In the recent years, many disputes have emerged about the stiletto's negative impact on your body. GPs sigh in dismay when a woman approaches them with back complaints, osteopaths shake their heads, and health sections of newspapers becoming increasingly vocal about the evils of the stiletto. But are they really that bad? Certainly, your feet may be a bit painful after you've worn high heels, and your calves may become slightly tender, but once you grow accustomed to wearing them on a regular basis, your body does too - and your feet and calves will be better for it.



It is high time someone put these rumours to rest. Some people have done so already: earlier this year, an article was published by the BBC which argued that high heels do have benefits on the body. Here we shall challenge three of the most common myths regarding stilettos, and proceed to look at the ways in which your body can benefit from them.

Myth #1: Heels lead to back problems. Top Osteopaths say this isn't necessarily true. Not everyone will automatically suffer from back injuries as a result of wearing stilettos - only those who are predisposed to back grievances are more likely to have them. Of course, walking on 8-inch heels all week can lead to postural problems (as a result of too much pressure on the ankles), this should not be a problem if you take care of yourself. Instead of wearing stilettos all day, for instance, wear them only at places such as the office, while wearing trainers at home, and while you travel to and from the office.

Myth #2: Stilettos create stiffness in the neck and lumbar spine. Not so. Osteopaths say that stiffness has very little to do with the fact that you are wearing high heels, and has everything to do with how you wear them. If you already have a postural problem before slipping on shoes, such as the disposition to tilt backwards slightly, then heels are likely to aggravate the problem as they put pressure on the lower back. However, if you adopt a straight and erect posture before putting on stilettos, then it is very unlikely that you experience any problems. In many cases, high heels have the tendency to correct a woman's bad posture by forcing them to balance themselves, so stiffness is not a direct result of wearing stilettos.

Myth #3: Heels are not good for your muscles. Again, a false assumption. While some might experience soreness after wearing stilettos too often, this can be avoided as prescribed in Myth #1. A recent study has revealed that, in fact, women who wear high heels have stronger leg and pelvic muscles. As long as there is variation in the shoes you wear every day, you don't have to worry about overexerting your muscles.

Another interesting discovery about stilettos (as reported by the BCC article) was made by Italian Urologist Dr. Cerruto: wearing high heels can benefit your sex life. Cerruto explains that the pelvic muscles are exercised because stilettos force the foot into a certain angle. Since a women's pelvic floor functions are essential to her sexual performance, it is comforting to know that this performance might be improve simply by wearing stilettos more often.

Regardless of what myths or truths you chose to believe about stilettos, the bottom line is that there is always a solution that is right for you. If you do experience long-term problems, do not hesitate to contact your osteopath, but remember that these issues are not necessarily linked with the heels you wear.