I used to love high heels. Being vertically challenged, I’ve always longed to be tall and modelesque (is that a word?), so short of a leg transplant, heels seemed to be the best way to achieve my longed for goal. There was a time when it was nothing for me to run, hop, skip, or jump down the street in 4 inch heels –and yes, I admit I was a fan of Sex In The City and thought I was the next Carrie. My favorite ankle breakers were red and I wore the soles off those pumps! However, I do confess, that I sprained my ankle once in high school while wearing a pair of measly 2 inchers, but I was underage at the time so it doesn’t count!
Plus, heels make your legs look awesome. I always felt like a slightly better version of myself when wearing them– you know, the tall, sexy me. Sexy shoes are like a work of art with their clean, sleek lines and vibrant colors. Holy Manolo Blahniks, I do miss my high-heeled self sometimes! However, life is not all sunshine and blue skies in Jimmy Choo Land. Yes, there is a dark side to the stiletto world.
Let’s start with the pain and suffering. As always, there is a study out there to prove that what you love the most is bad for you. According to an Iowa State study, women who were in the habit of wearing 2-3.5 – inch heels were at an increased risk of knee joint degeneration and knee osteoarthritis — the higher the heel, the higher the risk. Did I forget to mention the increased risk of low back and foot pain later in life. High heels tend to throw the body out of alignment, which can be a real issue with RA, since it puts your joints in a pretty awkward position. Yikes, It’s amazing I survived this long without major injury!
Since being diagnosed with RA, my days of wearing skyscraper heels are pretty much over. C’est la vie. Upon reflection, maybe it’s not such a bad thing to take better care of my body and, in particular, my feet . After all, I only get one pair and definitely don’t miss the foot, back, and knee pain. I’ve pretty much adjusted to life in the low heeled lane, but, I do stray a once in awhile with a little kitten heel — only on special occasions, of course. (Don’t tell anyone!) I guess, you can take the girl out of the high heels, but you can’t take the high heels out of the girl. But I’m working on it — Uggs aren’t so bad, right?
