Posted: 5/4/2005 10:13:18 PM EDT
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Women and high heal shoes made Monday's paper. I don't get it. I really don't get it. On the one time I wore shoes that gave me blisters I threw them out and bought a new pair that didn't hurt. These ladies seem to be different. From the flak I recieved no Arfcom Lady is guilty of what follows. www.philly.com/mld/philly/entertainment/11540379.htm?template=contentModules/printstory.jsp www.philly.com/mld/philly/entertainment/11540379.htm Radical steps A stylish pair of high heels can be murder on the feet. But some women can't kick the habit - they'll even have surgery.By Dawn Fallik Inquirer Staff Writer Dawn Joslin's feet hurt so much last week that she wore sneakers to work for the first time. But there she was at lunchtime, despite corns, bunions and three major foot surgeries, sitting at Lord & Taylor's trying on high-heeled slingbacks. Would they hurt her feet? Yes. Would she wear them anyway? Of course. "I just like the look of them," says the 50-year-old comptroller. "I used to wear the stilettos, but gave those up in my 30s. No doctor has ever told me not to wear heels." Blame Sarah Jessica Parker and her Manolo Blahnik obsession (and her ability to run in the four-inch nightmares). Despite an excess of anatomically correct, cushioned-soled support, women won't be separated from their power spikes and pointy toes. Some are demanding cosmetic surgery - cutting off toes and lengthening others - to make their shoes fit. "Even though we have this incredible choice - sophisticated flats, and Prada sneakers that can cost as much as a pair of Manolo Blahniks, it's interesting that women continue to wear high heels," said Elizabeth Semmelhack, curator of the Bata Shoe Museum in Toronto. "High heels bring status and sex appeal and that's why they're not going to go away." An estimated 72 percent of women wear high heels - 39 percent on a daily basis, according to the American Podiatric Medical Association - and they are paying for their addiction with bad backs, sore knees and aching feet. "About 90 percent of my patients are women between the ages of 25 and 65 with foot pain from heels," says Joseph N. Daniel, an orthopedic surgeon at Albert Einstein Medical Center. Most of them wear shoes at least a size too small and so pointy that toes jam and blister and bunion. Three issues contribute to podiatric pain: support, pressure and space. Completely flat shoes can fail to cushion heels or give arch support. High-heels shorten the calf muscle, which pulls on the lower back. Pizza shapes squish and rub toes. At the Sheer Gait and Motion Analysis Lab at MossRehab Center in Elkins Park, Daniel often sends problem patients for gait analysis and pressure tests. Sensors are placed in their shoes, and then they take a slow 10-step stroll to the end of a runway. The sensors show movement, pronation (leaning to one side or the other), and pressure placed on the soles. As a tester walks on her 3-inch rubber-soled platforms, a multicolored image on a computer screen shows the red disaster zone - a circle of potential pain appears right on the ball of the foot. The red areas reflect the centers of highest pressure on the foot at 6 kilograms of pressure per square inch, compared with 2 kilograms at the rest of the foot. Another walk down the aisle in a sensible shoe and there's not a splash of red in sight. The rocker bottom - low in the front and back, higher in the middle - and thick sole spread the pressure away from any particular area of the foot. Doctors use the data to detect where problems are happening, to create special insoles for problem feet, or ward off problems that could arise. But Daniel says he rarely tells patients to stay off the heels altogether. Moderation, he says - once or twice a week - is fine. Every day running around, not so much. The problem is that women these days are starting to ask doctors to fix their feet - not to correct problems caused by the shoes but to make their feet match their shoes. "About three years ago, maybe 20 women called me for cosmetic surgery for their feet, and now I get about 150 calls a year," says Daniel. "There's just a greater awareness of their bodies and people are striving to achieve perfection from head to toe." In some cases, women are actually having their toes, particularly the second toe, shortened so as to enhance their "toe cleavage." Talena Johnson was in her podiatrist's office to treat an infection from a pedicure when she saw a picture of her feet, and didn't like the view. "My second toe just looked bad," said the 34-year-old receptionist. "So they just made an incision and filed it down." It took about a month to heal, and she had to wear a decidedly unsexy boot during the process. Sean Ravaei, a Philadelphia podiatrist who performs cosmetic foot surgeries, said he's received 20 calls from high schoolers, just wanting to have perfect feet for the prom. "They want toe-lengthening, toe-shortening, they want their foot wider or narrower - you'd be surprised at what people ask," he said. Several other podiatrists and surgeons said they would not perform cosmetic surgery on feet because of the risk of complications with the 26 bones, 33 joints, 107 ligaments and 19 muscles that make up the foot. "I'm completely against cosmetic surgery on feet," said Tracey Vlahovic, a podiatrist at Temple University. "The foot takes all your weight and there's a precise biomechanical action that takes place." One of the latest fads is to have collagen injections at the ball of the foot to replace fat pads worn away by age or the pressure by heels. But friction due to walking can make the material slide where it shouldn't and break down. "If you mess up a nose job, it just looks bad. But if something goes wrong with foot surgery, there can be severe pain and injury," Vlahovic said. A former ballroom dancer who now lives in Birkenstocks and Masai Barefoot Technology shoes, she suffers from the hours spent dancing in heels. Ravaei said he makes sure patients understand the risks - but he also understands where they're coming from. "I'm very much into my looks myself," he said. "I have problems with my own feet and I have to wear shoes that are a little more cushioned." -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Contact staff writer Dawn Fallik at 215-854-2795 or [email protected]. