Just how bad are high heels for your health?

Most of us shudder at the thought of having to give up our favourite pair of heels.

The perfect pair of skyscrapers can make or break any outfit, but just how much of our health are we sacrificing for foot fashion?

Studies have shown that towering tootsies can take their toll on your spine, hips, knees, ankles and feet, while even altering your posture and gait.

Here’s how high heels affect different parts of your body and why it may be something you won’t stand for anymore.

Feet
The higher the heel, the bigger the impact. Normally, your feet act like weight-distributing shock absorbers, cushioning your skeleton from the intense, daily amount of pounding. However, one study found that four-inch stilettos can raise the amount of pressure on the front of the foot by 30 percent or more. Ouch!

Ankles and calves
Wearing heels forces your ankles to bend forward, a movement that could restrict circulation in your lower limbs. If you’re a regular heel wearer, this could eventually spell spider veins.

Back
In order to strut around in heels, your spine needs to sway unnaturally, a process that stresses your lumbar erector spinae muscle and in time this could result in a weak and painful lower back.