"Women in High Heels"

[BodiesByBija]

Written by Bija Satterlee for Dancebeat Newspaper, published Nov 2004

Bija is a Certified Personal Trainer and Motivational Fitness Coach.
She holds a BA in Dance from the University of Colorado, and is a 3 Times U.S. Representative to the World Senior Dancesport Championships (in both Standard and Latin).


"WOMEN IN HIGH HEELS!"

“She danced passionately all night, sequined and feathered in colorful silks, her lovely head and heart bursting with joy. Suddenly she sobered... then bolted out the door, down the staircase...losing a tiny shoe as she ran. Once through the hedge, she yanked off the other shoe, writhing in pain. Standing barefoot in rags, Cinderella burst into tears...

...BECAUSE HER FEET HURT!”

Let’s face it, high heels are paramount for showing off beautiful legs, but they can cause their owners excruciating pain. Not only do high heels hurt while you wear them, over time they can cause damage to the joints, ligaments, and bones of your feet. Recently three different women complained to me of chronic pain serious enough to interfere with their dancing. I consulted with several podiatrists and I bring you my findings. (Men: you may also learn a thing or two from this article, and if you have a lady who puts on heels for you, there’s a special section on how you can keep the lady’s feet happy).

The average person takes about 10,000 steps a day, according to the American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society. Dancers probably take twice as many. High heels shift most of the the pressure to the ball of the foot and the joint at the base of the toes. A 3-inch heel creates six times more stress on the front of the foot than a one-inch heel. The higher the heel, the greater the pressure on the ball of your foot.

THE RESULTING DAMAGE IS NOT PRETTY
Those beautiful high heels can lead to metatarsalgia (swelling of the joint at the base of the big toe), bunions, heel pain, calluses, toe deformities, shortened Achilles tendons, and trapped nerves. The list goes on: neuromas, shooting pain into the toes, ingrown toenails, and even stress fractures. These foot maladies are NOT normal wear and tear! Women account for about 90% of the nearly 800,000 operations each year for bunions, hammer toes and trapped nerves. Most of these surgeries can be linked back to wearing high-heeled shoes. Yet our love for them endures, and the high heel lives on.

OVERUSE SYNDROME INJURIES
As dancers, we become accustomed to a certain amount of pain. The artist / athlete in us doesn’t dare complain too loudly. If you dance in high heels frequently, there’s not a lot of time for your feet to recover between taking your dance shoes OFF and putting them ON again. However, your feet should NOT be hurting from dancing! In our competitive world, we ignore cries of help from ‘down there’, we gulp a few ibuprofen and keep going. If you do this without addressing the problems, your feet will eventually betray you, and your dance career may end too soon ~ because you wouldn’t listen! You could end up with painful scar tissue, cycles of pain/inflammation, and unnatural compensation by other muscles. How we suffer for our art!

YOU NEED NOT BE VICTIM of the foot vs. shoe war. Let’s look at both PREVENTION and CURE for the sake of our feet.

How to Care For These Puppies
We all know how to keep our biceps in shape, but few know how to keep feet and toes in good condition. Our feet contain 26 bones each, 33 joints, 107 ligaments, 19 muscles, and numerous tendons, nerves, and blood vessels. These compact biological masterpieces need a strengthening program of their own. Here are exercises to strengthen your toes and feet.
1) Toe Raise, Toe Point, Toe Curl:
Hold each position for five seconds and repeat ten times.
2) Toe Squeeze:
Place small corks or toe guards between toes and squeeze for five seconds. Repeat 10 times.
3) The Golf Ball
Roll a golf ball under the ball of your foot for two minutes. Great for foot cramps.
4) YAMUNA BALLS:
A half-ball, smaller than a tennis ball but firmer. REALLY great exercise/stretch for the sore metatarsal joint. Stand on the half-ball, spreading out the metatarsal and arch. This stretches the calf as well. Contact Bija through the web site (www.bodiesbybija.com) to purchase a set of these wonderful foot tools.
5) Sand Walking:
Any chance you get, take off your shoes and walk in the sand. Massages and exfoliates your feet, strengthens your toes.
6) Marble Pickup:
Place a handful marbles on the floor. Pick up one marble at a time and put them in a small bowl. Then take them all out again, one by one.
7) Towel Curls:
Place a small towel on the floor and curl it toward you, using only your toes.

