Foot Instability during Walking in Shoes with High Heels

The walking patterns of eleven women, who were occasional wearers of high-heeled shoes, were compared during walking barefoot and in shoes with high heels. Results showed that the wearing of high heels decreased the pronation of the foot during the support phase of walking. The heels caused a significant decrease in step length, in out-toeing, and in the total range of movement at the talocalcaneal joint. Although these changes were statistically significant, not every subject showed all these changes or the same degree of change. Half of the group showed instability during the support phase of walking. The assumption can be made that some occasional high heel wearers do not adequately adjust to the high-heeled shoe.