Why heels can hurt your head

It turns out that our well-being depends on the health of our feet.

In the current conditions, health care is a key demand of society. People devote more time to their lifestyle, undergo routine preventive examinations and examinations. At the same time, unfortunately, few people care about the condition of their feet. Therefore, it is not surprising that many develop symptoms such as extreme fatigue, pain and discomfort over time, which interfere with walking and their usual way of life. Do not forget that foot pathologies can lead to seemingly non-obvious health problems – for example, they can cause a headache and worsen the general condition. Why absolutely everyone needs to take care of the health of their feet and what harm the wrong shoes do to the body, the leading doctor – traumatologist-orthopedist, chief podiatrist of the First professional network of orthopedic salons ORTEKA Sergey Aleksutov told the readers of Wday.ru.

Orthopedic traumatologist, chief podiatrist of the First professional network of orthopedic salons ORTEKA

Why is it important to monitor the health of your feet?

It is important to remember that healthy feet are the key to the health of the entire musculoskeletal system. Human feet can withstand heavy loads due to their unique structure, maintain balance of the whole body and protect the body from overload and injury. Shoes with high heels or, conversely, with flat soles, shoes with a narrow last or narrow toe prevent the feet from walking normally. Due to improper loading, the arches of the feet begin to shrink and become flatter. If measures are not taken in time, they can be severely deformed.

Among the most common pathologies – flat feet, hallux valgus (“bone”) and heel spur. Negative consequences of an incorrectly distributed load when walking:

  • deformation of the joints of the legs;

  • the appearance of back pain;

  • venous insufficiency;

  • varicose veins;

  • rachiocampsis;

  • negative impact on posture, which causes incorrect pressure on the spine and contributes to the formation of an unnatural position of the head and neck. And this can cause headaches and worsen overall health;

  • improper functioning of all muscles, due to which the body gets tired faster, pain and discomfort appear, productivity decreases during the day.

What shoes are better to refuse?

1. Orthopedic traumatologists do not recommend wearing abouthigh heels shoes, because when walking, the center of gravity shifts in them. Heels increase the load on the feet 5-6 times, increase the pressure on the toes. Because of this, pains и natoptyshi (dry calluses), the risk of developing flat feet.

Imagine that with each step, a shock wave travels from the heels to the cervical spine. Its strength is easy to calculate: it is 2/3 of body weight multiplied by the number of steps during the day. Usually 2-3% of this load reaches the brain.

And if, due to shoes with heels, the cushioning of the foot does not work correctly, then with each step the brain will receive a much larger blow, which, of course, can manifest itself headache… At the same time, the knees are severely affected, the likelihood increases arthrosis… Using the wrong shoes significantly overloads the spine, which often becomes the cause chronic pain in the lower back

2. Ugg boots and ballerinas also cause anxiety among orthopedists. When wearing flat shoes, the heels do not receive additional assistance while walking. Due to the lack of proper support, overstraining of the muscles of the lower leg, thigh, sacroiliac joint and lower back occurs, which can lead to development or progression flat feet, arthrosis of the joints of the foot, inflammation и pain in the spine.

3. Shoes with a narrow toe may look stylish, but it is definitely not useful. Excessive pressure can lead to deformities of the toes and ncirculatory disorders.

Choosing the right shoe size is important… Before buying, it is better to measure shoes in the evening, since by the end of the day, the legs, albeit a little, but swell.

What to do if symptoms appear?

It is discomfort in the legs, heaviness, pain and corns that are alarming signals that indicate an increased load on certain parts of the foot.

  • When symptoms appear, the first step is to review your wardrobe. Orthopedists recommend wearing shoes with heel height 2-4 centimeters, wide front section и adjustable with lacing or Velcro.

  • Also, doctors advise using orthopedic insolesthat support the foot in the anatomically correct position, relieve it and help get rid of fatigue and pain. The most effective choice is individual orthopedic insoles, which are designed taking into account the unique features of the structure of each person’s feet.

Individual care

The shape of the foot is different for all people, even in one person the left foot may differ from the right one. To determine these unique signs, in the orthopedic salon, the orthopedic traumatologist uses special computer equipment (plantograph) to scan the feet and, with millimeter accuracy, determines the features of each foot, identifies existing pathologies. Based on the scan results, the specialist determines clear parameters and unique features for production insole individually for the left and right foot. Using the data from the doctor, the orthopedic technician uses a special technology to install individual orthopedic elements, each of which performs a specific function: the correct metatarsal pad relieves the forefoot, the insole frame sets the foot in the anatomically correct position, a special heel pad reduces shock loads on the spine and joints.

Many health problems can be solved if you take care of the health of your feet in time. Therefore, when symptoms such as pain, increased fatigue, fatigue, swelling appear in the evening, be sure to consult a doctor – orthopedic traumatologist, who will conduct a complete diagnosis of the body, especially the feet, and select the optimal strategy to achieve the maximum therapeutic effect and care for your feet.

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