Foot Expert's High Heel Shoe Shopping Tips

The judge called for a short recess. Monica wandered down the hall and found a private office to have a seat and take off her shoes. As the young attorney sat rubbing her right foot, she only wished she had a different pair of shoes that matched her business suit. But it is important that she look her best in front of the jury.

Today's professional women often face this dilemma. Lawyers stand in court all day, business executives race through airports, and real estate agents are going up and down stairs showing houses. When you consider that all of that activity often takes place in painfully uncomfortable shoes, it is no wonder so many women professionals are looking for new shoe solutions.

If you can wear tennis shoes while walking to work and then switch into heels, great! But many jobs demand all day style. The first question is what causes foot pain with fashionable shoes? The second question is how do you find comfortable shoes that will compliment a business and professional attire? We'll answer those questions so you can make better shoe choices.

One of the most frequent types of foot pain related to women's shoes is pain in the ball of the foot. Often this is simply because the heel height jacks the foot up so high that abnormal forces damage the joints in the toes. In fact, high heels can triple or quadruple the pressure on the ball of the foot. This pressure causes hammertoes, dislocation of joints in the feet, and even stress fractures in the metatarsal bones.

Another common culprit is the shape of the toe box. A pointed toe box squishes those little piggies causing bunion pain, ingrown toenails or even hammertoes. Friction blister or thick callouses may start to form in response to the rubbing or those toes in the cramped toe box. A round or square toe box allows more natural movement for the toes is generally less likely to cause trouble.

Heel pain is also often related to fashionable shoes. Believe it or not, both high heels and really low heels can cause this problem. Ballet style shoes and flimsy sandals have no support and almost no heel. This can lead to excess tension on a big ligament on the bottom of the foot called the plantar fascia. The area where the ligament attaches to the heel bone will start to pull with every step and become irritated from walking in these shoes. This leads to a common form of heel pain called plantar facscitis. It's the most common cause of morning heel pain in women.

Interestingly if you wear three or four inch heels every day, you can end up with the same problem. The Achilles tendon will gradually contract and tighten up if you always wear high heels. Podiatrists call this condition "equinus deformity." Once you have a tight Achilles tendon, you will get more tension on the plantar fascia that can cause pain in the bottom of the heel.

One thing you should take into consideration is your foot type. If you have bunions, you must make sure that you choose shoes that don't have seams or stitching running over the bump at the big toe joint. These seams can rapidly inflame the bunion causing bursitis. Pick the wrong shoes and you'll be seeing the foot surgeon for bunion removal surgery. Pick the right shoes and you can live with bunions for years.

If you have very flat feet and start to see a red inflamed area at the back of your heels, you should wear open back shoes as much possible. You should know that you could have a heel that is likely to form Haglund's Deformity (also called "pump bumps". This is a big knot on the back of the heel where the Achilles tendon attaches. It only happens with repeated rubbing from the heel counter in shoes, so open back shoes can prevent it from getting worse.

The first thing to consider when selecting you shoes is style. If you have it in your head that nothing looks as good as four inch heels, take the time to at least find some that have a cushioned forefoot. Thin leather alone is rarely enough.

If you have found shoes you love that don't love you back, try adding some inserts or padding. Many fashionable shoes (especially heels) have almost no padding. You local podiatrist can offer many suggestions on gel cushions that fit in the shoes without altering your look. Custom orthotics can also support the foot and decrease foot pain. These are much more expensive. However, it is like the difference between an outfit that is off-the-rack and one that is custom tailored. With shoe inserts, you get what you pay for. As Monica explained, sometimes rotating your shoes can really help. If all of your shoes cause pain in different places, you are basically spreading the trouble around. In a sense, you are letting different parts of your feet recover each time you change shoes. This is obviously a lot easier for a real estate agent to pull off than it would be for a lawyer who stands before a jury in a courtroom all day.

Not everyone can choose sensible shoes, but there are still many options to fit any professional outfit. It is omportant that you consider your unique foot structure, any prior areas of foot pain, and then you will make better shoe choices.