FOOT MASSAGE
Surely you’ve had a great foot massage at some point in your life. You should get good at giving them too. (Guys, you listening?) A foot rub can be brief or quite indulgent, but is ALWAYS welcome. The main thing is do what YOU know feels good:
• squeeze the heel
• rub the arch
• bend the big toe joint carefully
• flex and point the ankle
• gently pull on the toes
• massage the calf muscle
If you use lotion or oil, it is even better. THIS will make your lady appreciate you! (You can wipe down before or after with travel wet-wipes that you keep in your dance bag.)

MASSAGE YOUR OWN FEET
Even if you are stiff and it’s hard to get your hands on your own feet, you should give them a thorough treatment; to relieve the aches, manually increase range of motion, and stretch all the muscles. You could do this before dancing, right after dancing when you take your shoes off, first thing in the morning, or at night. There is no bad time for a foot massage! It removes waste products from the muscles, and increases circulation (which aids healing and recovery).

STRETCH YOUR CALVES
The muscles in the calf are shortened in high heels, and you should stretch them every time you wear them. Stand on a step, or a thick book, and let your heels hang down. Relax. Stay there 60 seconds or more. This is probably the most important thing to do after wearing high heels.

MORE IMPORTANT FOOT CARE BASICS!• FIND A PODIATRIST to help you with your particular foot issues.
• Wear appropriate, properly fitted dance shoes, sports shoes, and ‘fashion’ shoes. Put metatarsal pads in those Manolo Blahniks!
• Warm up before dancing or doing sports, at any age.
• Shop for shoes in the afternoon. Your feet tend to swell during the day, and it's best to buy shoes to fit you then.
• Try shoes on both feet. Many people have one foot larger than the other. It's best to fit the larger one.
• SPENCOS or DR SCHOLLS inserts are a ‘must’ for your dance shoes. If this makes your shoe too tight, use just the metatarsal part.
• Take clean new insoles with you when you try on new dance shoes. Try a half size up if the padding makes them too tight.
• Give your feet a BREAK! Wear flats after dancing hard in heels.
• Have more than one pair of dance shoes, and alternate wearing them.
• THROW YOUR OLD SHOES AWAY! Before you know it, new shoes become old and the support gives way, putting your ligaments at risk.
• Replace the insoles when they wear out as well. You might go through a couple pairs pairs of insoles for the life of every dance shoe.
• Trim your toenails straight across with clippers specially designed for the purpose.
• Leave toenails slightly longer than the tips of your toes.
• Lose weight (if you need to) for less pressure on your feet.
• Try THORLO socks; slightly thicker, they wick moisture away, and support your feet. They come in black and white. (from www.sockco.com).
• Coaching shoes that lace up should be snug, not stretched out. Try on different heel heights.
• Use ice when your feet hurt, to reduce inflammation.
• Ibuprofen GEL can be purchased from www.Johnsondrug.com but requires a prescription. Rub the gel into your sore muscles instead of taking it internally. This works!
• Joint Rescue Gel (from www.PeacefulMountain.com) or Arnica gel are homeopathic remedies you can rub on.
• Glucosamine / Chondroitin helps to repair and rebuild joints from the inside.
• Take non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication (Advil, Motrin) to reduce the pain and inflammation (if you must).
• Last ditch efforts: cortisone shots, Restylane injections for padding (only works for a few months, but Hollywood celebs do it).

TREASURE YOUR FEET!
We love dancing like life itself, so there’s no going back! And high heels are an important part of the package. OK, we accept this. Just be on the lookout for signs of trouble, and get Pro-Active with your foot care. Extreme foot pain is NOT normal, and is directly related to improper shoe fit, overuse, lack of stretching, insufficient rest, and muscle imbalance. Despite what you're willing to tolerate as a lover of dancing, you may underestimate the damage high heels can cause. You work so hard at getting fit and staying healthy otherwise, please be smart, and take good care of your tootsies! It’s easier to prevent injuries than to cure them.

Feel free to contact me through my web site, www.bodiesbybija.com, to address this or other fitness issues.

In Joy and Good Health,
~ Bija Satterlee
Certified Personal Trainer and Motivational Fitness Coach

[Sagitta]

Thanks BBB! :)

[DancePoet]

Looks like this was worth posting! Thank you!

