I try not to wear high heels every day–love ‘em, but after repeatedly hearing what type of lasting damage I could be doing to my feet (like the recent findings that wearing heels daily can reshape your leg muscles and tendons, leading to pain when you don’t have heels on) scaring the bejesus outta me, no thank you! But on the days that I do decide my outfit calls for heels (can’t let my shoe wardrobe go to waste, can I?), I never leave the house without a pair of flip flops or Gap City Flats tucked in my handbag should I need to make any treks longer than three blocks–just following doctor’s orders to own and wear lots of shoes…
August 3, 2010
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.
June 16, 2010
Photo: Anna Lisa Sang
I”m not sure why, but when I got the invite to check out Red Door’s new foot massage treatment I wasn’t that excited. I love massages and try to get one every few months, and while I thought a foot rub would be perfectly nice, I just didn’t really get the point.
But after a 20-minute sneak peak into what the spa’s 45-min treatment consists of, you can call me a believer.
It is positively heavenly to have your tired calves and feet being the entire focus, and the spa’s airy space is such a tranquil escape from the city–in fact I had to be asked a few times to vacate my treatment chair as I just wanted to stay parked right there forever and never put on a pair of heels ever, ever again.
I just might have to cheat on my Alfred. (No, never. I just have to carve out a bigger massage therapy budget so I can indulge in this $55 foot treatment).
Available at Red Door (which goes by the name Che Bella Spa during daytime hours), 10 Castle Knock Rd. in Toronto on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings only.
June 2, 2010
