New Study Says High Heel Injuries on the Rise

They say "beauty is pain," but pain and discomfort are only the beginning of something worse...

I'm the first one to admit that I wear heels way too often and, quite frankly, too long. I put up with the pain and just own it, which isn't always smart. And I'm not alone. In a study out of the University of Alabama at Birmingham, injuries sustained by wearing high heels has doubled between 2002 and 2012.

According to the New York Daily News, the injuries and damage that was discovered in this study were severe enough that the Journal of Foot and Ankle Injuries put out a warning to the public about shoe selection.

The author of the findings, Gerald McGwin, Ph.D. compiled the data from the decade studied and counted 123,355 injuries directly related to high heels. 2011 revealed more than 19,000 accidents alone. Most injuries are sustained by people in their 20s, followed by the 30s.

McGwin and his team also found that over 80 percent of the injuries were to the ankle or foot. Less than 20 percent pertained to the knee, trunk, shoulder or head and neck. Aside from immediate injuries, high heels can create long term problems like restricted range of motion in the foot over time, due to a handicap of ankle muscle movement.

His suggestion? Think about your surroundings and the occasion, also be aware of how often and how long you wear high heels.

I have to admit, I have worn heels for so long that I've lost feeling in one of my toes. That definitely makes me aware of how long I wear them. But it probably won't make me quit all together. Besides, this was a study out of Alabama. Had it been from LSU, I'd probably take it more seriously. *wink, wink*