Feet and high heels just don’t go well together.
A recent article came out about a group of specialists from the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital in North London, England who are using 3D scanning to show the foot and ankle. These specialists hope the 3D scanner will help them treat foot problems that are attributed to high heels. Said Andy Goldberg, a consultant orthopedic surgeon at the North London hospital, “The new scanner allows us to clearly see how the foot and ankle looks and functions inside shoes fully weight bearing.”
The process is rather simple. Patients stand in the scanner with shoes or without. The scanner then takes hundreds of 2D images, which are then combined to form 3D imaging of the foot. There already is a correlation between foot pain and high heels, but the imaging that the PedCAT 3-D scanner provides can be seen in real time. The scanner has helped conclude that high heel shoes force the foot into an unnatural position and shape, which can cause pain and damage that can effect people long term.
Some people argue that the scanner is not entirely accurate in diagnosing foot pain. Other specialist feel a pressure distribution study is more effective. In order to combat pain from high heels, the best case scenario would be to wear the shoes less frequently. Special occasions are fine, but if you are wearing high heels everyday you are almost guaranteed to be hurting your feet in the future.
