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Show: March 4, 2012:
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Did You Know?: High Heels: Unhealthy in the Long Run
Host: Jeremy Shere, PhD
Did you Know? is presented by Wishard Health Services, becoming Eskenazi Health in 2014.
I’m Jeremy Shere.
Wearing high heels looks uncomfortable. But did you know that high heels actually change the way women walk and put them at greater risk for injury?
In a recent study, Finnish researchers found that women who often wear high heels rely heavily on muscles to walk, resulting in shorter, more forceful strides. Women who wear flats have longer strides and rely on a more efficient combination of muscles and tendons.
Even when high-heel wearers kick off their footwear, they still walk as though they were wearing heels, placing greater strain on their calf muscles. The study found that women who sport heels are six times more likely to suffer muscle strain than women who opt for more practical shoes.
All that strain increases the likelihood of foot leg, and back problems. So while high heels may be fashionable, they’re not the best bet for long-term health.
And now you know.
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Did you Know is presented by Wishard Health Services, becoming Eskenazi Health in 2014.
Additional Resources:
- Find out more about the Finnish research on high heels.
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