High-heeled shoes: from elegance to health problems

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Extract from the article: Il n’est pas rare de voir des dames perchées sur des chaussures à talons hauts, effilés ou à aiguilles. Pour certaines, c’est à des occasions rares, raisons de service ou des évènements et conférences ; pour d’autres par contre, cela relève du quotid

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It's not unusual to see ladies perched on high-heeled shoes, whether tapered or stiletto. For some, it's a rare occasion, a duty or an event or conference; for others, it's an everyday occurrence. High heels give women a new silhouette and highlight their elegance in society. But beware: they are a health risk.

Many women wear high-heeled shoes. It's a question of elegance, and the choice of shoes depends on the clothes worn, says Irène, a secretary-accountant in a communications agency: « Heels change a person's look, and they're very presentable compared with low shoes ».  Stéphanie, a 31-year-old receptionist, agrees: « It's a question of elegance. Those few extra centimetres give you a certain allure and charm, and enhance the outfit you're wearing ».

An ordeal for the unaccustomed

Sandal lovers can take comfort in their choice. « I never find myself in these shoes, I can't even walk more than 100 metres. I wear them in traffic, and once I get off my bike, I take them off and put on my sandals so I can work freely. These high-heeled shoes are a pain », said Sandra, a marketing manager at a local company.

Impact on health

The dangers of wearing high-heeled shoes are enormous, both short- and long-term.In particular, women who wear them become unstable, with their knees and ankles always flexing, explains Igor Komlan Takpake, Senior Technician in Podo-orthopaedics at the Centre National d'Appareillage Orthopédique (CNAO-Lomé).He points out that the consequences of wearing high-heeled shoes with needles are enormous: « Women who wear these shoes generally suffer from gonarthrosis, knee pain; malleolar fractures, ankle pain; the spine is affected.We also have the health problem of hallux valgus, which is the deformation or deviation of the big toe towards the outside. With high-heeled shoes, it's a woman's whole body that suffers », says Igor Komlan Takpake.For fans who can't do without these high-heeled shoes, Igor Komlan Takpake recommends wide heels, which are more stabilising.Stiletto heels should be avoided, as treating the illnesses caused by these shoes costs millions, especially when surgery is required. Elegance may demand high-heeled shoes, but health dictates otherwise.

Jean ELI