this is my first assesment for Sir Norazrul :) about high heels VS flat shoes

Are flat shoes bad for you?

They do little for a woman's stature, but the gladiator sandals and flat pumps seen adorning the feet of Sienna Miller, Kate Moss and Carla Bruni of late must surely be better for feet and ankles than a skyscraper wedge. Apparently not. Foot experts warn that you face as many risks wearing flatties as you do teetering on heels.

Sammy Margo, a spokeswoman for the Chartered Society of Physiotherapists, says a period of transition is needed with any style of shoe. "Go straight from wearing trainers, which have incredible amounts of support for the arch and upper foot, or from high heels in the winter to flat pumps in the summer and you risk pain and strain," she says. "You need to ease yourself into a new shoe style, wearing them for half an hour at first, then building up."

According to Mike O'Neill, a spokesman for the Society of Chiropodists and Podiatrists, flat shoes can "strain the achilles tendon that runs from the back of the heel, and also the calf muscles in the back of the leg". Pain can develop after as little as two weeks.

With no shock absorbency and little heel support, there is the added risk of developing a painful heel condition called plantar fasciitis if you wear them constantly, according to Margo. "Flipflop styles of sandal are even worse as there is no support whatsoever for the heel," she says.

So, what to do? Her advice is to alternate your shoe style - from high to low, trainer to boot - and avoid wearing a particular pair day in, day out. Calf stretches before, during and after long periods of flattie-wear can help to keep muscles loose and less vulnerable to strain. "This is advice to be followed by men too," she says. "Slightest changes in heel height can trigger problems."

Perhaps Nicolas Sarkozy should rethink those stacked heels he's been seen in recently.

· This article was amended on Friday May 9 2008. We misspelled plantar fasciitis, a condition that causes heel pain, as planta faciitis. This has been corrected.

High-heeled footwear (often abbreviated as high heels or simply heels) is footwear that raises the heel of the wearer's foot significantly higher than the toes. When both the heel and the toes are raised equal amounts, as in a platform shoe, it is technically not considered to be a high heel; however, there are also high-heeled platform shoes. High heels tend to give the aesthetic illusion of longer, more slender legs. High heels come in a wide variety of styles, and the heels are found in many different shapes, including stiletto, pump (court shoe), block, tapered, blade, and wedge.

According to high-fashion shoe websites like Jimmy Choo and Gucci, a "low heel" is considered less than 2.5 inches (6 centimeters), while heels between 2.5 and 3.5 inches (8.5 cm) are considered "mid heels", and anything over that is considered a "high heel"^{[citation needed]}.

Although high heels are now almost exclusively worn by girls and women, there are shoe designs worn by both genders that have elevated heels, including cowboy boots and cuban heels. In previous ages, men also wore high heels.

Stilettos or ballet flats, kitten heels or plimsolls; there are many types of high heeled and flat shoes to tempt the fashion-savvy woman. Which style is better for you?

With designers such as Christian Louboutin, Jimmy Choo and Giuseppe Zanotti creating awe-inspiring, high-heeled masterpieces, it has become a goal of many women to secure a pair of the fashion accessory most able to turn a mediocre outfit into an eye-catching triumph. High heels are smart, sexy and for some, utterly irresistible and thereby a fashion staple.

However, in recent years, the rise of the flat shoe has not gone unnoticed and many designers have produced successful collections of ballet flats. Flat shoes are becoming increasingly popular and millions of women have incorporated them into their everyday wardrobe. But when it comes down to it, which type of shoe, high heeled or flat, are a better bet for the body? At the end of the day, does fashion win over functionality?

Why Women Wear High Heels

The reasons for women wearing high heels – stilettos, kitten heels, court shoes, wedges etc – are numerous and mostly aesthetic. Indeed there are a number of advantages to wearing high heels and they include:

some picture for Sir Norazrul :)

i prefer to wear FLAT SHOES :)

Wearing heels make women look more stylish, confident and tall, but it can also cause back pain. Know the advantages and disadvantages of wearing heels.

Lucky are the women who are naturally tall. Tall looks compliment the beauty of body. Wearing heels is one option for looking tall. However heels are not preferred only because they make you look tall. Heels are now available in various patterns matching the designs of a variety of outfits. Ladies who like to perform Salsa dance consider stiletto heels perfect to compliment their Salsa dress. Read on to know more about the advantages and disadvantages of wearing heels.

Advantages of Wearing Heels

A pair of high heeled shoes has been a good friend of women since thousands of years. Wearing high heels is an evergreen style statement indeed. Have a quick look at the advantages of wearing heels

Tall Look

Wearing heels help to increase the height by 5-6 inches to the maximum. This is helpful for the women who love tall look. Most of the women like to feel attractive by having a tall look by wearing heels. Women also feel smart and in a proper shape by wearing heels.

Style

High heels give a stylish look to the overall physical appearance of women. Nothing can look sexier with a mini fitting skirt than high heeled boots. An open toe sandal with a two inch heel looks quite decent with a Chudidaar. In addition to style it also gives lot of attention. It also adds style to the way you walk.

Good Body Posture

After wearing heels women get a feeling of having a good posture. Heels help to bring out and attractive body posture. It also adds to the confidence of the women while carrying her self. The exception to this is the woman who rarely wears heels. Some women may fall in embarrassment if they wear very high heels for the first time. If you buy a pair of high heel sandals do practice walking at home with them. This will help you to avoid possible awkwardness when you actually go out.

Good looking legs

Heels help to enhance the beauty of your legs. Those who like to wear short skirts can make their legs look more gorgeous with the help of stunning heels. Heels make legs look longer and shapelier.

Complementary to Clothes

Heels compliment the attractiveness of the clothes. Box or conical heels go well with the corporate attire. Pencil heels make the minis or tunics look more striking. Wearing platform heels with trousers or wide bottom jeans will give a cool look. If you do not want to show off your heels but look tall wear it with saris or long skirts.

Disadvantages of Wearing Heels

Heels and pain are sides of the same coin. Though women look lovely in heels, they have to suffer form many of its side-effects. Here is the list of bad effects of wearing heels.

Foot pain

Most of the women suffer form foot pain after walking with high heels. Because of high heels the entire pressure of body is concentrated on the feet. If this happens for a longer time it can cause foot and even hip pain.

Difficulty in walking

Many women find it difficult to walk with high heels. Walking long distance with high heels proves to be painful. It often causes heel pain due to walking or standing on high heels for longer time. The way of walking may also look wired. Difficulty in walking may also increase chances of losing balance and falling while walking.

Back pain

Wearing heals causes entire pressure of body fall on the lower back. This pressure falling on the lower back can cause back pain. However proper way of walking, exercise and yoga may help you avoid and get rid of such back pain.

Yellowing and misshapenness

Concentrated body weight on the foot heels may make them harder and develop yellow patches on it. It may also cause misshapenness of your feet. To avoid this you can massage your feet regularly with oil or cream and proper foot care.

Leg Sprain

Major cases of leg sprain in women are caused due to high heels. It may be caused if the person is not used to wearing high heels. Try walking slowly and with extra care while wearing high heels. Try to avoid high heels if you are not using your own vehicle.

Use these high heel sandals very rarely. Wearing heels regularly may cause serious leg and foot injuries in the future. Many of women are infatuated with high heels even if they are painful. It is a mentality of many women that high heels indicate higher status. However status is worthless if old age is full of leg and back pain.

❤ "this is my first assesment for Sir Norazrul :) about high heels VS flat shoes" was Posted On: Thursday, July 14, 2011 @12:46 AM | 0 lovely comments ✿

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