High heels 'should only be for special occasions'

Women could be risking a lifetime of joint damage and back problems by wearing high-heeled shoes every day, a foot expert has warned.

Andrew Hill, a lecturer and clinician at the SAME Institute, said that not only could repetitive wearing of heels cause bunions, but they could cause serious damage to the hips, joints and muscles later in life, which may not be immediately apparent.

"Anything more than [a two inch heel] should only be used for exceptional circumstances and not be used daily or excessively otherwise you can start seeing changes in the foot as people grow older," he commented.

According to research carried out by US shoe company MBT, more than a third of women have fallen while wearing high heels, although one in ten continues to wear them three days a week.

It was also found that teenagers in the present day are 50 times more likely to suffer from hip trouble than their mothers, while the number of girls suffering from back problems has also increased in the last generation.

However, recent research from Auburn University in the US found that wearing flip-flops also offers little support for the body and could cause injuries.

Nancy Quimby, a podiatrist, said that the best shoe style in terms of support for the feet and body is the Birkenstock, reported the Albany Times Union.