Yesterday I gave you an insight into my own personal heel wearing dilemma and decision. The lead up to this decision came from an understanding of alignment when wearing heels and then a felt sense in my body of this actually happening to me. It was clear to me that there is 'a better way', because my body felt it.
But whether you feel it or not, the facts remain that heels* affect our natural alignment
The picture below explains far better than I can through words alone.
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| image taken (via Katysays.com) from Podiatry Management, written by William A. Rossi. |
When we are barefoot we align through a central axis that is perpendicular to gravity. This in turn positions us in the best place for gravitational forces to be spread through our body, meaning that joints can move as they are meant to.
If we were to pop ourselves into heels, with this same erect positioning then we'd tip forward. I'm sure you'll agree that it's not a good look and cannot be good for us! ;-)
As you can see, the body has to adjust itself back to a central axis in order to 'best' position itself again with gravity. The overall positioning is forward of centre with most of the weight of the body being positioned over the toes (you know that burning feeling in the balls of your feet when you wear high heels too long.....? Making sense now....?). The resulting adjustments and compensations impact on the lower back, pelvis, sacroiliacs, abdomen, thoracic, diaphragm, neck, head .... Well, actually it impacts on everything, because you cannot change one thing without it affecting the whole! Pelvic floor issues, breathing disorders, back and neck pain, digestive issues....... These could all potentially be a result of 'positive heel' wearing (i.e. anything where the heel is higher than the toes)
If you wear heels most of the time, then you will become used to your postural compensations and they will become your norm. You may actually find that NOT wearing heels plays havoc with your positioning and movement as you are so used to your heels being lifted and your centre of gravity being forward from your true centre. If this is the case then I strong advise someone to transition towards wearing a lower heel, to minimise the effects of the readjustment (for example: by being in bare feet for small intervals at a time and gradually building up, by stretching calves, loosening and opening feet, undergoing fascia release work or movement re-education).
* Please note that when I say heels I don't just mean 'high heels'. In actual fact any kind of heel in a shoe that takes our own heel higher than our toes in a standing position has an effect on our natural alignment - and that is pretty much most shoes out there (with the exception of (most) minimalist shoes)..... I am personally at the moment working with the ethos that a flat(ter) shoe is better for my alignment than the shoes I have been wearing. I am happy to be in that place at this point in my life, while being open to changing to a fully negative heel in the future.
Til tomorrow then.... :-)
CT :-) X
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