| In today's society, the norm for many women is to | | | | people, and for some occupations, this simply isn't an |
| wear high heels when they work, go out with | | | | option. There are a few things that can be done to |
| friends, and even around the house. Although high | | | | help combat problems from developing from wearing |
| heels undoubtedly can help enhance an outfit or help | | | | high heels. First, you can spend time stretching your |
| make your legs appear toned, they will affect your | | | | calves each day that you wear high heels. The best |
| body in such a way that can lead to negative effects | | | | stretch is to find a wall and put the ball of one foot |
| on your running performance. | | | | against the wall while keeping the heel of that foot |
| High heels put the leg in a position where the calf | | | | on the floor. Slowly move toward the wall until you |
| muscle is contracting. This is the desirable to many | | | | feel a stretching sensation in your calve. Hold this |
| women because it makes the legs look more toned. | | | | position for 10 seconds then repeat 4 more times, |
| The sustained muscle contraction can actually lead to | | | | alternating legs. Besides stretching you can also be |
| a shortening and stiffening of the muscles that | | | | more selective when you choose to wear high heels. |
| connect your knee and lower leg to your ankle, called | | | | If you have to walk to work, wear flats during the |
| the gastrocnemius and soleus muscles. This | | | | walk and change into high heels when you get there. |
| shortening of these muscles will decrease your | | | | Little substitutions like this really add up and help |
| flexibility during running and will also cause them to | | | | prevent any side effects from wearing high heels. |
| fatigue faster. Besides shortening your calve muscles, | | | | Many women in our society wear high heels for one |
| wearing high heels also puts more pressure on the | | | | reason or another but don't want it to affect their |
| balls of your feet which puts you at higher risk of | | | | running performance. The best way to prevent any |
| developing stress fractures of the metatarsal bones | | | | problems from happening is to stop wearing high |
| since you are no long distributing your weight equally | | | | heels all together. If this isn't possible then stretching |
| over your foot. | | | | and being pickier with when you were high heels will |
| Although the best way to combat this problem is to | | | | help to prevent any injuries from occurring. |
| stop wearing high heels, I understand that for many | | | | |