Women Fashion Models and Designer

It’s that time of year again, when millions of women shed their comfortable winter footwear and slip on strappy summer sandals. Add a high heel to the mix and you not only have a fashion statement but a prescription for aching feet.

Summer foot fashion is in full bloom, and just like flowers, shoes come in every shape and color.
“They all really love this one,” said Shirlee B., a shoe fashion consultant, grabbing a high wedge-shoe.
Fashionable feet pay a price, says podiatrist Dr. Jane Andersen. “A lot of people get metatarsalgia which is pain on the ball of the foot under the metatarsal bone. They get blisters, corns, calluses, things like that.”

Dr. Andersen recommends keeping heels under two inches, and finding shoes made of natural materials like leather that may be less likely to rub blisters. That means eschewing some current fashions.
For those who refuse to relinquish the summer high-heeled sandal, there are survival tools. Moleskin can help protect tender spots, and products like foot petals add extra cushion.

Dr. Andersen also advises wearing tall shoes for short periods of time.
“If I wear them longer than going out for dinner they hurt the balls of my feet,” said Barbara Seim, who likes high heels.
But even flat flip-flops can cause foot troubles, including anything from stubbed toes to cracked heels. Some are so flimsy they can bend in half.
While foot fashion and function may never meet right in the middle they are inching closer. The ballerina flat is emerging as the big seller this spring.

Foot health experts say high heels and age are two of the biggest risk factors for foot problems in women. Dr. andersen says you should go shoe shopping in the late afternoon, when your feet are at their biggest, so you don’t end up with shoes that hurt at the end of the day. She also recommends checking your shoe size every couple of years because feet often grow as we age.

For more information about summer sandals and foot pain, visit the American Podiatric Medical Association. See also the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons. For shoe fashion tips, contact Shirlee B. at www.shoesatthesquare.com.