[twnkltoz]

Great article! I'll need to print this one out. I ended up with plantar fatiitis (a swelling of the tendon on the bottom of your feet) in both feet because I spent too much time in high heels. I had it for almost a year before I was smart enough to figure out that my pain wasn't normal! It then took over a year of wearing orthodics in flat shoes, losing weight, ibuprofen, and reflexology to get as over it as I am...and I still have problems when I'm on my feet all day, even in comfy shoes. I hope the guys who insist on their partners always wearing high heels whey they dance read this.

Thanks Bija!

[Chris Stratton]

Here's an article http://alum.mit.edu/ne/noteworthy/insolia.html about some innovations in shoe design that are supposed to help redistribute some weight back towards the heel, to reduce pressure on the ball of the foot. It sounds like what they've basically done is make something with a stable standard-shoe-like heel and then add a contoured shape to the arch to keep the foot from slipping forward in it. I wonder if this would be applicable to actual dance shoes (for standard only - for latin forcing the weight forward is a design intent).

And it sure would be fun to play with that pressure mapping thing

[bordertangoman]

I saw an ad on tv for gel inserts for cushioning the balls of the feet.
if i see it again I'll let you know who makes them.

[BodiesByBija]

I own a pair of Bandolinos (really beautiful Italian shoes with a 3" heel) that are comfortable enough I can wear them all day and even RUN in them with no pain and no pain the next day!

The secret? They are balanced "just right" and have a tiny ankle strap that keeps my weight centered more over the heel. The balls of my feet never get sore in these.

I've seen and tried many gel pads for the metatarsals, and 'skid's to keep your foot back in the shoe. They are often WAY too bulky to dance in. A Spenco insole, cut to just the metatarsal part is made of some wonderful material that doesn't break down, like Dr Scholls.

[pygmalion]

I love Bandolinos. I got my first pair a LONG time ago, and I noticed the same thing. They're beautifully balanced, so that your feet don't take such a beating as they do in some other shoes. Nice. 8)

And where do you get the Spenco insoles?

[cocodrilo]

That's a great article and too many women abuse their feet! I LOVE high heels and feel VERY comfortable in them, but I work standing, up to 10 hours a day, and would never attempt wearing a pointy-toe shoe or anything over 2 inches high on the job. (I often wear pants, so low, almost flat-heeled boots will do for now, and sandals in the summer! )The heels I reserve for nights on the town. My feet are in beautiful condition and I plan on keeping them that way!

[squirrel]

I never buy any kind of shoes if I feel they are imbalanced... I always try the shoes and if the weight is on the balls of my feet, I refuse to buy then! The weight should be properly distributed on the entire sole, no matter how high the heels...

[Sagitta]

Great advice Raluca. I'm trying to absorb all this info. so I can help my lady friends. :)

[BodiesByBija]

Pygmalion

I get Spenco inserts at the drug store, where the foot care things are.

You can also shop online at www.footsmart.com.

I also buy for all my sneakers: the Polysorb CrossTrainer Insoles,
"This insole delivers three times the benefits as normal insoles, absorbing shock, reenergizing feet and reducing friction. Price: $19.95"

and worth every penny!

For your dance shoes though I would just get a regular pair of flexible insoles, no special padding in the arch support.

[pygmalion]

Thanks, BbB. :D

And about the Bandolinos, I really can't say enough good things. They're nice looking shoes, and they are so comfy. I got my first pair to wear to my first job interview many moons ago, and have been wearing Bandolinos ever since. In fact, I loved that first pair, black patent leather pumps, so much that I wore them out, and kept re-buying the exact shoe until the style was discontinued. Three pairs of the exact same shoe. That's how much I loved them. :oops: And they had three inch pencil heels. 8)

Edit: Oh, btw, they are not dance shoes. They're street shoes, with everything from super dressy styles to sandals and casuals. Nice. 8)

[pygmalion]

I just got around to reading the whole article BBB! Fantastic! Especially the pointers on foot care.

Thorlo socks? Do you recommend them for use all the time, to sleep in (I moisturize my feet and sleep insocks, sometime,) or under sports shoes, or other?

And what do you recommend for "preexisting conditions," like bunions, corns or calluses? Anything?

[cocodrilo]

I hang around in &/or sleep in socks from my mountaineering shop. I have thick, 100% wool socks that keep me just as warm as my 100% synthetic socks.
Bunions- there is surgery to correct that, if it is a severe enough case.

Corns- there are corn-removing pads available over here in Japan(medicine in the central part of a ban-aid like item. Wear it for a week and then you take it off. Corn dries up and peels right off. I have used this product once and it worked well.)

