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What we’ll cover
  1. Do you suffer from high heel pain?
  2. Changes around the body:
  3. What can I do at home?

How to manage High Heel Pain

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How to manage High Heel Pain

Do you suffer from high heel pain?

Whether it be the Spring Carnival, the festive season, or just for everyday wear, high heels have a marked impact on how women feel and stand.  Originally developed to give women a taller and more slender appearance, as physiotherapists we often see a range of conditions that are influenced by wearing high heels.

High heels push body weight forward leading to a significant change in standing posture.  This change in posture leads to misalignment of your spine’s natural curves and increases pressure through the low back, hips, knees, ankle, forefoot.

High-heels-on-the-body

Changes around the body:

Wearing heels changes spinal alignment significantly, resulting in an increased lumbar lordosis (curve in the lower part of your spine).  This increased lordosis can lead to joint stress between vertebrae and the disc and increase likelihood of low back pain.  Women that already experience low back pain should be mindful of wearing heels as this can be detrimental to their current symptoms.

Additionally, heels also change the weight distribution around the hips and knees with some studies indicating that heels can increase the pressure around the knee by 26% resulting in degeneration or pain around the knee cap or knee joint.

Specifically around the foot and ankle, heels increase the pressure on the bones of the forefoot including the metatarsals.  Just changing the height of the heel can dramatically increase the pressure placed through the foot.  A 5 cm increase in heel height can increase force in the forefoot from 22% to 76%.  Increased force and pressure of body weight on the forefoot can lead to conditions including hammertoes, bunions, Morton’s neuromas, corns and calluses.

Additionally, the achilles and calf muscle is altered when wearing heels.  This shortening of the achilles tendon can lead to tendon injuries or increased risk of rupture of the tendon.  For women who regularly run, this can not only decrease speed but also increase the risk of injuries associated with running.

What can I do at home?

In order to reduce pain associated with heels, listen to your body!  If you experience pain when wearing heels consider speaking to your physiotherapist.  Being mindful of the height of heels and how often you wear them can make a significant difference.  As a physiotherapist, my advice is to choose your heels wisely.  Keep your higher heels for particular occasions and choose a lower heel where you can.  After a night or day in heels, try and spend a few days in flats or even barefoot if possible.  If high heels are part of your every day attire, try wearing a pair of flats to and from work, and slip on your heels when necessary.  When buying heels be mindful of the height as well as the slope (pitch of the shoe).  Heels that have a gradual pitch allow for better weight distribution.

calves1

If you do wear heels regularly, consider adding calf stretches as part of your daily exercise regime.  Try to do these stretches at least four to five times a day holding each for 15 seconds.  Remember, you don’t have to experience pain when you wear heels!  If you think you may be experiencing pain associated with wearing heels, call us at Malvern East Physiotherapy today!


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“Between DeQuervain’s syndrome in both wrists, chronic shoulder pain and a torn tendon in my hip, there was a time I didn’t know if I’d be able to hike, travel, cook, boogie board, work or even go on gentle walks without pain again. But thanks to Jason and the amazing team at ME physio, I have come through the other side.

The team worked with me through Covid and beyond, and now, I can do everything I love mostly pain free. 

Jason also helped me understand the bio-psycho-social approach to pain management, which was a huge support, especially during the stress of Covid.

I couldn’t be more grateful for their dedication to my recovery!”

- Cyndi

We are here to keep you happier, healthier and stronger 
🧡💛🩶

#MEphysio #theperfectplaceforME #happinessisahealthierandstrongerME #physio #physiotherapy #malverneast #malverneastphysiotherapy This week, our physio team took part in our annual CPR training, led by the amzing Helen McGrath! Keeping our skills sharp and always ready to act in any situation. 

Safety first.  keeping us all healthier, stronger and happy. 

