Rich desserts and alcohol are the sort of things we try our best to enjoy in moderation, since they’re not the healthiest of indulgences. But it seems we’ll also need to ransack our closets for unhealthy culprits that commonly find their way into our daily lives. From ballet flats to skinny jeans, doctors say some of the hottest fashion trends can actually cause serious medical conditions in constant wearers.
High Heels
While you might think those four-inch Manolo Blahniks are at the height of elegance, regularly balancing in them could be doing more damage than just crushing your toes. Since stilettos push the body’s center of gravity forward (resulting in that sexier, pronounced womanly gait), they throw the hips and spine out of alignment, causing back pain in the long run. This altered stance places excess stress on the inside of the knee, a common site of osteoarthritis (a painful degenerative joint disease) among women, and it contracts the calf muscles, causing them to shorten and tighten permanently—leading to pain in the feet, knees, or back. Wearing high heels too often may also permanently shorten the Achilles tendon—which runs from the heel up the back of the leg—so that even when wearing flat shoes, the tendon becomes stretched and inflamed, a condition known as tendinitis.
To minimize these risks, stick to heels no higher than 1.5 inches. If you covet the height, limit the time spent wearing high heels (commute to work in walking shoes, and then change) and insert shock-absorbent insoles to reduce impact on your knees. Strengthening your calf muscles by stretching can help loosen muscles and make them less vulnerable to strain.
Flats and Flip-Flops
While the idea that high heels are a danger to your health has been around for awhile, experts warn that flat shoes can be just as painfully risky. Although seemingly comfortable, ballet flats and flip-flops are without support cause the feet to roll inwards, stretching ligaments and tendons apart that cause shooting pains along the bottom of the feet. They also pull the knees inward causing painful inflammation, and in worst cases, arthritis.
Summer staples like flip-flops, flats and “gladiator” sandals offer no shock absorbency or arch support, resulting in sore feet, ankles and legs. Researchers found that when people walk in flip-flops, they alter their gait, which can cause pain from the feet up into the hips and lower back. Flip-flops are best left to the beach and shouldn’t be worn for long, all-day walks around the city. And don’t live in the same pair of flats all summer long. Rather, change shoes often, easing into new styles. Since most shoe designs are not ideal, walk barefoot while at home to give your tired dogs a break.
Ultra-Skinny Jeans
If your jeans are so tight you need to perform a wiggle-dance to slip into them, you could run the risk of suffering from a nerve condition called meralgia paresthetica, or “tingling thigh syndrome.” Constant pressure from the skin-tight denim cuts off the femoral cutaneous nerve, causing a numb, tingling or burning sensation along the thigh. Wearing high heels only worsens the problem by tilting the pelvis forward. Fortunately, doctors say this tingling sensation is temporary and lessens when you take off the jeans. If chances are slim that you’ll toss out your skinny jeans, just don’t wear them all the time since their restriction also causes poor air circulation, which may lead to bacterial infection, like urinary tract infections.
Just as you should indulge in certain foods in moderation to stay healthy, limit wearing these closet staples to avoid the risk of medical dangers. Practice safe style!
