Why You Shouldn’t Wear High Heels to Your Fitness Class

Many people love to wear heels, and for good reason — they can give you a confidence boost, make your legs look longer, and, if you’re on the shorter side, add inches of height. But wearing heels all the time can cause a number of issues, including aching feet, shortened Achilles tendons, pinched nerves in the toes and balls of the feet, and other foot problems that could impact your workouts. In addition, high heels can change your posture and normal walking pattern over time, which can lead to increased risk of injury and may also contribute to back pain and toe deformities.

So while working out in heels might seem like a silly idea, there are actually a handful of exercise classes that allow participants to wear heels throughout their workouts. Most of these classes combine elements of Pilates and barre, which are great for toning the muscles in the legs and core. Adding the challenge of doing these exercises in heels forces the participant to focus even more on balance and posture, which is a great way to improve both form and technique.

However, the most important thing to remember is that, just like any other shoe style, high heels can be uncomfortable if they are worn too long or aren’t the right fit. Wearing heels that are too small or tight can cause bunions and hammer toes, while shoes with a narrow toe box and a high heel can lead to heel blisters, foot odor, and other problems. If you’re going to wear heels during a fitness class, try to find ones that have a wide toe box and are not too tight.

Heels that are too high can also be problematic because they force you to walk on the ball of your foot instead of the heel, which can increase your risk of injuries in your feet and ankles, especially if you do more explosive movements, such as jumping or running. This can lead to stress fractures, metatarsalgia (a painful condition that affects the balls of the feet), hammertoes, and pinched nerves in the toes.

In the long run, repeated exposure to high heels can permanently alter the shape of your leg muscle tendons. One study found that regular wear of high heels shortened the calf muscles in the legs of volunteers, so that they walked with less energy than when not wearing heels. To prevent these changes, exercise regularly, wear shoes with a wide toe box and thick block heel, limit your time in heels, and do foot stretches and calf flexor exercises.