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Heel to Toe About 73 percent of women say they have physical problems because of high heels. The number of women who wear high heels daily has decreased from 60 percent in 1986 to 39 percent in 2003. 44 percent of women own four to 10 pairs of high heels. Younger women are more likely to have blisters and arch pain. Older women have corns, calluses and bunions. Most women (62 percent) wear heels two inches or higher. Most women (73 percent) have never had their shoe size measured. Source: American Podiatric Medical Association |
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You don't need Dr. Laura for this! It's simple really. See, high heels are SEXY...and they make women look taller and their legs look longer (esp. important if the thighs are thicker than the lady wishes they were). Now I dunno if any lady would go the the extremes outlined in the srticle you found, but bottom line, nowhere on this planet is a woman in sensible shoes considered "HOT." Sorry, but it's true. Now, ask any woman if she would sacrifice some discomfort to get a few appreciative glances and chances are she would. And I define "some discomfort" as that which is less noticable than experienced at the hands of some doctors. <eyebrow raised> Besides, pain is subjective. What's painful to some does not even get a blip on the radar for others. And for the record? Jump boots have been known to give blisters...but that does not keep soldiers from wearin' them. |
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I haven't worn high heels in a long time. My first husband is 6' 6" so I could wear higher heels then. Now my husband is 6'3" so I wear a 2" heel. He's comfortable, I'm comfortable. Personally I like heels and a good fitting pair of well made heels are fine but I would never cram my feet into something that pinches my toes or hurts my feet. My daughter received a bag of shoes a few months ago. None of these shoes are high heeled stillettos but there is one pair that are "wedged" and about 4" high. It cracks me up to see her bounch off to school in them. She's already a foot taller than all the boys in her class the heels make it look all the more silly! She's 6'5" with them on! Patty |
I really hate giving newbies a hard time, but I have to disagree with you here. There are a lot of guys that simply don't give a crap what shoes you wear. You're either hot or not. The shoes don't make any difference. Put an ugly girl in heels and she's still ugly. Put a hot girl in a pair of combat boots and she'll make them look GOOD. (Not that I recommend combat boots folks. They're made for the government by the lowest bidder. They get what they pay for.) |
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Hard time not felt at all, drache. I agree that ugly is ugly...what's that old saying about a sow's ear? What I was trying to say is that heels can make a woman "feel" prettier. Let's face it, when a girl cleans up well, you men appreciate that. Heels are simply part of that: nice outfit, hairdo, makeup, right accessories, etc. Ya know, the classic "before" and "after" shot. The original poster could not understand why women would wear heels. I say it's for the same reason they wear lipstick and hairspray and push up bras. Appearance. Now, if the heels are also comphy as well as sexy, she's SMOKIN'. |
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Well, I can agree with that. It's about appearence. But I think what baffles him is that these ladies are willing to suffer long term problems just for that appearence. Even going so far as foot surgery just to fit into that "perfect" pair of shoes. I mean I gather from the article that we aren't talking about a woman that wears a pair of heels for a date or a job interview now and then, but more about those women that wear them constantly whether it be work or taking their kids to soccer practice. Seems to me their mentality is a little backwards. You buy shoes to fit your feet, not feet to fit your shoes. Appearence may be important to some people, but really HOW important seems to be the issue here. |
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Wow. Alright, maybe you've never looked *specifically* at a woman's feet and would know the designer of the shoe but it's part and parcel. Case in point: A woman wearing an evening gown with a slit up to there would blow the look if she was wearing a pair of flip flops. Equally, a lady in denim cut offs wearing stilettos would look silly. It's simply accessorizing. And doing it well. It's a girl thing. |
Um, <slowly raises hand> actually I think a woman wearing jeans with stilletto's could look pretty good.  As for the other example: I think you ladies give us guys too much credit. Trust me when I tell you that a lady wearing a sexy cut up dress is NOT having her feet admired by us. Spot a gorgeous woman and ask a guy what kind of shoes she had on and I guarentee he wouldn't be able to tell you. (unless he's gay) Now the other ladies might be noticing that you screwed up your accessorizing, but that's a female competition thing I think and I'll just stay out of that one. |
Those things you believe would blow the look? Around here, they're commonplace. |
I'm wearing a different bra -- did you notice? 