Callouses- Pumice stones, big time. I use them all the time. Keep feet beautiful year-round. Soften your skin up in the shower/bath first, then go for a serious scrubbing. For seriously thick callouses, there are pedicurists for slicing the unsightly things off. I have never had a pedicure but take such excellent care of my feet that I never have needed one! 8)

[Sagitta]

I just started using the pumice stone recently an amazing difference already. You are right coco. :D

[pygmalion]

Yes. I love my pumice stone. Use it every day after my nighttime soaky bath. It does wonders, without being overly abrasive.

[heartgrl2k]

I think a lot of women buy these shoes because they don't know any better. When I first started dancing and wanted to invest in a good pair of dance shoes, I was practically forced to buy high heeled shoes from the store owner (who was a ballroom dancer). I don't think she understood that when dancing WCS that a high heel isn't what I wanted or needed. Fortunately my dance partner knew better (from years of competing) and didn't let me buy them. I escaped with minor damage to my pocketbook.

I do have a pair of heels that I wear when I dress up, but that's few and far between.

A lot of beginner dancer's in WCS I see are wearing high heeled ballroom shoes. It's out of place, at least in our club, and I would imagine very uncomfortable. My word of advice for anyone starting out is to see what everyone else is wearing before buying a pair of shoes that will wreck havoc on your feet.

[pygmalion]

I'm going to start a thread on this, if you don't mind -- what are the best shoes for swing, and for West Coast Swing, in particular. 8) I have a feeling the answer's different between swing dance genres, but I don't know for sure. So here goes. 8)

[cocodrilo]

The women in Japan have utterly awful fitting footwear and even teens are getting bunions these days! They buy shoes because they're "cute" (whether they fit or not)and I often hear of friends buying other friends shoes for souvenirs when they go abroad(as they are much cheaper than in Japan). You can see a visible gap in the back of the shoe on most ladies' shoes and they look to be a size or two too big for them. With the ill-fitting shoes come other problems- young ladies are complaining of excessive back pain and stiff shoulders. Selecting proper-fitting, sensible footwear is very important.

[pygmalion]

Yes. I don't get that. But I've had people bring me shoes as a gift from abroad before, as well. Uhh... thanks, I think. But I like to try on my shoes. :?

[cocodrilo]

As I have probably mentioned before, I have to buy my shoes online(Zappos.com has GREAT shoes!) as it is difficult to find shoes for my gargantuan 8 1/2 size foreigner feet, and if I DO find shoes in my size, they are like $160!(Normally twice the price of that in the states) Zappos, the company I order from, has write-ups on the shoes from their customers so I can review the comfort/quality factor before ordering. I have been ordering shoes from them for the past 3 years and haven't been disappointed yet! When I travel to western countries I always make a stop to buy shoes, but impossible over here in Asia, where everyone's like a size 6... :?

[BodiesByBija]

Special deal on Thorlos right now

Thorlo Socks
Buy 3 Get 1 Pair Complimentary
No charge for shipping on your entire order when you spend $55.00 or more on Thorlo Socks
http://w w w.sockcompany.com/thorlos.html

[Sagitta]

Gracie!! I know some friends who would be interested in this sale.

[pygmalion]

Excellent. Thanks. I LOVE sleeping in socks, even in the summer. I just slather the moisturizer/foot cream on, and wake up feeling great. :D

[Pacion]

Bandolinos - I am curious :lol: just googled but could not find a specific website. Anyone?

[pygmalion]

Hmm. Not sure. I get them from Macy's, Steinmart, or Marshall's (all stores with no UK outlet, I bet. :? ) I'll take a look around. That may be a label under another shoe maufacturing company. :?

[pygmalion]

I love you, girl!!! You made me discover that they have website!!! bandolino.com. :banana:

[DancePoet]

I'm bopping up for Mellody43. :)

[cocodrilo]

I love you, girl!!! You made me discover that they have website!!! bandolino.com. :banana:
I saw a bunch of stuff on their site & it looks like the kind of styles I presently own & love!(You have excellent taste!) A series in their handbag collection also bears my last name "Stafford", which I have taking a liking to and might have to make an on-line purchase in the near future... :shock:

[pygmalion]

I have a feeling I'll be buying stuff, too. They have quite a few online exclusives. Hmm...

