Don't you just love high heels!
They are stylish, sexy and look sleek and beautiful. Girls we feel very ladylike and the "bees knees " in them. Guys seem to like us wearing them too.
However much as I love my shoes, they are no longer my regular shoe of choice and if you have back pain they maybe should not be yours.
Why? Well look at yourself in a full length mirror in your underwear while wearing them. First stand with no shoes on and see how your spine curves-there should be a gentle "S" bend but nothing too exaggerated. Then put on your heels(we are talking 2" plus here.) Do you see how they throw your spine out of its normal alignment? Does your spine curve more? Is the lower spine now an exaggerated curve? Take them off and stand and you will see the difference.
If your spine is held in that posture throwing the hips forwards and downwards for too long, too often, you are likely to develop muscle imbalances and pain. If you already have back pain and have particularly a forward titled pelvis like I had, then you are doing yourself no favours.
With an increase in the curve of the lumbar spine comes additional pressure on the spine and the disks and the muscles supporting that area. Over time if this pressure is regular you may incur muscle imbalances and disc problems, even disc herniations.
So what can you do? Well you don't need to throw away your heels and always wear flatties but do limit your use of high heels. Wear a variety of heel heights and sometimes go barefoot even round the house.
Take full advantage of fashions where heels are not so trendy. You can get some beautiful shoes with lower heel heights. I love my shoes but now I take care of my back too :)
Keep high heels for special occasions or times when you know you will be sitting down mostly. I have even been known to walk to the venue for an evening out in flatter shoes then change into my heels just before I go in!!
For more information on muscle imbalances and how to rectify please follow this link Take care of you and your back :)
They are stylish, sexy and look sleek and beautiful. Girls we feel very ladylike and the "bees knees " in them. Guys seem to like us wearing them too.
However much as I love my shoes, they are no longer my regular shoe of choice and if you have back pain they maybe should not be yours.
Why?
Well look at yourself in a full length mirror in your underwear while wearing them. First stand with no shoes on and see how your spine curves-there should be a gentle "S" bend but nothing too exaggerated. Then put on your heels(we are talking 2" plus here.) Do you see how they throw your spine out of its normal alignment? Does your spine curve more? Is the lower spine now an exaggerated curve? Take them off and stand and you will see the difference.
If your spine is held in that posture throwing the hips forwards and downwards for too long, too often, you are likely to develop muscle imbalances and pain. If you already have back pain and have particularly a forward titled pelvis like I had, then you are doing yourself no favours.
With an increase in the curve of the lumbar spine comes additional pressure on the spine and the disks and the muscles supporting that area. Over time if this pressure is regular you may incur muscle imbalances and disc problems, even disc herniations.
So what can you do? Well you don't need to throw away your heels and always wear flatties but do limit your use of high heels. Wear a variety of heel heights and sometimes go barefoot even round the house.
Take full advantage of fashions where heels are not so trendy. You can get some beautiful shoes with lower heel heights. I love my shoes but now I take care of my back too :)
Keep high heels for special occasions or times when you know you will be sitting down mostly. I have even been known to walk to the venue for an evening out in flatter shoes then change into my heels just before I go in!!
For more information on muscle imbalances and how to rectify please follow this link
Take care of you and your back :)