gotta disagree with you, nothing I like more than seeing a woman in Cowboy boots or Combat boots... hottest looking females ever 
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I wouldn't exactly call cowboy boots or combat boots "sensbile" shoes though. 
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I used to be really into shoes. My boyfriend would tell you I still am judging by the way they invade his side of the closet (they multiply on their OWN, honey, honest). But I've gotten out of that in the past few years, mostly for the "affordability" thing, but also for the fact that I just wear simple boots in the winter, I have a few different pairs , black, brown and red. And in the summer I wear sandals. sigh. sandals. Can never have enough sandals. But I like the flat, pretty, colorful ones. Anyone wanna go shoe shopping?  One more thing to add. No matter if you've gained 10 pounds in the winter, your shoes will still fit. You can go shopping with your friends, and you may be self concious about the size you wear in clothing, but with shoes, it doesn't matter. Everyone can shop for shoes together. It's a "herd" thing. |
See? Sensible! 
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 OK, OK, in SOME circumstances they might be warrented. |
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you think stilletto heels are bad? (I don't wear 'em--bad for the ankles, hard to fight zombies) Check out what Chinese women used to go through just to find a man..... www.morbidoutlook.com/fashion/historical/2001_06_lotusfoot.html I saw a special on discovery and was appalled to see how women were crippled by this practice--check the link for a description |
GRR! Damn work firewall. Denied - category nudity. Can you give me a brief overview of what they're doing here? |
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my feet are so small (kids 2.5) that i have to order special shoes (heels) to wear to work and out. sneakers and boots and casual shoes are different, i just get kids shoes. they are cheaper anyways. but the online store i buy heels is the only one in the country that makes shoes/heels in my size. they are kinda pricy and shipping to here from Cali is $10, but its worth it. EVERYONE here wears heels to work. the heels i wear are comfy as long as i put in some Dr. Scholls insoles. then they are just fine, even the pointy ones. then again, i do sit on my butt most of the day... |
 I didn't see nudity on that page. It is about the Chinese practice of breaking and binding the feet of little girls so they'll grow deformed. It is supposed to be erotic.
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Thanks. We have an over-sensitive system around here. I get "denied- sex" all the friggin time and I know damn well there isn't any on the page. So, then chinese men find a deformed foot attractive? No wonder people want to get the hell out of China. They're all crazy! |
| Worst part is that if they're not deforming girls' feet, they're killing them outright at birth since they only value having a male child (and are only allowed 1 child per couple). I've seen photos of dead female infants tossed into garbage cans in China because they only value male babies. Thing is...sooner or later, with the males outnumbering the females due to this practice, what do you see happening in China in regard to the survival of their culture and race? |
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A look at the binding process in China. “Lotus foot” was the name given to the bound feet of Chinese women in the nineteenth century. While we modern women recoil in disgust over the idea of this deformity, binding the feet was the Eastern equivalent to European corsetry; both are extreme forms of body modification considered to be highly erotic. The origin of this practise is a bit unclear, but it is agreed that foot-binding began in the eleventh century. In one instance, it is said that there was an Empress with a foot deformity that the court attempted to follow. In another instance, it is said that during the reign of an Emperor in the Sung Dynasty, the court dancers, who moved so delicately upon the petals of lotuses had such tiny, dainty feet that resembled a golden lotus. The dainty feet became a highly eroticised symbol of femininity and grace. Mothers began binding their daughters’ feet with a few feet of bandage around age five or six to prevent growth. The ideal foot size was about four inches (like the inconceivable size of 16"-18" in corsetted waist sizes). The four lesser toes were broken and curled under the ball of the foot as far as they could reach towards the heel. The big toe served as an anchor for balance in walking. These tiny feet were then encased in silken lotus shoes, often beautifully embroidered and embellished. Over time, the bandage was tightened and the arch formed a very high curve. The shrunken foot formed a fleshy cleft between the ball and the heel, which could have been considered a “second vagina”. Various sexual guides specify countless techniques involving the sexual use of the bound foot. Draw your own kinky conclusions. Simple daily routines were painfully