[mellody43]

Thanks, Dancepoet! =) =)

[cocodrilo]

I have a feeling I'll be buying stuff, too. They have quite a few online exclusives. Hmm...
The prices are moderate, too! (I've been buying my leather purses in Hong Kong for the past 20 years, so I don't know the average cost in the states, but the Bandolino site had items for half of what they would cost in Japan, so to me, that's reasonable!)

[BrookeErin]

I am one who wears heels daily.... a 1" heel is 'flat' for me... true flats literally makes my legs/knees ache because I am used to heels. However, I m not one you will find complaining about pain... first of all, my feet and legs are used to and comfortable in heels... secondly, I am picky about my shoes (look and quality). I always look for well balanced shoes and they must fit RIGHT not good enough. I generally do a few salsa steps in the store to check shoes also. I passed up some lovely (on sale) Carlos Santana pumps today http://www.zappos.com/images/495/7144495/96281-d.jpg and some silver sandals.... it may be frustrating trying to find good shoes, but I ADORE the shoes I have and most of them I can dance in :)

[pygmalion]

Doesn't wearing heels all the time shorten some muscle or tendon or something? I read that somewhere -- can't remember the details, though.

[blue]

I once tried a pair of high heel dance shoes with a pelott built in - is the word the same in English? A little soft thing pointing up, at the beginning of the arch of the foot. I wasn't sure I found it comfortable, but the person selling it said that this damage to part of the foot, that can be prevented with this device, is the most common reason for foot surgery.
http://www.shoedoc.se/Skoanalys-filer/115-3.gif

Those of you who are used to high heels - should a good high heel shoe give support to the foot all the way through the arch, or is it just the front pad and the heel that really rests on the shoe? I hardly have any. The last pair I bought, a pair of really cheap low boots, tire my feet very quickly and I have come to wonder if this has something to do with it...

[DancePoet]

Thanks, Dancepoet! =) =)

I hate being late. :oops: :( Yet ... you are very welcome! :D

[DancePoet]

I am one who wears heels daily.... a 1" heel is 'flat' for me... true flats literally makes my legs/knees ache because I am used to heels. However, I m not one you will find complaining about pain... first of all, my feet and legs are used to and comfortable in heels... secondly, I am picky about my shoes (look and quality). I always look for well balanced shoes and they must fit RIGHT not good enough. I generally do a few salsa steps in the store to check shoes also. I passed up some lovely (on sale) Carlos Santana pumps today

and some silver sandals.... it may be frustrating trying to find good shoes, but I ADORE the shoes I have and most of them I can dance in :)

Oooh ... I hope you still take steps to protect your future. ;)

[DancePoet]

I once tried a pair of high heel dance shoes with a pelott built in - is the word the same in English? A little soft thing pointing up, at the beginning of the arch of the foot. I wasn't sure I found it comfortable, but the person selling it said that this damage to part of the foot, that can be prevented with this device, is the most common reason for foot surgery.

Those of you who are used to high heels - should a good high heel shoe give support to the foot all the way through the arch, or is it just the front pad and the heel that really rests on the shoe? I hardly have any. The last pair I bought, a pair of really cheap low boots, tire my feet very quickly and I have come to wonder if this has something to do with it...

This reminds me of when I was a competitive runner. I have feet ... oh, great, here I go discussing this :roll: ... where the toe next to the big toe is longer then the big toe. I once knew the non-technical name of this ... something like Morton's foot. Anyway, someone at the time mentioned to me how this created a weekness in the arch where blue's picture points. I used to where an arch support specifically to help prevent injury here.

So ... why did this strike me? Because I recently had a slight injury at the arch shown after a night of dancing. I figured it was just age setting in, and it just finally hit me that this "weakness" might have reared it's ugly head. :(

Hmmm ... well maybe it was age, too. ;) :lol:

[randomMysh]

oooh, where do i start...

first of all, this is my first posting on this great site. i've been lurking for a while, but this particular subject made me overcome my laziness and register. :shock:

i'm a ballroom dancer (yeah yeah, i know), i've also gotten into WCS lately, which i love for entirely different reasons and on top of all that, i'm studying to become a shoe designer at FIT in new york.

