Fun & Famous
Walking successfully on heels? You do it like this.
Have you ever wondered how that friend can strut so confidently on towering heels while you can barely make it to the end of the hallway? Or just, eh, not at all? People, really learning to walk well in heels is an art. And that can also be learned.
At the editorial office, we have team heels: May, Lies, and me. Team sneakers is diehard represented by Jet, Joss, and Lil, while Elke is pro-boots. In short, everyone has their thing. But as a proud representative of team heels, I can say: there is a solution for all your high heels issues, there is even a whole science behind it. Podiatrist Margaret Dabbs gives you 5 tips in the area of
-responsible- heel wearing.
1. Train your Achilles tendon
“Your foot arch literally molds to your shoe. If you live in your Converse sneakers, then you simply have flatter feet than someone who often wears heels. And the other way around works too: if you always walk in heels, you may have trouble suddenly wearing flats because your instep has become higher and your Achilles tendon has shortened.”
2. Look at the width of your foot
“Wide feet need space. Period. If you have to squish your foot into a too-narrow shoe, your toes are literally flattened. Which – not so surprisingly – is very bad for your feet.”
3. Skip those platform soles
“You might not expect it, but these are the worst culprits for your feet. The sole is so stiff that you quickly roll your ankles and the stomping motion you make with a thick sole is terrible for the knees.”
4. Don’t wear the same shoes all day
“The ideal workout for your feet? Change your shoes more often throughout the day. In the morning, for example, I wear flats, in the afternoon during a meeting a high heel, and after work to have a drink with friends a sandal. This keeps your feet fit.‘
5. Practice, practice, practice
Okay, here’s one last tip from me. If you buy new shoes and you’re unsure about how to walk in them, just wear them comfortably at home for a month first. Until you can walk in them. Completely impossible? Then buy a slightly smaller heel from now on and gradually build up. Or just throw them away. Painful, but for some shoes really the best option.
