How to wear high heels without pain

If suffering from a bunion, wearing high-heeled shoes can be an uncomfortable experience. Mr Andrea Bianchi comments on the subject for Good Housekeeping. He discusses how best to avoid bunions and any other discomfort from wearing high-heeled shoes to ensure good foot health.

How to wear high heels without pain

We spoke with Mr Andrea Bianchi, a leading orthopaedic surgeon based at The Private Clinic, Harley Street, to find out the best tips on how to keep your feet pain-free when wearing heels.

1. Make sure that your shoes fit properly

Problems like bunions can develop and get worse from wearing ill-fitting and uncomfortable footwear, as they can induce excessive pressure on the toes by forcing the first and fifth toes towards the centre, thus compressing the other toes. If your shoes don’t fit, this can cause significant problems for your feet.

2. Don’t always choose the highest option

Compression on your feet increases when wearing high heels, as your weight will shift towards the front of your foot. Wearing uncomfortable rigid shoes can also hinder the natural movement of the toes as you walk, thereby weakening your foot muscles and facilitating the appearance of bunions. So it’s best to look for heels that aren’t sky high — opt more often for mid-heels with supported platforms, like wedges.

3. Make use of an insole if you need one

Just as the eyes need glasses, the foot can require an orthotics insole. Now that we wear shoes, the foot has lost the daily training that was done once by walking barefoot. The shoe has taken off the support of the architectural structure of the foot, a structure made by two arches, longitudinal and transverse. It’s the yielding of these two arches that determines forefoot defects such as hallux valgus, metatarsalgia and hammertoe. If your foot isn’t properly aligned or you have fallen arches on the feet, you can wear over-the-counter orthotics which are special shoe or heel inserts that a doctor prescribes. These are custom-made specifically for you and will ensure that your foot is well-supported.

4. Don’t put up with bunions – they’ll only get worse

A bunion is essentially a deformity of the big toe – where the big toe excessively angles towards the second toe. This inevitably leads to a bony lump on the side of the foot. Some patients have large bunions that cause no pain but do cause trouble when finding appropriate footwear, while other patients can have smaller bunions that can be incredibly painful for the patient and impact their quality of life. Whilst traditional bunion surgery can come with extensive scarring and crutches, new treatment, there is now minimal invasive surgery with a promise of no downtime, no metal fixtures, no scars and no pain.

5. Think of your foot positioning

You should be mindful about distributing your weight from your heel to the front of your foot. When you wear high heels, you create pressure on the balls of your feet, so if your foot is misaligned, you will increase pain in your feet, and perhaps elsewhere in your body too. Never squeeze your toes into heels either, as this will result in endless amounts of blisters and discomfort. If you need to, add blister plasters to your heels as a preventative measure.

Read the full article on Good Housekeeping here

Why choose The Private Clinic for Bunion Removal Surgery?

If bunions are causing you discomfort and pain, then our minimally invasive keyhole bunion removal surgery is likely to be the ideal treatment for you. Performed as a daycare procedure with minimal downtime it is a great procedure for busy patients who don’t want the downtime from traditional bunion surgery. You will be able to walk immediately following the procedure, with no need for crutches. For further information or to book a bunion removal appointment please click here or call 0330 838 1686.  

• Exclusive to The Private Clinic in the UK, there is no other operation like this one.
• Bunion Removal Surgery is performed under local anaesthesia using keyhole techniques.
• This is the only natural operation with no metal fixtures such as wires or screws being used.
• There is a 98% success rate following the bunion operation.
• Mr Bianchi, an expert in his field has been carrying out bunion operations for 15 years.
• Dr Bianchi carries out on average 1,200 bunion operations a year.
• You will be able to bear weight on your foot quickly after surgery.
• No need for an overnight stay
• Minimal post-operative pain and aftercare.
• Treatment carried out in our state-of-the-art London Fitzroy hospital
• 24-hour patient helpline direct to your nursing team and surgeon, which means should you have any concern we are here to help.
• Dedicated post-operative care and appointments with your surgeon and nursing team. We are here to give you the best experience.
• Our minimally-invasive bunion removal treatment has been recognised in Tatler’s 2020 Beauty & Cosmetic Surgery Guide.
• Our excellent reputation for patient safety and satisfaction, honest advice and outstanding care means your journey with The Private Clinic will be an exciting experience to a newfound confidence.
• View our bunion before and after photos.
• Watch our bunion treatment and testimonial videos.
• Read our extensive bunion FAQs