ok, introductions over with, on to the actual topic of shoes.
high heels hurt for a number of reasons, besides being utterly unnatural and all that.
first of all, vast majority of normal (non-dance) high heels do not provide any padding in the ball of the foot. considering that's where most of the weight is, UGGGGH for that! men must be forced to wear high heels before being allowed to design them.
secondly, none of them provide arch support, because the part that's supposed to support the arch generally doesn't touch it. why is it that sneakers get arch support and high heels don't? see above. btw, thanks a bunch to the person who posted the insolia link, it's the first sane approach to high heels i've seen so far!
thirdly, most women wear shoes that are too high for their feet. your feet, ladies, need to be flexible enough to get to that height to begin with, and strong enough to be able to support your body in that position. when i switched from 2.5" to 3" i had the worst arch cramps until i started doing exercises for my feet, and then the cramps were gone within a week. oh, and stretching before and after helps too.

the part of the foot that gets really messed up by wearing high heels is called the achilles tendon. it connects your heel to your calf in the back of you leg and when you wear high heels too much, it gets shortened. it needs to be stretched out regularly to avoid injury and to allow for comfort while wearing regular shoes. if you don't, you're risking rupturing it, and then you're in real trouble.

i'll have to check out those baudolino shoes (they're owned by the jones apparel group, as is everything else these days). i've yet to find high heels that feel decent after my dance naturals, and i'm a little sceptical because all the other shoes by that corporation don't cut it, but just maybe....

and yeah, WCS shouldn't be danced in high heels, that's silly. i mean, some people manage and still look awesome, but for most of us, it's hard enough to learn the "pull" connection to fight the forward push of heels on top of that.

whew

maybe next time i'll respond to each post separately instead of dumping it all in one fell swoop.

thanks for reading!

[blue]

secondly, none of them provide arch support, because the part that's supposed to support the arch generally doesn't touch it. why is it that sneakers get arch support and high heels don't?

Yes why? Is it difficult to make high heel shoes with arch support, or wouldn't it work for one reason or another? I have not really understood if this is what the Insolia stuff is about, or not.

I had to ask about that when I bought my tango shoes. Was it OK that the arch did not tough the shoe? Sure, said the sales woman.

Many years ago, I made a decision to never ever buy shoes with more than 2 cm heels. Such stupid stuff. Then I forget about my decision... but I would never wear them all day long. My 6 cm heels for tango make my feet tired in just an hour.

[randomMysh]

blue--
i've been annoying all of my footwear professors with that question non-stop and i've yet to get an answer. from what i understand so far the answer is:
1. women buy them anyway
2. we'd have to change the way we're doing it now, which would cost us money, and see point 1
3. men design women's shoes and since they won't have to wear them, and see point 1, they don't care.

maybe i'm unfair to male shoe designers, in fact, i probably am. just makes for an easy target for sarcasm, i guess. :oops:

what the insolia people did was put the little "bump" into the arch portion so it actually touches the arch and keeps the foot from sliding forward. :notworth:
unfortunately, only a couple of companies are using those in their shoes. i'm going to nordstrom tomorrow to check them out :)
will post with an update.

[randomMysh]

oh yeah, and since there aren't any shoes that DO make an effort to touch your arch unless it's a flat one, what the sales woman told you is ok. actually it isn't, but sadly, it's all there is.

[pygmalion]

Hmm. Maybe that's why I have so few problems with typical lady-killing shoes. Flat feet. :oops: :lol: Shoes with a built-in arch support take quite a bit of getting used to, for me. Now I understand why. :idea: 8)

[Chris Stratton]

If I may jump to the defense of the shoe engineers, I'd point out that men's dance shoes don't have any arch support either. I don't really think dance shoes are designed to support the feet - instead they are designed to provide a tougher skin to protect them from the floor, while letting them work as naturally as possible. In some cases they also extend the heel, in which case they need to support the ankle enough to help keep it in place over the heel and reinforce the arch enough that the shoe won't fold in half when the weight is on the back edge of the heel... but that's all.

My understanding is that insolia's innovation is to try to keep the foot from sliding forward in the shoe and crunching the toes - I didn't get the sense that they were trying to support the arch for purposes of supporting the arch, even though it might be part of what they use to grab onto the foot.

