High Heels Heighten Health Hazard

Emergency room visits due to high heel shoe-related injuries doubled between 2002 and 2012. Erika Beras reports.

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Maybe call it the Sex and the City effect? are stylish and in some circles considered a fashion requirement. But they come with risks: emergency room visits due to high heel shoe-related injuries doubled between 2002 and 2012. That’s according to a study in the  [Justin Xavier Moore et al, ]

Researchers estimate that, during the period of the study, Americans sustained more than 123,000 high-heel related, ER-worthy injuries. Almost three-quarters of the damage was to ankles and feet, but wearers also hurt their knees, shoulders and heads. Most of the injuries were minor.  

The research adds to a body of knowledge on the adverse effects of heels. It’s known that walking in them can reduce ankle muscle movement, stride length and balance. Long-term, heels can alter the neuromechanics of walking and can lead to musculoskeletal disorders. But they look good. And more than half of American women—and some men—wear heels regularly.

Most of the footwear foibles tracked in the study were suffered by women between the ages of 20 and 29. And perhaps surprisingly, the majority of the injuries did not happen while people were —they occurred at home. So before you don your newest pair of pricey pumps, wedges or stilettos, remember, being careful can save your sole. And your ankle too.

—Erika Beras