difficult; it was less common for rural girls to have their feet bound since they were needed to work, but in higher economic and social classes, the lotus foot prevailed at close to 100% percent. The natural foot, often referred to as “lotus boat” or “duckfoot” was a social stigma and an obstacle to marriage. For a poor family to bind the feet of their young daughter or daughters would be a major sacrifice, but it improved the chances of marrying them into a higher social class. If you’ve ever read Pearl Buck’s The Good Earth, a classic peek into Chinese culture, it mentions footbinding in several instances – how ugly O-lan’s large feet were, the delicate bound feet of Wang Lung’s mistress (whom I believe is actually named Lotus), and the process of Wang Lung’s daughter’s feet being bound so that she may be able to marry well. Foot binding was outlawed by the government in the 20th century, although it remote parts of China, they may have continued binding girls’ feet up until the late 1940’s. It is very possible that some Chinese women in their 70’s and 80’s may still have that deformed foot |
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Well, that and people outside China are starting to adopt some of them. Pretty low numbers in comparrison I'm sure, but it's helping. |
 Too Funny! I would say I can sympathise with you but I'll probably get my clock cleaned by someone.Patty |
 Am I forgiven yet? There was this commercial sometime in the 1960's. It was for men’s underwear. A couple was arguing about what kind of BVD's they should buy for him. He wanted underpants that were comfortable; she wanted the underpants to be durable. “Comfortable!” “Durable!” “Comfortable!” “Durable!” “Comfortable!” …and so on. In the end they bought the sponsors underwear which was supposedly both durable and comfortable. Ladies, YOU have to wear that stuff. Get what YOU want. If he doesn’t like it, if it isn’t comfortable, whatever, HE gets to sleep on the couch that night. |
Apparently so. I wish I could find the actual photos of the women (they are very old now) that had this done to them. It is truly revolting. I shrugged it off when I heard that Chinese men desired the 3-5 inch foot and that the smaller (more deformed) the foot, the chances of marring the girl off to a "good" husband the better. (Not that I agree with them, it just didn’t surprise me) The thing that really pissed me off is that MOTHERS did this to their little girls!! They started around 5 years old.  It takes every fiber of restraint I can gather NOT to knock the nurse out when my daughter has to get school shots. I can't fathom allowing someone to do this to their child, much less doing it yourself..... and it takes years of pain for the poor little girls. 
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For myself I would like to apologize to you for the firebombing of your first thread on this subject. I didn't really read it, I skimmed it. I thought it was another "what I think is wrong with women" thread. BTW: This is 2......see, I can admit in public when I am wrong (and not burst into flames or implode as some have feared)
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Lamb_Chop, heels............that's it, my productivity for the day has gone out the window! I'd do , but that wouldn't be gentlemanly, so I'll have to  Lovely lady, lovely image.I have to go do some work now, before this consumes my whole day. 
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As a man, I love tall womenz but I can't stand being fooled by shorter women in high heels. I'm 6ft 4in tall and I've gotten in the habit of typically checking to see what kind of shoes women are wearing whenever woman comes in above my sight line. I'm so used to looking over the top of everyone's head that when a woman blocks my view it peaks my interest. Then I check the shoes, last thing I need in my life is a woman overly concerned with their vanity and clip clopping around in doofy heels or non-athletic shoes, it just seems to suggest "high maintenence" to me. While I have a preference for taller gals I would rather date a petite athletic gal who rarely breaks out the mega-clog stripper shoes of doom inorder to squeeze in a few inches. I'd prefer a gal who's almost as tall as I am but it's not mandatory and I certainly don't want a gal who wears shoes inorder to try to fool folks. Love the tall chicks cause it is great when a tickle fight is unpredictable and turns out to be a much more fair fight, never know if she's gonna be able to turn the tables and manage a pin be it against the floor, the wall, or some piece of furniture..... A tall gal in heels holds me somewhat spell bound only because it's rare that I see a gal who could be taller than me if she wore heels. Made a mistake in highschool not dating a gal who was interested in me, she was only an inch or two shorter than me at 6ft even. If we had gone to the school dance she would have been an inch or two taller if she wore heels. I think that I was too dumb at the time to recognize her interest in me and now ever since then I've had some kind of irresistable attraction to naturally taller women. |