Is It Safe to Wear Heels All Day? Doctors Say Yes — But Only Up to a Point

Do you wear heels to work every day? Does your dress code require you to wear heels all day long? Or do you just plainly and simply like to wear heels? If so, you can let your flats-wearing naysayers know that doctors now say it’s okay to wear your beloved stilettos for a prolonged period.

Research published in the International Journal of Clinical Practice shows that wearing high heels increases ankle strength and even improves overall balance.

However, don’t rejoice just yet. While doctors say wearing high heels is okay, it’s only up to a certain point. They’ve determined that the crucial time is after three years, when the cons of wearing heels far outweigh the benefits. At that point, important ankle and leg muscles become weak, making the wearer vulnerable to sprains, falls, and other potentially crippling injuries.

Doctors Warn: No Heel Height Is Completely Safe

Wearing heels may elongate your silhouette, but the long-term effects aren’t so pretty. As Dr. Heather Morgan explained on Personal Best, high heels — especially sky-high stilettos — can alter posture, curve the spine, and contribute to pain, bunions, and injuries over time.

And if you’re wondering what height is safest? According to Dr. Morgan, there really isn’t one: “Any shoe that elevates the heel above the toes brings some risk.”

We suspect some famous high-heel-loving celebrities were privy to this knowledge long before it was published. One is Victoria Beckham, who, in the Fall/Winter 2014 fashion season, uncharacteristically claimed that she was obsessed with Manolo Blahnik flat oxfords!

Victoria Beckham multitasks in style, testing out a treadmill desk while wearing sleek high-heeled black booties, as seen in the photo she shared on Twitter on March 12, 2014 (Credit: Victoria Beckham’s Twitter)

Sarah Jessica Parker is another famous high-heeled wearer who seems to have given up on stilettos.

After building her career around loving vertiginous shoes in ‘Sex and the City,’ SJP is now mostly seen wearing flats or low heels. She has even taken to wearing flats on the red carpet, a trend more and more celebrities have begun adopting.

Sarah Jessica Parker steps out in high-heeled booties while filming Sex and the City in NYC’s Meatpacking District on November 6, 2003, and later opts for glittery flats at the Irish Repertory Theatre’s Annual Gala at The Town Hall in New York City on June 8, 2015

As a top in-demand supermodel, Karlie Kloss practically lives in high heels. But that doesn’t mean that she prefers them. Like Posh and SJP, Karlie also seems to have given up on heels and now almost exclusively wears flats for her red carpet appearances.

Karlie Kloss rocks gold Nicholas Kirkwood “Gabo Angel” knee-high sandal boots at the 2014 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show in London on December 2, 2014, and later showcases her chic Jimmy Choo “Genoa” flats at the 2015 CFDA Fashion Awards at Alice Tully Hall in New York City on June 1, 2015 (Credit: Andres Otero / Ivan Nikolov / Lia Toby / Vallenilla / WENN)

Will you take after Victoria Beckham, SJP, and Karlie Kloss, or will the doctors who conducted the research have to pry your heels from your cold, dead hands feet?

You don’t have to give up high-heeled shoes, though. You can make them more comfortable. Also, try some tips from podiatrist and fellow shoe lover Dr. Suzanne Levine on how to ease foot pain from wearing high heels.

Margot Robbie uses a foot spray called Still Standing to stay comfortable in high heels during red carpet events. Her stylist, Kate Young, revealed that before the 2018 Oscars, she applied this spray to Robbie’s feet, enabling the actress to wear her Roger Vivier and Jimmy Choo heels throughout the ceremony and after-parties without discomfort.

Vanessa Williams Shares Genius Toe Trick for Staying Comfortable in Heels

While starring in The Devil Wears Prada musical — stilettos and all — Vanessa Williams dropped her go-to high heel hack on the Table Manners podcast. Her trick? Cushion the third and fourth toes with corn socks (toe tubes) and gently tap them together. The simple tweak helps narrow the foot and relieve pressure, making it easier to stay in heels all day. “It actually works!” she assured a stunned Jessie Ware.