I will admit: If given a choice between heels and flats, I’ll choose flats every time. My feet do not like heels - they hurt too much and I don’t want to build up a tolerance to the pain.
But sometimes, every once in a while, a high-heeled shoe is what an outfit requires. I’ll suck it up like a champ and put on heels when I need to.
This isn’t to say I don’t like heels - I am a great appreciator of high heels and those that can wear them effortlessly. I think most heeled shoes are beautiful and I wish I didn’t have such a pain issue. Which is why I love these tips in this month’s Self from Dancing With The Stars pro Karina Smirnoff:
- Before a long night out, lie with legs up against a wall for 15 minutes.
- Wear roomy shoes (experts say wider, not longer) and add gel pads that come out when feet swell.
- Dunk feet in icy water post-party, then sleep with them on a pillow.
- Sprinkle on baby powder for blister control. (11/08, pg. 52)
I love the first tip because that also happens to be one of my favorite hamstring stretches. I also love the idea of soaking my feet in ice and then sleeping with them on a pillow because one of the worst things about a long night in heels is the morning after when it hurts to walk flat-footed. And baby powder! Duh! I have really thin skin on my heels and hate to wear closed-in shoes because of my blister-making ability. Why didn’t I think of that solution sooner?
Do you have any high heel wearing tips to add to the list? Please share! My aching feet beg you to…
