HEAL YOUR HEELS WITH THESE USEFUL TIPS
“It’s best to measure your foot size at least once in a year, as your foot size keeps changing overtime and especially after having kids”
When you choose to wear shoes with high heels, it can be said that you voluntarily choose ‘pleasure with pain.’ However, you can enjoy wearing high heels and your worry too, can be avoided, if you are a bit cautious. Thus, here are some useful tips to flaunt your high heels, minus the pain!
Know Your Correct Size
The basic mistake most women make is not knowing the right size of their feet. Also, it is very important to wear the right size, to avoid any sort of loot injuries like toenail damage, stress fracture, ligament tear, etc. Hence, it’s best to measure your foot size at least once in a year, as your foot size keeps changing overtime and especially after having kids.
Use A Silicone Heel Protective Sleeve
Stretchable soft silicon sleeve cushions support the ankles and heels with its soft and flexible gel material. Using silicone gel inserts, helps in the even distribution of body weight. Also, a wider toe box is advisable to accommodate the padding and avoiding conditions like hammertoe and toenail damage. It is also beneficial in speeding up the recovery process after an injury.
Choose A Thicker Heel
Avoid wearing slender heels on a regular basis, as they make your feet unsteady while walking. If you prefer to wear stilettos everyday, you might want to consider a chunkier heel style and alter it a bit.
Be consistent with the height of your heels, as altering the height of your heels everyday, may cause instability leading to irritation in your Achilles tendon, Also, if you consistently wear heels without enough toe space, it raises the chances of hammer toes, bunions, corns, and arthritis.
Stretch And Strengthen Your Calf Muscles
By stretching, you can help reduce heel pain and Achilles tendinosis. Additionally, daily stretching can help reduce the shortening of the Achilles tendon that occurs due to the constant wearing of high heels.
Stretching
- To stretch your tight call muscles, stand at arm’s length from a wall
- Place your right toot behind and make sure your toes are lacing forward
- Gradually bend your left leg
- Keep your right knee and heel straight with your right heel on the ground
- Hold the stretch for a minimum of 15 to maximum 30 seconds and release
- Reverse your leg position and repeat everyday
Strengthening
- Start by standing on a stair
- Keep your toot (touch ball) on the stairs and let your heel drop downwards
- Now, press on your toes and lift your heels upwards, as much as you can
Exercise Your Intrinsic Foot Muscles
Daily exercising your intrinsic loot muscles is important, as it provides strength to the toot structures to bear high stress placed on them, while wearing high-heeled shoes. And the best way to train intrinsic toot muscles is with ‘towel crunches.’
- Place the towel on the ground using only your toes, grab it and release after 30 seconds.
- Stronger toes help with balance.
Strengthen Your Gluteus Muscles
Strengthening exercises of the gluteus muscle helps in stabilization of the feet and reduces the stress on the toes due to wearing high heels.
Gluteus Medius Muscle
The gluteus medius is a vital muscle that controls the level of your hips. Get into a lying position and raise your leg straight towards the ceiling. Do this exercise daily for 20 times on each side.
Gluteus Maximus Muscle
The gluteus maximus is the main extensor muscle of the hips. Simply lie down on your stomach with your legs straight on the ground, at a hip-width distance. Compress your butt and raise one leg towards the ceiling. Repeat 20 times on each side.
HEALTH TIP
Last but not the least, it Is very important to educate yourself on your own foot type and the best way to know your foot type, is to wet your toot and step onto a piece of paper. By doing this you will make an impression on the paper and this will reveal how much your toot is get flattened.
Take Breaks : Kick your shoes/sandals oft for sometime and stretch your ankles and toes. Follow the above steps and continue to wear stylish shoes and high heels, without paying the painful ‘price!’