the more stress it places on the front of your foot.

Choose a shoe with a wide tox box (this is the part where your toes are). Avoid wearing pointy-toed heels since there is additional pressure placed on the front of your feet.

Avoid the following heels:

Pointy, high stilettos.  Since pointy-toe heels are narrower around your toes, these shoes cramp your toes. The heigh will also put added pressure on the front part of your feet.

Peep-toed heels.  During the summer, you might be tempted to show your pedicure off at the office.  However, heels that have a small opening on the front part of the shoe where the toes are can end up pushing your toes forward or result in them overlapping.  They can force your toenail into the skin sometimes, which can cause ingrown toenails.

Really high platforms or wedges.  These shoes are very stylish and might look like they provide a lot more support than heels do since the platform is frequently the same height from heel to ball.  However, they frequently cause stability and balance problems, which can lead to you rolling your ankle.  If you are going to be wearing wedges, select one with a lower height as well as ankle straps for added support.

With all of the advice on how to avoid high heels, what are the best options for style and comfort? We recommend that you try shoes on at a shoe store before buying any.  Walk around in them. Wear your work slacks or suit so you can see how the heel of the shoe fits in with your hem.