High Heels or Birkenstocks? “Barbie” Presents a False Choice
Anyone who’s ever played with a Barbie doll knows she wears high-heeled shoes exclusively. Her feet are perfectly arched – all the time. In the new “Barbie” movie, even when she removes her shoes, her heels remain pointed to the sky, and she walks around on her toes.
Folks in the real world have taken on a social media challenge to do as Barbie does: Slip out of one’s heels and walk around on one’s toes.
But Fairfax County board-certified podiatrist Dr. Kenneth R. Wilhelm, DPM, notes that walking around on your toes at any time is a terrible way to treat your feet or ankles. They can withstand the “Barbie challenge” briefly, but repeated attempts can strain or tear your feet’s soft tissues, including the Achilles tendon. It’s also not a stretch to envision falling over and breaking your ankle while attempting the Barbie challenge.
In the “real world,” wearing high heels presents similar challenges – because your heels are high in the air, and most of your weight rests on the balls of your feet. High heels are notorious for causing or worsening conditions such as:
- Neuromas
- Plantar fasciitis
- Bunions
- Metatarsalgia
- Pump bump
- Toe deformities, including claw, mallet, and hammertoes
- Achilles tendonitis
There are many reasons to cut your high heels out of your life and exchange them for Birkenstocks, which is Barbie’s horrifying choice. But for our patients at Clifton Foot & Ankle Center, it’s a false choice. If you love high heels, Dr. Wilhelm says go ahead and wear them. Just be wiser and more discerning than a plastic doll.
Here’s how you can reduce the strain on your feet, ankles, hips, and back:
- Varying your heel height from day to day
- Minimizing the number of hours you spend with your feet in Barbie-esque positions
- Alternating between wearing high heels and supportive sandals or flats.
Life isn’t perfect outside of Barbie Land. Foot and ankle problems happen all the time. For expert treatment of foot and ankle pain or injury, call our Centreville podiatry office at (703) 996-3000 for an appointment with Dr. Wilhelm.
