Putting your best foot forward

Image: jimmychoo.com

Pregnant ladies should mainly stick to wearing sneakers–heels, as you might expect, but also flip flops and Uggs, put your feet at risk when you’re expecting, says The Society of Chiropodists and Podiatrists.

Which means these stunners from Jimmy Choo are off limits.

Which is not to say that non-expecting ladies can sport these all the time, though. I was chatting with Dr. Natalia Lishchyna from the Ontario Chiropractic Association the other day, and she recommended that we should be wearing heels no higher than two inches or else you risk back problems…

Which (other than a few ballet flats) essentially eliminates my entire shoe collection.

So what’s a girl to do? Here’s how what I gleaned from Dr. Lishchyna on how we can wear our heels wisely:

Shop in the p.m. Our feet swell towards the latter part of the day so to ensure comfort and fit, shop for shoes in the afternoon or evening.

Aim for a shoe with a wider toe box (that’s the front of the shoe) when possible. With the angle of your foot in heels, you’re constantly sliding down and this can cause your toes to become enflamed.

Own lots of shoes. No, seriously–consider it doctor’s orders! Dr. L said changing up the variety of the shoes you wear will help somewhat. (OK, so maybe I’ve taken some liberties with what she advised–but she did say to have a spare pair on you).

Wedges are your friends. A wider base such as on a wedge is more forgiving than a stiletto.

Support your arches. You may think those ballet flats and gladiator sandals are good for your soles, but they may in fact not offer enough arch support and cushioning.

And here’s some good news for your feet–low, modest heels are apparently in for fall. Yes, really.

1 Comment June 16, 2010