The secret to wearing heels

They boost your confidence. They make your legs look longer. And they look fab! We chatted to a local podiatrist for tips on how to rock heels without killing your feet. 

To really look sophisticated and classy, you need to wear your heels with confidence and style, which as any gal would know, proves to be rather difficult when you are balancing a few inches off the ground on a rather small surface area.

Here’s some expert advice on how to make the most of your heels:

• High heels will attract attention to your feet, so make sure your feet are perfectly pedicured and add a dash of cheeky colour to your toes.

• Avoid cheap high heels! There’s a reason why they’re cheap – little effort went into the design of the shoe and generally the angle of the heel in relation to the front of the shoe will be incorrect.

• When trying on a heel, your weight should be evenly distributed over the balls of your feet and on your heels. Poorly designed shoes will force all the weight onto the balls of your feet – very uncomfortable after an hour or two.

• Plastic heels will give way when you walk, altering your gait in a very unflattering, chimpanzee-like way.

• Poorly designed shoes will change the position of your foot when walking, which can lead to foot, leg and back problems.

• The shoe should be able to bend over the ball of your foot and you should be able to push off from your big toe when walking. This will ensure the correct alignment of your leg, knee, ankle and back when walking.

• When walking in high heels, one should have strong and stable ankles and knees. The secret is to walk engaging your core (pelvic floor muscles) and gluts (bum muscles). You should walk up straight by also engaging your back muscles.

• The inner sole of the high heel should provide cushioning over the ball of the shoe – when the heel is raised more pressure is exerted on the bones of the frontal half of your feet – insert extra cushioning in this area.

• Avoid thin, strappy and unsupportive uppers; you don’t want to hang onto the shoe with your toes when walking. Toes clinging onto shoes for dear life are not stylish or attractive.

• Choose high heels with a closed back or a back strap, this makes it much easier to walk.

• Shoes with a rubber (even if it’s thin) outersole will provide more cushioning.

• If you cannot manage in a stiletto heel, try something slightly lower but still shaped. Some heels appear thin from the side but are slightly wider from the back, giving you more stability but allowing you to still look stylish.

• The biggest secret to wearing high heels and not having painful feet is the aftercare. Make sure your ice packs are in the freezer before you leave. As soon as you get home, even if you forget to brush your teeth, put your feet on the ice packs for a few minutes and repeat in the morning.

• You should also do daily foot and toe exercises to strengthen the small muscles inside your feet. You have four layers of muscles underneath your feet and those muscles often waste away and are very weak. By strengthening the muscles daily, your feet will take less strain when walking, most especially in high heels.


Nelfrie Kemp is a Durban-based podiatrist. Visit her website or get in touch with her on 031-560 5558