Eight Hacks to Take the Pain Away from Wearing Heels

It goes without saying that every woman avoids wearing heels whenever she can. While there’s nothing quite as powerful as the shoe that forces you to balance on your tippy toes and something resembling a needle, heels can take a lot out not just on your feet, but your entire mood. As we all know pretty well by now, unhappy feet = unhappy you. So how do we solve this never-ending issue? Designers are working day in and day out to figure out the exact formula for that perfect heel, but until then, we have to just figure it out for ourselves. Luckily, you don’t have to do too much of that on your own, as we’ve lined up a bunch of hacks for you to try out, other than bringing a pair of foldable flats in your bag. Remember, not every single one of these will work for everybody, though if there is a chance that any of the following tips works for you, it’s worth a shot putting your feet through this process of experimentation.

1. Tape your third and fourth toes together

You might have seen this hack across popular sites like Buzzfeed. Apparently, taping your toes together changes the pressure points and redistributes weight, and lots of women actually swear by this. This saves you from making a judgment call yourself on whether a shoe will be comfortable or not, virtually making every heel in the world as comfortable as you want them to be.

2. Opt for a thicker heel

There’s a science to figuring out the comfort level of heels (the slope of the heel and distance between the heel and ball of your foot are contributing factors), but when you’re staring at a sparkly new find, you’re not really thinking about angles and measurements. One thing you can count on is that the chunkier the heel, similar to these Plaid Block Heel Pumps, the longer you can last on your feet. Thicker heels add stability.

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3. Walk heel to toe

It sounds quite strange to do the opposite of how you would normally walk, but trust me on this one. Doing so will alleviate the pain on your toes and the balls of your feet, creating more balance by putting more pressure on your heels.

4. Look for shoes with ankle straps

Something else to keep a lookout for are ankle straps. With your mind so focused on making sure you don’t trip as you’re walking across the street, the last thing you need is for your shoe to fall off. Shoes like the Pointed Toe Stiletto Sandals provide more support on a skinnier heel.

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5. Make sure they fit

Nothing does more damage to your feet than an ill-fitting heel. Walking on arched feet all day is hard enough, so there is absolutely no reason why you need to add to the pain with shoes that are too small, or mess up your balance with heels that are too big. Fit is everything. If the shoes squashe your toes, are too narrow, or are too tight around your heels, you know that those heels are a no-go. One myth that needs to be debunked is the whole idea of “wearing your shoes in.” If they are uncomfortable when you first try them on, they won’t be any more comfortable an hour or two later. When shopping online, if the dimensions don’t exactly match yours, it’s always safer to go a little bigger than smaller, as you can always add insoles or heels pads.

6. Embrace the open toe

Yes, toes are a pretty weird part of your body, but if you want to walk comfortably in heels, one way to do so is by wearing shoes with an open toe. Peep toe pumps and shoes similar to these Heeled Chunky Sandals offer more wiggle room for those little piggies.

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7. Do little feet exercises when you’re sitting down

When you’re sitting at your work desk (or maybe even the dinner table), do some ankle rotations to take away some of the stress from your feet, as well as promote blood flow. You can also do some while standing in line, or other times you’re standing for longer periods of time. If you can get away with it at your desk, do some foot stretches.

8. Don’t go too high

If you aren’t used to wearing heels, it’s best to start off at two- or three- inch heels before you progress to five or six. The Pointed Toe Strappy Block Heels are perfect because not only are they a good height, they also are chunky heels and have ankle straps to hold your feet in place. These definitely have many qualities of pain-free heels.

Check out our heels section for more amazing discounts!

  Got any hacks of your own? Tell us which ones work for you and which don’t. Also, don’t forget to check our newly updated shoe collection!  

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