[randomMysh]

Chris--

you DO need arch support in shoes, period. the thing is, we're not walking around barefoot, that's just the reality of it. your foot has to work more in order to make up for the added stiffness of the sole and the confinement of the upper, and no matter how good your shoes are, they need to make up for the fact that your foot does not sink into a soft natural surface, which would allow for your arches to function naturally. if the shoe makes your foot work harder still, as is the case with heels, you need it even more.
and while dance shoes are vastly superior to just about any other type of high heel i've tried on, they still do not make up for the way a foot's position and work load changes when you elevate the heel 3" above the ball.
women account for a ridiculously high percentage of very painful foot injuries precisely because nobody bothered to think of making heels hurt less. what the insolia people did (and about time, too!) was come up with a way to distribute the weight more evenly along the foot. arch support is really a catchphrase. your muscles should be supporting your arch, not a device. but that does not mean that it's ok to take all of the weight the heel and the metatarsals (the arch) normally bear and put in squarely on the ball and expect it to be ok. the thing that irks me about all the high heels out there is that the woman's arch, which normally carries quite a chunk of weight, does not touch the shoe, which makes it impossible for normal functioning. give it the little bump a.k.a. arch support, and it takes the load off the ball and the toes, which alleviates a lot of health problems, not to mention allows you to dance those extra hours. :)
didn't mean to lecture anyone, sorry if it came out that way. :oops:

[Chris Stratton]

You can't dance with your weight distributed over a large area.

At any given point in time, your weight as a dancer is concentrated in a specific area of the foot, though that area will change as you progress through each foot action.

[pygmalion]

and while dance shoes are vastly superior to just about any other type of high heel i've tried on, they still do not make up for the way a foot's position and work load changes when you elevate the heel 3" above the ball.
Exactly why I prefer my heels to be lower. Three inches is too high for me. I always find it interesting to see how often women who wear beautiful high-heeled shoes have ugly feet. Not always, but often. I wonder if they see the correlation, but just don't care until it's too late. :?

didn't mean to lecture anyone, sorry if it came out that way. :oops:
Just call it passion, not a lecture, RM. 8) Happens to the best of us. 8)

[blue]

My understanding is that insolia's innovation is to try to keep the foot from sliding forward in the shoe and crunching the toes - I didn't get the sense that they were trying to support the arch for purposes of supporting the arch, even though it might be part of what they use to grab onto the foot.
Yes, I think that is another issue. I am not sure whether or not supporting the arch would work in high heels or not - but all shoes for running etc. do, and so does my dance sneakers.

[Vince A]

I think arch supports are a must . . . even the very thinnest of arch supports in some very flexible shoes!

[randomMysh]

You can't dance with your weight distributed over a large area.

At any given point in time, your weight as a dancer is concentrated in a specific area of the foot, though that area will change as you progress through each foot action.

i think i see your point, but i still think there's a difference between your weight being focused on the ball of your foot whether you want it or not, and being distributed normally along the shoe, *except* when you shoose to shift your center someplace, such as forward in latin.
try some reeeeally high heels on some time and you'll see what i mean :)

[Chris Stratton]

i think i see your point, but i still think there's a difference between your weight being focused on the ball of your foot whether you want it or not, and being distributed normally along the shoe, *except* when you shoose to shift your center someplace, such as forward in latin.

Perhaps dance shoes are specialty tools - designed to permit fine control for dancing, but not necessarily comfortable for standing around in. Though from what I hear, ladies dance shoes being better thought out than some similar social ones, they often are above average in comfort.

Also, dance shoes are designed to be used on sprung floors, so they can have very little padding or really much of anything but a bit of soft leather between your foot and the floor. I think one might quickly go lame wearing thin ones on pavement - walking shoes are made with thicker, more compliant soles. And mine get insoles - the street shoes, not the dance shoes.


try some reeeeally high heels on some time and you'll see what i mean :)

Have to find some the right size... while I'd like to try the experiment, I don't have quite the determination of the friend who went out and bought his own court shoes.

[pygmalion]

Try ebay. :wink: You can find some great bargains on larger sized court shoes. :lol: I've always thought it would be interesting to see a few guys try out heels, just for the educational value.

[Chris Stratton]

But then we get into the buying shoes without trying them on thread

[pygmalion]

:lol: :lol: :lol:

[randomMysh]

dancing in shoes with no padding, even on sprung floors, is ok for maybe an hour or two. but do too much of it, and you'll get tendonitis in the ball of your foot and it's not fun at all. had it a couple of times, went and bought better shoes.
besides, the sprung floors are expensive, and other than big, established, professional ballroom studios, hardly any places have them. :(

[pygmalion]

So what's up with the Latin competitors who dance in the paper-thin, flexible soled shoes? Are they doing irreparable damage?

