By Nicole FergusonArgus Editor-in-Chief Sharon Stephens only owns two pairs of flat shoes. Several other dozen of pairs of shoes in Stephens closet are representative of what you’d expect to see on a model working a Paris runway-high heels.Stephens is among the hundreds of women on the campus of Winston-Salem State University that walk all over the campus on a daily basis. Whether it’s to get to class or the cafe, walking is inevitable and a large percentage of the female population at WSSU opt to wear the latest Nine West, Steve Madden and Wild Pair footwear, rather than a pair of flat shoes that would prove easier on the foot. According to a Gallup poll taken by the American Podriatic Association, thirty-seven percent of women say they will continue to wear high heels despite their extreme discomfort with them. So why are so many women willing to pay such a price in the name of fashion? “My wardrobe calls for it,” said Stephens, who admits to having slight pain in her leg every once in awhile. “My things (clothes) look better with them.” In fact many women desire high heel shoes because their wardrobes call for them. Senior Tanya Dobbs agrees with Stephens, although her mother continuously warns her of the danger of heels “I feel more comfortable in heels. I’m not a tennis shoe girl. It’s not me. “With heels I feel more like a woman, more feminine,” said Dobbs, Senior Stephanie Price learned her lesson soon after she arrived at WSSU.. Price, who stands at a 4’9 frame, says she opted to wear heels for several years because she was self-conscience about her height. But those feelings quickly vanished as she realized her health was in danger. “By the time I got to my sophomore year, I was having lower back pain,” said Price. “I used to be a boots and heels person, now it’s tennis shoes and loafers, you know?” Experts have similar opinions to Price when it comes to better shoe selections, and they say comfortable, healthy footwear can also be stylish. The association says that great alternatives to high heel shoes for the sake of high fashion aren’t hard to find, even if your warbrobe, like Stephens’ calls for a professional, stylish look. “Walking” or comfort, performance pumps are ideal for the working woman. They feature a low, manageable heel that easy on the calf muscle and lower back. Then there are shoes with reinforced heels and wider toe room. Those shoes generally feature what doctors call an omposition sole. Adrienne McInnis knows that it would be in her best interest to make it a point to shop for more practical shoes. But, for a lack of better words, the 22-year-old fashion mogul is addicted to, well, fashion.Last month McInnis visited her family doctor because she was having back pains. “She said the pain was in part due to my heels,” said McInnis.High-heel shoes not only cause back pains, but foot pain also.Dr. Delydia Meadow is podiatric assistant at Podiatric Care in Greensboro. She doesn’t recommend high heels for daily wear. “Due to them being so narrow, they cause bbuynyons, corns, and a hammertoes.”Meadow says that the solution to these ailments is asergical surgeon. “I don’t recommend using anything medicated because they tend to burn the skin causing. So as the weather gets warmer and the toes come out, remember that foot care is important for fashion and health.
Tips for Shoe Buying-Have your feet measured while you’re standing.- Always try on both shoes, and walk around the store.-Always buy for the larger foot; feet are seldom precisely the same size.-Don’t buy shoes that need a “break-in” period; shoes should be comfortable immediately.-Don’t rely on the size of your last pair of shoes. Your feet do get larger, and lasts (shoemakers’ sizing molds) also vary.-Shop for shoes later in the day; feet tend to swell during the day, and it’s best to be fitted while they are in that state.-Be sure that shoes fit well, front, back and sides-to distribute weight. It sounds elementary, but be sure the widest part of your foot corresponds to the widest part of the shoe.-Select a shoe with a leather upper, stiff heel counter, appropriate cushioning, and flexibility at the ball of the foot.-Buy shoes that don’t pinch your toes, either at the tips, or across the toe box.-Try on shoes while you’re wearing the same type of socks or stockings you expect to wear with the shoes.
— Courtesy of the American Podiatric Web site