Killer heels could kill your knees, according to a new research published in the Journal of Orthopaedic Research.
As you’re probably aware, we’re not a huge fan of high heels on this blog. We’ve written about the problems caused by high heels in the past, and although we know heels are a must for certain situations, we always advise moderation. But researchers at the Stanford University Medical Center have once again found another reason why high heels can be problematic, as they’ve uncovered evidence that it can lead to knee degeneration.
For their study, researchers tracked the walking patterns of 14 women in a variety of footwear. They noticed that when the women wore heels, their knees were forced to absorb addition strain. Over time, this abnormal stress can lead to joint damage, loss of knee cartilage and osteoarthritis.
Researchers said gait changes were found in both sets of heels they tested, one being 3.8 cm in height and the other being 8.3 cm.
The authors did note that they did not track the women over time to see if knee osteoarthritis developed, and they also cautioned that other factors like obesity or joint injuries can also lead to knee degeneration, but they stand by their findings.
“Many of the changes observed with increasing heel height and weight were similar to those seen with aging and OA [osteoarthritis] progression,” the authors concluded.
Dr. Silverman comments
Add osteoarthritis to the growing list of reasons why high heels are dangerous for your health. We now know that high heels can contribute to osteoarthritis, bunions, ankle instability, hammer toe, Morton’s Neuroma, and limited range of motion.
I get all the reasons why high heels are so popular, but please, keep your health in mind the next time you want to wear heels. Pack a pair of flats as well, and give your feet a break throughout the day.