They stress your knees and hips: High heels push the center of mass in the body forward, moving the hips and spine out of alignment. The hip flexors are required to work much harder since your plantarflexed feet are forced into a downward position and have reduced power to propel your body forward. Chronically overworked and shortened hip flexors can spell trouble for runners as hip power and extension are an integral part of a runner’s stride. The altered posture from high heels can also wreak havoc on your knees. The largest joint in the body, the knee is another amazing shock absorber. But frequently wearing heels places excess force on the inside of the knees and can fast track the wear and tear that leads to osteoarthritis. One study found that heels increase the pressure on the inside of the knee joint by up to 26 percent.
They increase your risk of injury: Spending most of your time in heels during the working week can significantly increase the risk of injury during those after-work running sessions. Switching abruptly from heels to sneakers can increase the injury risk to the muscles and tendons that have basically adapted the posture in heels as the new “default” positioning for the foot and legs. When you take off the heels and lace up those sneakers for a workout, your muscles and tendons receive a shock to the system. You’ve quickly forced them into an elongated position by switching your footwear and are asking them to perform in that altered state for thousands of steps on your run, increasing your risk for injury.
Our feet carry us through miles of runs, so it’s only fair that we show them some love.
What’s a Runner to Do?
Well, it most likely comes as no surprise that the recommendation for all women is to wear a flat, supportive shoe instead of heels. And sadly, flip-flops or strappy sandals don’t count. If you are a runner and spend the majority of your day in heels, consider swapping out your shoes. Athletes especially will benefit from choosing a flat, supportive shoe with an ample toe box. If you still want to wear heels, try to save your pumps for a special night out. If that’s not possible (or desirable), wear heels in moderation—and kick them off while you are sitting at your desk.
Our feet carry us through miles of runs, so it’s only fair that we show them some love. Though it may be less trendy, if you can avoid cramming your feet into those strappy shoes, on race day you’ll be more likely to ride those well-maintained feet to the finish at the front of the pack—and what’s more stylish than that?
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