My wife and I have lived in Vermont for almost 20 years. In that time, we have raised four kids and a host of farm animals, seen a million soccer and lacrosse games, and been to countless dinners and functions. Whether on the “farm,” at a game, or at work in Montpelier, I think the largest heel I saw on a pair of shoes was about an inch on a pair of muck boots.
So, I was pretty surprised when, during a recent trip to Milan, I saw droves of women walking the streets perched on immensely high high-heeled shoes. The windows of the upscale fashion houses and department stores were stuffed with women’s shoes that had heels measuring anywhere from two to six inches. According to an article in The Wall Street Journal (On Style: April 5, 2012), creating a stable, comfortable high-heeled shoe takes talent and is big business. Last year, women in the U.S. spent more than $20 billion on shoes with heels of at least three inches. High-heeled shoes are popular because they are thought to project sexiness and power.
Designing high-heeled shoes is similar to an architectural project. The elements consist of: a toe box into which the toes must fit comfortably, a platform or area beneath the balls of the feet, a shank for the base of the foot, a heel bed on which the heel rests, and finally the shoe heel, which needs to be carefully centered beneath the heel of the foot. The heel and shank need to be very rigid and stable, and in expensive shoes are usually made of high-quality steel. Because the height of the heels tends to force the weight forward to the balls of the feet, leading to leg and foot fatigue, designs that distribute the weight under the arch and heel are more comfortable. The maximum heel height that most women can tolerate is approximately four inches.
To create shoes that incorporate heels that can be up to six inches high, designers build platforms that may be two inches in height. In this way, the foot still is not bent over a distance greater than four inches. While I am sure that my wife would look great in some tall “Manolos,” she is pretty fast chasing kids and soccer balls. I suspect I won’t be seeing her in anything over an inch anytime soon -- and I don’t have to worry much about her breaking an ankle.
Noted by WVR, MD
*This filler excerpt can be found in the July 2012 Pediatrics print journal p. 82, or via online here.
Noted by WVR, MD
*This filler excerpt can be found in the July 2012 Pediatrics print journal p. 82, or via online here.
