Finally! A simple formula to finding heels that won’t cripple your feet
Just what we need
Finding a pair of high heels that don’t cripple your feet is often a struggle many of us face, but now a simple formula has suggested it has nothing to do with the brand of shoe, in fact it’s all about the shape of your foot.
A simple equation, devised by podiatrist Emma Supple, is known as ‘Perfect Heel Height’ (PHH). Emma uses the formula in her practice and is states ‘It’s fundamental in my clinical work’.
Emma explains, “The measurement is based on the flexibility of the talus, the one bone which connects the foot and the leg. The talus is a strangely curved bone set on top and at the front of the foot, and the way in which it moves dictates how high a heel you ought to wear."
"If the talus tilts downwards when you are holding your leg out straight and relaxing your foot, then you have a lot of mobility and can wear high heels with ease. Your foot can move up and down much more. But if your talus doesn’t tilt, then you will be more comfortable and far happier in flat shoes. Flatter shoes give a right-angle to the ground and don’t require as much movement from the foot.”
So how do you measure?
See the guide below, you will need a tape measure, pencil, a chair and somebody to help you.
Step 1: Sit down and hold one of your legs out in front of you whilst relaxing your foot. You will need to take your shoes off.
Step 2: Get a friend to stretch the tape measure from your heel parallel to the floor. Place the pencil at the ball of your foot at right angles to your foot. This will allow you to find your optimum heel height.
Step 3: Read the measurement on the tape measure where it hits the pencil. This will give you your ideal heel height.
Now you know your ideal heel height, you should be able to buy heels to suit your feet and therefore, according to Emma, feel less pain when wearing heels.
However, Emma adds that there is a maximum height for heels and wouldn’t recommend anybody to wear more than three inches for day-to-day wear. Oh no!