How to Make Your High Heels More Comfortable

It’s amazing that we willingly wear shoes that sometimes hurt so much, it takes an hour-long ice bath just to recover. And yet, it’s hard to ditch high heels completely: They elongate your legs, they make your calves look amazing, and there’s something empowering about the sound of your own feet clacking against a hard surface.

Recommend: women shoes, flower girl dresses, wedding guest dresses, long sleeves dresses

Shave down your heel
If you’re willing to sacrifice a little height for the ability to walk through a room with ease, consider shaving down the heel. For around $15, a shoe repair shop like Steve Express Shoe Repair in New York City can simply cut off a portion of the spike. According to Steve, the owner, the maximum that’s usually removed is “around an inch.” Any more and you would feel the difference in the shoe’s arched construction.

Use gel insoles
Gel insoles solve a lot of heel-wearing problems. For one thing, they can prevent toes from scrunching and thereby prevent blisters. If your toes are constantly sliding forward in your shoes, there’s even a cushion designed to hold the ball of your foot in place. The gel inserts stick to your shoe insoles well but are also easy to swap among your shoes.

Change the way you walk
The correct way to walk in heels involves keeping your head and spine straight, as if you’re being pulled up by a string. As you walk, use your hips to shift and lift your legs to the center with each step you take. Your paces should look more like a light bounce than like you’re saving yourself from a fall. Since wearing your heels means your feet no longer form a 90 degree angle with your ankles, changing your gait will help you readjust your body’s center of gravity and find balance. You still won’t feel like you’re walking on clouds, but this method will at least make heels feel more bearable.

Take regular breaks
We recommend not wearing heels more than two days in a row, with at least a day’s break in between. If you want to keep walking four inches off the ground, you’ve got to give your feet time to recover in between.

Get heels with ties or straps
Have you ever noticed how frustrating it is to deal with your feet slipping out of your heels the minute they leave the ground? Even worse, loose shoes often make you drag your feet in an attempt to prevent them from falling out. Heels with straps, ties, or buckles over the ankle or feet offer a solution. Go for adjustable straps to accommodate swelling.

Hope these methods help you wear a pair of comfortable shoes. Choose the right shoes you love and fit.