Should high heels take a hike?

A quarter of all our bones are in the foot, so if they get out of line it can affect the whole body. That's why foot problems can lead to neck and back pain. The kind of shoes you wear can contribute, but that doesn't mean you have to throw out your high heels.

From high heels to flats, women have had a long love affair with shoes. But fashion and function don't always mesh.

On one high-tech runway, podiatrists get to the bottom of a patient's pain. Force-plates embedded in the floor measure pressure points in the foot.

One other common problem is heel pain. Often the cause is walking in completely flat shoes.

"Every shoe I buy has a little heel," said foot pain patient Rita Schlessinger. "I don't wear anything flat."

For some patients, a different style may be just what the doctor ordered.

"Every person is an individual, and every footprint and foot type is like your own basic fingerprint," said Dr. Kathy Zinszer of Temple University's School of Podiatric Medicine. "So every shoe type is going to be different for different patients."

Using a sophisticated motion detection system, cameras send out infrared light. The light reflects the movement of sensors placed on patients' ankles, toes, and legs. It provides a 3-D image of the patient in mid-stride.

"A lot of patients who come to see us come in and are having a lot of lower back pain or knee pain, and it really starts from the foot," said Dr. Zinszer.

Doctors say any heel over two inches changes the body's center of gravity. Over time, some patients may begin to feel the effects.

But that doesn't mean high heels have to take a hike. Experts say by occasionally switching styles, you've got a better chance of staying pain and injury-free.

Get more Health & Food »

• Comment Now
• Email
• Print
• Report a typo
•