[DancePoet]

A woman dance friend and I were dance shoe shopping yesterday and we came across wooden soled Argentine tango shoes. We were both curious as to what the deal is with these?

[BrookeErin]

I always find it interesting to see how often women who wear beautiful high-heeled shoes have ugly feet. Not always, but often. I wonder if they see the correlation, but just don't care until it's too late. :?

Or perhaps we choose sexy choose BECAUSE we don't like our feet. Personally I don't think feet are that attractive anyway... but you're unlikely to find mine without a pedicure and toe ring, and generally in sexy shoes.

[cocodrilo]

I've seen a lot of women who have decent-looking feet, but don't take proper care of them so that they're not presentable in high-heeled sandals. Get out that pumice stone girls, and a bottle of dark-colored nail polish for chrissake! It isn't all that time consuming... :?

[randomMysh]

So what's up with the Latin competitors who dance in the paper-thin, flexible soled shoes? Are they doing irreparable damage?

They're still flexible and they're still padded...at least all the ones i've seen up close, so I vote no. I mean, in order to do a lot of that complicated advanced stuff you have to have pretty strong feet, which will help to compensate for the additional strain of no arch support....although having that arch support would make dancing feel better. :)

[blue]

I just come from my AT private... and my teacher stressed the importance of arch support in high heel shoes! She said it can be in the curve of the shoe sole, how it is made, or you can put stuff in the shoe to make it better. She suggested me to go to a Scholl shoe shop, or similar, and get help with what size pelotte I should have. Not sure if I can find pelotte (support for the front arch) and arch support in the same sole, but I'll look for it!

[pygmalion]

I had ever heard of a pelotte, so I did a google image search and found this picture. 8) I think they just call them arch supports in shoe shops and drug stores here. *shrug*

http://www.amann.ch/10fuss/1030schmerzlindern/2005-Pelotte-k.jpg

[blue]

Yeah, s'ppose it is not the same word in English... thank you pygmalion! It is a support for the front arch, the one that some people (mostly women) can damage permanently. The red spot in the shoe shows quite clearly where it is located.

[pygmalion]

I think it's the same word, just not commonly used. You know us -- lazy Americans. :wink: :lol:

[BodiesByBija]

I'd like to mention a wonderful invention for high heel wearers by a company called Insolia.

It's a small gell-filled pad, fairly thin, that adheres to the inside of the shoe in the heel and arch area, which holds your weight more in the heel. It sort of sticks to your foot so you don't slide down into the toe box and jam your toes to death.

This imaginative little thing makes high heel wearing quite comfortable!

I can't give the exact website, but I think you can figure it out... put the word "insolia" in between the usual www's at the beginning and the dot-com at the end and you will find it.

Hope this doesn't violate Dance-forum's policies, but I think every woman should have these.

[cocodrilo]

That seems like a good idea, Bija! I would like to try them out. I tend to sweat a lot(especially in this humid country) so I'm wondering if the product would be effective for sweaty feet.

[MacMoto]

Intriguing idea... I've got to try them. M&S are listed as distributors in Europe... will have a look. :car:

[BodiesByBija]

They work perfectly with bare feet because they are slightly 'sticky' so you kind of stick to the heel instead of sliding down into the toe box. Plus they're slightly padded too. So if you're sweaty I think they'd work fine.

I'm just trying them out now, so just figuring out how they actually work. tomorrow I have jury duty and i'm wearing a pair of 3" stilettos to the court house, so I'll have a good chance to try them out on the marble floors. I'll report back.

[Sagitta]

They work perfectly with bare feet because they are slightly 'sticky' so you kind of stick to the heel instead of sliding down into the toe box. Plus they're slightly padded too. So if you're sweaty I think they'd work fine.

I'm just trying them out now, so just figuring out how they actually work. tomorrow I have jury duty and i'm wearing a pair of 3" stilettos to the court house, so I'll have a good chance to try them out on the marble floors. I'll report back. Thatks for the info and I look forward to the feedback report. :D

[BodiesByBija]

Well, between my Bandalinos with a tiny ankle strap that keeps me in the heel, and the Insolias, my feet never hurt all day, and I walked 10,000 steps.
You knkow they weren't as comfortable as my Nike Shox of course, but for high heels I have to say, not bad!

They're hard to get though, so keep trying the web site, and if anyone finds a regular distributor for them, post it! I just happen to have a couple pairs from the manufacturer to try out. If you can get them, get them!