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#MEphysio #theperfectplaceforME #happinessisahealthierandstrongerME #physio #physiotherapy #malverneast #malverneastphysiotherapy “A massive thank you to the whole team at ME Physio for getting us fit enough to take on the challenge of summiting Mount Kilimanjaro. Tony made it all the way to the summit- 5,895m I reached the Barafu camp at 4,700m! 
All those strength and Pilates classes have really paid off” 
–Joan 💪🏽🗻

At ME Physio, it’s all about getting stronger, happier and staying healthy so you can do the things you love! 

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#MEphysio #theperfectplaceforME #happinessisahealthierandstrongerME #physio #physiotherapy #malverneast #malverneastphysiotherapy Last week, we had the pleasure of chatting with the lovely residents at Hyson Apartments, right next to our new Caulfield South location! Our expert physio, Jason, shared some great tips on building strength and balance to help everyone stay active, independent and safe from falls. 

With the right exercises, you can feel healthier, happier, and stronger every day! From standing up with ease to walking confidently, these small steps lead to a life-changing impact. 
 
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#MEphysio #theperfectplaceforME #happinessisahealthierandstrongerME #physio #physiotherapy #malverneast #malverneastphysiotherapy From the clinic to the kitchen! 🍝 Our team at ME Physio traded their work attire for aprons this long weekend, cooking up some pasta magic for a work function. Team bonding with alot of delicious fun! 👨‍🍳👩‍🍳 

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#MEphysio #theperfectplaceforME #happinessisahealthierandstrongerME #physio #physiotherapy #malverneast #malverneastphysiotherapy Your bone mineral density is an important area to address as you age. 

In these videos Lizzie and Matt run us through some basic exercises that you can do at home to start building up the strength in your bones and muscles. 

There are multiple variations for each exercise so that you can choose the exercise that best fits your current strength / fitness level.

Here we have our variations of a push up 
1) push ups against the wall
2) push ups on knees 
3) push ups elevated on a surface (can use a bench or table)
4) push ups in plank position

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#MEphysio #theperfectplaceforME #happinessisahealthierandstrongerME #physio #physiotherapy #malverneast #malverneastphysiotherapy Under the care of Lella and our team, Peta has worked extremely hard to get back to playing soccer after an ankle injury. 
Through a thorough and guided rehabilitation program, getting stronger is getting back on the pitch and finishing off the season with a few goals 
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#MEphysio #theperfectplaceforME #happinessisahealthierandstrongerME #physio #physiotherapy #malverneast #malverneastphysiotherapy Under the care of Matthew and our team, Cailin has worked tirelessly to reduce her back pain and restore her strength.
Through a thorough and guided rehabilitation program, getting stronger is getting back on the ice and competiting at Nationals. 
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#MEphysio #theperfectplaceforME #happinessisahealthierandstrongerME #physio #physiotherapy #malverneast #malverneastphysiotherapy At ME Physio, we’re focused on helping you get stronger and recover so you can keep doing the things you love. 

For Rachel, healthier and stronger is getting back on the slopes in New Zealand following ACL reconstructive surgery 
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#lovetoseeit #MEphysio #theperfectplaceforME #happinessisahealthierandstrongerME #physio #physiotherapy #malverneast #malverneastphysiotherapy Exciting news from our NEW site in Caulfield South! 🧡🩶

Our physiotherapists, Lizzie and Matthew, recently performed strength and balance assessments for the friendly and caring residents at Calvary Hyson Apartments. 

These assessments help us understand your balance, strength, and current fitness levels, allowing our physiotherapists to create a tailored plan to keep you healthier, happier, and stronger.

#MEphysio #theperfectplaceforME #happinessisahealthierandstrongerME #physio #physiotherapy #malverneast #malverneastphysiotherapy Back to school 🔙📚

Last week we were fortunate enough to head back to uni and refresh our anatomy knowledge at @latrobeuni in the anatomy labs. 

Thank you to the Latrobe School of Physiotherapy for inviting us!

You Deserve to Feel Good.

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