High heel shoes have been touted as torture devices made by men for women. We actually choose to wear them! Why? They make us feel tall, sexy and in-charge! We all have them, those adorable, had-to-buy-them, high heel shoes hiding in our closets. Sometimes even hundreds of pair, but what are we doing to our poor feet?

High heeled shoes have been linked to many foot ailments like bunions, hammer toes, neuromas, metatarsalgia, Achilles tendonitis, ingrown toenails, and corn and calluses. Chronic knee pain and back pain can also be linked to high heeled shoes. Is this the price we have to pay for cute shoes? What is a fashion conscious woman to do?

As a podiatrist, I see twenty-something-year old women every day complaining of pain in their feet. Often, they attribute their pain to their exercise regimen or running shoes. After a thorough history examining their pain, we often realize that the shoes they run in are not the problem. It's the shoes they wear to work everyday.

Wearing high heels changes the biomechanics of walking and can have an impact on the entire structure of the foot and the relationship of the knee to the ankle, as well as your lower back. But there are steps (so to speak) you can take to minimize the damage from your killer heels!

1.Buy shoes that fit! Sounds like a no-brainer, but most women wear shoes at least a half a size too small. Measure your feet every time you buy shoes, even just a few extra pounds can make your shoe size larger. Remember that the number is just a suggestion, different brands can size completely differently.

2.Wear a wider shoe than you think you need. The shoe is not going to stretch that much when you "break it in". Most women also but their shoes too narrow!

3.It is smart to wait until the afternoon or at the end of the day to buy shoes. Swelling can cause a dramatic change in shoe size, so buy shoes in the afternoon or evening for a better fit.

4.Buy leather shoes, not synthetics. Leather is more forgiving.

5.Beware of the pointy-toed, high heeled shoe! These are a double-whammy! Try to avoid the severe point and go for more of a taper or square toe box.

6.If you have bunions and hammertoes, a silicone protective sleeve can help your pain from rubbing in your shoes. Make sure your toe box is wide enough to accommodate the padding.

7.If you have two different sized feet (and most people do), shoe stretchers can be used to stretch the toe box if one foot is only a little bigger than the other. If you have significantly different sized feet, some stores and websites will sell you two different sized shoes.

8.Try to avoid really high heels. Your feet (and knees) will thank you if you adjust your heel height to lower than 3 inch heels.

9.Try to wear a consistent heel height. Going up and down in height can be quite a pain in your Achilles tendon.

10.Chunky heels are much more stable than stilettos. Try to wear a wider, more supportive heel or even convert to platforms!

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