A smart way to walk tall
HIGH heels are getting a real kicking, with Julia Roberts ripping hers off at Cannes this week and women raging against stuffy dress codes.
And although they make legs look longer and leaner, they can cause everything from bunions and blisters to crippling backache.
Backing singer Chyna Whyne, 51, knows all about the dangers of stilettos. She endured agonising back problems in the 90s as she performed in 6in heels alongside Pete Townsend, Seal and Eric Clapton.
Mum-of-two Chyna said: “I love wearing heels. I love the feeling of femininity, the empowerment and, as I am only 5ft 4in, being at eye level with those around me.
Rocking
“Back then I was jetting all over the world i n private planes, performing on stage in towering heels to crowds of 120,000 people.”
But she paid for her love of heels. And no chiropractor, osteopath or physiotherapist was able to help.
Then she discovered the Alexander technique, which aims to improve your posture. Now Chyna is the self-styled Queen of Heels, teaching women how to walk properly.
This week she was rocking her glam heels once again, performing in India in a pair of 7in stilettos encrusted with Swarovski crystals.
One person not so keen to return to her heels is receptionist Nicola Thorp, 27, who was sent home from accountants Price Cooper Waterhouse in London for wearing flats.
Furious Nicola launched a petition to make it illegal for firms to force women to wear heels. It was signed by 110,000 in under 48 hours. Chyna said: “Nobody should be forced to wear heels if they don’t want to.
“But if employers insist women do, they need to train staff on how to walk properly to avoid injuries and back problems.”
The Alexander technique is recognised by the NHS as relieving back pain, neck ache, sore shoulders and musculoskeletal problems.
It works to change the way you move in everyday activities to ease muscle strain and build a better relationship between your head, neck and spine.
Chyna said: “I wore my heels as armour and they became part of who I was. But my lower back was continually sore and my calves ached. Nobody seemed able to help.
“After I had my children, who are now 25 and 19, the pain got worse and I could not wear heels. But with the Alexander technique, over a matter of weeks the pain vanished.”
She was so impressed, she trained up on the technique and now runs courses in London on how to walk in stilettos.
And with a recent Korean study claiming heels may also alter muscles around your ankle, making you wobble and causing injuries, it seems ladies could do with some advice.
Chyna said: “Women should be able to wear heels with confidence and swagger and without pain.
“A more naturally aligned body helps achieve this.”