Wearing high heels can compromise muscle efficiency...

According to a new study in the Journal of Applied Physiology, regularly wearing high heels can compromise your foot's ability to work naturally. Women who had worn heels of at least 5 centimeters (1.9 inches) for 40 hours a week the last two years were compared to women who wore high heels less than 10 hours a week. Researchers had both groups walk barefoot and measured the women's muscle activity, joint movement and other aspects of biomechanics. The high-heel group had much greater undesirable values for the measurements. The researchers concluded, "The results suggest that long-term high heel use may compromise muscle efficiency in walking." .........and obviously, running.

It seems that regular wearing of high heels can shorten calf muscles and stiffen Achilles tendons at the back of the legs. Their advice is to limit the wearing of high heels and to move to low-profile shoes in your sedentary hours.