PAINFULLY BEAUTIFUL: But how much fashion is too much?

There is a popular saying that states “beauty is pain.” Whether it’s wearing clothes that are too tight, heels that are too high or carrying a bag that is too big, beauty can, indeed, be painful.

That is true not only while wearing some of today’s fashions, but down the road, as well. There can be residual health effects such as misaligned shoulders, back pain and even infections.

“I understand there’s a fashion component, but there’s also a health and function component,” said Fond du Lac chiropractor Shayne Bauer of Bauer Chiropractic.

High heels

High heels can be both a woman’s best friend and her worst enemy. They can make your legs look great and do wonders for your behind, but they can also lead to health problems.

“The thing about high heels is that they truly change the function of how your feet work,” Bauer said. “Not only are your feet not flat anymore, but you’re changing the way the foot works from a bio-mechanical standpoint.”

He said the most common complaints are back and foot pain.

High heels and other narrow-pointed toe shoes can cause bunions, corns, calluses and ingrown toenails, according to Lynda Kasper, family medicine physician at Agnesian HealthCare Center in Fond du Lac.

“Occasional recreational wear (is OK), but not if you have to be on your feet for more than three hours,” she said. “Bring a change of shoes along.”

Kasper said high platforms can also cause ankle injuries, such as twisting an ankle after falling from a higher elevation due to the taller shoe.

Although heels are seen more frequently where high-class fashion and formal events are common, Bauer said he’s seen quite a few patients who suffer side effects from local women where rarely take off their heels.

“The high heel thing is a choice,” he observed. “I have talked with a lot of my ladies who wear high heels regularly and I understand the fashion, but (heels) change the way those joints work.”

Bauer suggests a compromise such as lowering the height of the heel or wearing heels only at work or at an event.

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