New publications
Shoes that are bad for your health
Last reviewed: 01.07.2025
All iLive content is medically reviewed or fact checked to ensure as much factual accuracy as possible.
We have strict sourcing guidelines and only link to reputable media sites, academic research institutions and, whenever possible, medically peer reviewed studies. Note that the numbers in parentheses ([1], [2], etc.) are clickable links to these studies.
If you feel that any of our content is inaccurate, out-of-date, or otherwise questionable, please select it and press Ctrl + Enter.
Many people, especially women, neglect the health of their feet, spine and blood vessels, but pay tribute to fashion and beauty, clicking their heels and very often wearing uncomfortable shoes. But our well-being and health directly depend on the correct position of the foot. So what kind of shoes are harmful to our feet?
High heel shoes
Despite the fact that we supposedly rest our heels on the heels, we walk on tiptoes - the body weight shifts to the heads of the metatarsal bones, and not to the talus, as it should. As a result of such uneven weight distribution, slender and beautiful legs can get arthritis, including in the knee joint. Also, high heels are the cause of pinched nerves, microcracks in the bones, tumors and pain.
Hairpin
High heels may be high, but the queen of all heels is the stiletto, which makes women's legs graceful and attracts men's glances. However, beauty comes at a price in the form of fractures, dislocations and constant, strong tension in the muscles of the foot and shin. After all, such a heel is very unstable and it is not easy for a woman to maintain balance, especially when walking on our potholes in the asphalt.
Slippery shoes
Slippery soles are dangerous not only during icy winter conditions. Owners of such shoes risk getting injured in the summer, for example, by slipping on slippery steps.
Shoes with a rigid back
A hard heel counter can not only cause calluses on the heel, but also put pressure on the synovial bursa, which is located between the skin and the Achilles tendon. This can cause a condition called posterior calcaneal bursitis, the symptoms of which are limited mobility of the foot. Swelling and pain in the joint.
Ballet flats
It's a pity, but such popular and comfortable ballet shoes are also not good for our feet. They do not support the foot at all, which is why the plantar aponeurosis stretches when walking, which leads to plantar fistulitis. This disease is characterized by damage to the ligament that holds the arch of the foot. If you can't do without ballet shoes, then use insoles and do not wear such shoes for very long.
Boats
Narrow shoes (pumps), in which a woman's foot looks like a princess's foot in a glass slipper, lead to a deterioration in normal blood supply, which can lead to nail injuries, thinning, thrombophlebitis, swelling and varicose veins.
Flip-flops
Flip-flops, which are hard to do without in the hot summer, are very dangerous footwear, because when walking you have to strain your toes so that they don’t slip off, so your feet are constantly strained.
Platform
If the difference between the sole under the toes and the heel height is too great, then all the disadvantages of high heels are very applicable to platform shoes. Moreover, in such shoes the sole practically does not bend, and this interferes with cushioning.