High Heel Foot Problems

High Heel Foot Problems

Page 1 2 3 4 5

What is it like for women who have ankle equinus?

SC - 14 September 2002

Having ankle equinus is usually a very sad story. This is why I chose to write and warn people about it and strongly recommend women who wear high heels often to periodically stretch their calf muscles. Let me also clarify that for me, "ankle equinus" means having permanently shortened calf muscles and Achilles tendons that can only be treated medically with the new "Manual Manipulation Technique" and/or traditional "Achilles tendon lengthening surgery".

Ankle equinus has numerous con's or disadvantages. Oddly, having to wear (properly-fitted) heels is not usually one of these con's, as it becomes normal for these women to do so. The con's are hidden to most observers.

For example, I have already mentioned occasional soreness in the calf muscles and the feet and ankle being stiff as wood. These women can also feel this stiffness in their lower legs, ankles and feet (unless they are wearing high heel shoes with ankle straps or high heel boots with tight ankles).

Second, women who have ankle equinus must avoid other foot problems and injuries, that can easily cripple them (temporarily or even, permanently).

For further information, please see my book.

Regards,
J.J. - September 16, 2002

ROLFING and ANKLE EQUINUS

Dear JJ,

I found your site while researching ankle equinus, and found your information very interesting. I had no idea people would want to permanently shorten their calf muscles and tendons in order to wear high heels....

If you ever hear from people who would like to lengthen their achilles tendons and calf muscles, a great resource for them is to try Rolfing. They can find a Certified RolferÒ by going to the Rolf Institute web site at www.rolf.org , or a Rolf Practitioner at the Guild for Structural Integration web site at www.rolfguild.org . I am a Certified Rolfer and have been working with a client who has had ankle equinus since birth. At first she was misdiagnosed with cerebral palsy; then saw many doctors for several years to find out about correcting the ankle equinus. She did not want surgery and decided to live with the condition, which was very painful and contributed to various health problems.

She is now an adult and has had 8 Rolfing sessions with me. With each session, her soft tissue softens and lengthens noticeably, and her ability to walk improves each week. Her heels now rest completely on the floor when she stands, and her walk is almost the heel-toe motion that is ideal for barefoot walking, and is also the most beneficial motion for supporting structural alignment in the whole body. She is slowly improving her balance and posture, and experiencing much less pain, as her body comes into alignment over her "new feet".

Rolfing is a soft-tissue technique with the goal of improving the alignment and balance of the body. Anyone who has misalignment in one part of the body, espcially something as serious as ankle equinus, would do best to address the entire body as part of their re-alignment. Rolfing is the most direct, specific, and effective method of doing exactly that. It helps to reduce or eliminate chronic pain and dysfunction due to misalignment, tight tissue, old injuries & surgeries, etc.

I would like to know more about the "manual manipulation" that you listed as an alternative to surgery. Is it practiced by physical therapists, or some other type of practitioner?

Thanks very much,

L.B. - 24 Jun 2004

Dear Laura,

Thank you for writing.

I heard of Rolfing before, but thought that it was just a special type of massage. I just did some research on Rolfing and agree with you that Rolfing may be of interest for those with shortened calf muscles and Achilles tendons . However, those with "permanent" shortening (or whose heels have not touched the ground for many years) should probably approach Rolfing with a bit of caution.

I do not mean to be a skeptic, but you should recall that I wrote: "it can be a bad idea for those who have permanently shortened calf muscles and Achilles tendons for a long time, especially decades, to come back down to flats. One of the saddest things that Marcia (in my book) told me was that some women who get surgery to lengthen their calf muscle and/or Achilles tendon end up with all kinds of problems and pain throughout their lower bodies and hobble around for the rest of their lives.

After surgery, the parts of the lower body that were fully adapted to high heels can become weakened, sensitive and prone to problems and pain. This include the bent toes, that must get flattened back out for flat-heeled shoes."

Perhaps, further explanation may help. According to Harper's Index, the average increase in the protrusion of a woman's buttocks when she wears high heels is 25%. It is generally agreed that this "high heel look" makes a woman look more sexy and beautiful. A change can be seen in the alignment of her entire lower body, particularly in the lower back, hips, knees, ankles and feet.

In cases of women who have acquired ankle equinus from wearing high heels and have "permanently" shortened calf muscles and Achilles tendons for many years, this altered "high heel" alignment of their entire lower bodies is permanent or normal for them. The alignment of their entire lower bodies is that which is normally associated with the "high heel look" from the lower backs and hips down to the high foot arches and "high heel balls-of-feet". In other words, when these women stand up barefoot or without shoes, their bodies look the same as they do when wearing high heels.

Besides the calf (gastrocnemius and soleal) muscles and Achilles tendons that affect the flexibility and appearance of the ankles, many other muscles and tendons in the lower body (from the lower back down to the feet) can be affected. These other muscles and tendons can also become altered in size and shape permanently to fit the new "high heel" alignment of the entire lower body, to support the alignment and give the alignment permanency. The longer (duration) the person has "permanent" ankle equinus, the greater the likelihood that this is the case.

Also, you can read what podiatrist Dr. Jody Politz was quoted as saying in the Las Vegas SUN newspaper http://www.lasvegassun.com/sunbin/stories/text/2000/feb/11/509835722.html . She said "I keep a lot of women permanently in heels. It's when they go into flats that they have problems."

Although some people may question Dr. Politz's method, it is probably the most wise thing to do for those who had permanently shortened calf muscles and Achilles tendons for a long time (especially, decades). You can also read more about this in my book.

Rolfing seems like a much better alternative to Achilles tendon lengthening surgery. Perhaps, Rolfing can help many or most individuals, but it might also lead some individuals down the same problem-prone path that Achilles tendon lengthening surgery has. In which case, staying in heels (as high as needed) would clearly be better.

Again, I do not mean to be skeptical or pessimistic. I simply do not know if Rolfing can reverse the effects of long-term ankle equinus with good long-term results.

Affected individuals will need to decide on Rolfing for themselves. When treating these cases, the Rolfer should be sure to check the normal alignment of the entire lower body and treat all body parts (not just the calf muscles and Achilles tendons) that are needed. However, I do not know if the entire lower body, especially the hips, knees and feet (along with the calf muscles and Achilles tendons) can be Rolfed successfully.

Affected individuals who are treated with Rolfing may also want to gently massage their feet, knees and hips for about a minute each, every morning and every night. That is what I do as a possible precautionary measure, if I was one of these individuals. These are critical structural areas of the body that may be altered in long term cases of ankle equinus.

"Manual manipulation" was developed by a podiatrist for podiatrists to use. It involves manipulating the fibula bone in each leg (using the doctor's hands) and seems like something chiropractors might also be capable and interested in doing. The procedure has mixed results. It works for some cases, but not for others.

Regards,
J.J. - July 30, 2004

<<< PREVIOUS PAGE | NEXT PAGE >>>

Page 1 2 3 4 5

This page was last edited on December 17, 2005.
Comment? Send email to: jjleganeur@yahoo.com