Becky Striepe
Do you wear high heels? Stilettos might make you look a bit taller and leaner, but contorting the shape of your feet can damage your health.
High heels make your calves look great while you’re wearing them, but over time they can cause you some problems. Check out this infographic that gets into some of the health concerns with high heels, and below the graphic I’ve rounded up some exercises to help you offset those issues.
You can click the image to view a full-sized version.
Countering the Effects of High Heels
Of course, the easiest way to avoid the problems associated with high heels is to stick to flats whenever you can, but sometimes it’s fun to throw on a strappy pair of heels when you’re headed out, right? If you’re not ready to give your high heels up, don’t fret! You can counteract some of those issues with some stretching and strengthening.
As you can see from the graphic, heels compress your feet and calf muscles, put strain on your ankles and knees, and mess with your posture. Here are a few yoga poses that can help you bounce back. Click on any pose for more details on how to practice it properly.
Foot Stretches
- Tree Pose – Improve balance while you strengthen the muscles in your feet.
- Warrior III Pose – Stretch your food muscles.
- Garland Pose – A great stretch for the feet and the achilles tendons.
Knee Health
- Pigeon Pose – This is a powerful hip-opener that also stretches the muscles around the knees.
- Warrior II Pose – Stretch and strengthen the knees at the same time.
- Triangle Pose – Another posture to help strengthen the muscles around the knees to improve support.
Calf and Ankle Stretches
- Downward Facing Dog – Feel that good, good stretch and get a little spinal alignment while you’re at it.
- Crescent Pose – Stretch, strengthen, and breathe.
- Chair Pose – Stretch the achilles tendon while strengthening those ankles!
Improve That Posture
- Spinal Twist -A simple twist can help get those back muscles into proper alignment.
- Cat Pose and Cow Pose – This is technically two poses, but they work best practiced together.
- Mountain Pose – This posture may not look like much, but if you practice it properly, it can help stretch, strengthen, and lengthen your back muscles.
Do you wear high heels? Have you noticed any pain in the areas listed on this infographic? Share your experiences in the comments!
Image Credit: Woman in Heels photo via Shutterstock
