Be cautious ladies! Your high heels might be the reason behind your prolonged back ache
New Delhi: High heels have become a quite essential part of every fashion- conscious woman’s wardrobe, but looking good and remaining healthy are two different things. Prolonged use of High Heels has been found to be very damaging for our spine. Back aches have become a common problem especially among working women. The problem which once used to occur with aging is now being faced by all, irrespective of our age. The regular use of high heels among women today acts as one of the major reasons behind the constant backache.
You might ask, how can the heels be the reason for backache? First and foremost, it impacts the body posture directly, and once the posture goes wrong it is the starting point of all our back problems. Continuous usage of high heels disturbs the alignment due to which the back bone gets excessively curved (hyperlordosis), hence causing damage to our spine. Regular use of high heels over a long time leads to spasm & contracture of hamstrings & gluteal muscles arising from lower lumbo-sacral spine & pelvis. Contracture of these muscles lead to twisting and deformity of the spine called hyperlordosis. Hyperlordosis leads increased concentration of stresses & loads on the intervertebral disc (IVD), joints of the back bone & joints of the pelvic bone. Hyperlordosis also leads to stretching of supporting ligaments on the front aspect of the back bone while at the same time tightening of ligaments on the back side of the back bone. This imbalance in long term leads to rapid degeneration of the intervertebral disc & the facet joints at a young age as well as inflammation of the sacro-iliac joints. Degeneration, inflammation & stiffness of all these structures lead to painful disability & loss of flexibility & mobility.
Further high heel causes Lower Back ache and other related problems like Slip Disc, Hyper-Lordosis, and Sciatica etc. Slip disc is the most common back problem among women. Besides the anatomy of women is such that any extra load impacts their back directly.
Back pain if starts once, doesn’t get relieved before 3-4 weeks and that too through complete rest. Generally, people consume painkillers or apply various pain dissolving ointments and gels; to get rid of the pain. Pain killer at max for a while may give you relief from pain but the underlying cause still exists. Until that is cured, no permanent relief will be available, So it is best to consult a doctor.
If the pain is followed by swelling, an ice pack can be a great relief. Ice pack increases the flow of blood in the veins, which releases oxygen supply in the tissues. Exercises which increase the flexibility and mobility of the muscles in the back and hip region could be useful if performed under the supervision of an expert physiotherapist.
Women can opt for cushioned footwear with silicone gel pads which comforts the sole of the feet keeping the stress on the back at bay. Such foot wears are easily available at various medical stores.
High heels are strictly no-no for pregnant women. In pregnancy the weight constantly increases and because the centre of gravity keeps changing it affects the balance of the body. This naturally increases the strain in the back. Flat shoes are recommended in this stage.
Problems related to back ache must be consulted with a spine specialist as the hidden reason behind your prolonged back pain could be due to the gap between the vertebrae or slip disc.
Dr. Sudeep Jain, Consultant Spine Surgeon
Director, Spine Solutions India
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