HEALTH & LIFESTYLE FEET FIRST MICHELE O’CONNOR REVEALS WAYS TO HELP KEEP YOU DANCING ALL PARTY SEASON LONG

WOMEN start to feel pain after 67 minutes of wearing heels, a London College of Podiatry survey found. That’s hardly surprising when a third of us admit to wearing shoes that don’t fit properly.

While a few hours of squashed toes or blistered heels might seem like a small sacrifice to look stylish, do it too often and you could end up with serious problems.

So what could happen – and how can you limit the damage?

A SHORTENED ACHILLES TENDON CONTINUOUSLY wearing high heels can cause fibres in the calf muscle to shorten and the Achilles tendon, which connects the calf muscle to the bone, to stiffen and become thicker.

This can lead to discomfort when walking in flat shoes or barefoot.

■ Treat it: Reserve your high heels for special occasions and wear shoes with varying heel heights.

This will give your tendons and joints a rest from holding the same position.

“When you do wear heels, slip them off when sitting and swap into flats if you’re walking any distance,” suggests Gemma Hodgson, podiatrist at The Foot Lab in Derbyshire.

“Stretch your Achilles tendon by performing regular calf stretches (without shoes) by facing a wall, placing one foot in front of the other and leaning into the wall for 30 seconds.”

“PUMP BUMP” OTHERWISE known as Haglund’s deformity, this bony enlargement on the heel is caused by straps and rigid backs of pump-style shoes or tabs from trainers rubbing the heel.

■ Treat it: Ice and antiinflammatories will help while wearing backless or soft-backed footwear or heel pads to minimise irritation.

“Never ‘break in’ hard shoes,” warns Gemma. “If they’re uncomfortable, don’t buy them.”

HAMMERTOE

THIS can be inherited but ill-fitting shoes are the main culprits, warns Gemma.

If shoes are too tight, too short, or too pointy, they can push the toes (usually the second toe) out of balance causing it to contract into a permanent inverted “V” shape.

■ Treat it: Silicone devices aimed at straightening the toe may help as will gentle stretching and strengthening toe exercises though surgery may be required if the toe is inflexible.

“Choose soft leather uppers with more ‘give’ than synthetic fabrics,” she advises.

Wearing shoes that don’t fit could lead to serious problems

CORNS

“THESE are hard areas of thickened skin around areas of high pressure on your feet,” explains Pareena

Patel, LloydsPharmacy Pharmacist. ■ Treat it: “Don’t cut corns yourself or use corn plasters containing salicylic acid as these destroy the surrounding healthy skin,” she warns.

“A podiatrist can gently remove the corn using a scalpel.

“Moisturising your feet nightly using creams with urea will reduce the build-up of hard skin and corns.

“And try corn cushions to alleviate pressure.”

BUNIONS

MORE than 15% of UK women suffer from bunions, a joint deformity at the base of the big toe.

“It is usually inherited but made worse by ill-fitting shoes,” explains Gemma.

■ Treat it: “Avoid high, narrow-toed shoes and look for shoes with a bigger toe box to avoid pinching,” she suggests.

While insoles and splints can relieve symptoms, they can’t reverse or correct the underlying deformity, which requires surgery.

One in five of all foot operations are to remove bunions with success rates of over 90%.

PLANTAR FASCIITIS

PAIN under the heel caused by straining the part of your foot that connects your heel bone to your toes, which can be can be caused by overexercising, new shoes with poor cushioning or support, and being overweight.

■ Treat it: Gently massaging in a topical NSAID (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug), such as ibuprofen gel, will help with the pain but consult a podiatrist for advice and treatment, such as support insoles to help maintain the arch and stabilise your foot.

FLAT ARCHES

IF YOU have flat feet (aka “fallen arches”) it’s important to choose footwear with arch support, says Gemma.

“Look inside the shoe; if it’s completely flat, don’t buy it.”

Forget unsupportive fashion footwear that has no insole, just a sheepskin lining, as these increase the risk of sprains, bad posture and a lowering of the arch, which can cause tendon strain.

■ Treat it: “Change into supportive trainers rather than slippers after a night out,” says Gemma, “and consider seeing a podiatrist about insoles.”

Support and strengthen your arches by standing on a piece of

There are steps you can take to keep your feet in the best condition tissue paper and gathering it all up using just your toes.

BLISTERS

HIGH-HEELED strappy sandals are the worst offenders for blisters.

“The foot is forced forward on to the straps, creating pressure on a small area of skin,” says Gemma.

■ Treat it: “Never pop blisters as this can result in infection,” she warns. “Compeed blister plasters (£4.39, Boots) are very effective for protecting the area while it heals.

“But think ahead and cover problem areas before you head out.”

SPRAINED ANKLE

IT’S not just feet that are in danger. Toppling off high heels and wedge platforms when walking on uneven surfaces (or when worse for wear…) is a common cause of a sprained ankle.

■ Treat it: If you can bear weight and prod your ankle without yelling, it’s probably a sprain.

Gemma says: “Put your foot up, apply ice or a cold compress and take an anti-inflammatory painkiller.”