Height booster inserts, also known as shoe lifts, can add an extra inch or two to your stature. Sounds like a quick win, right? You get a confidence boost without surgery.
But before you slip those foam wedges into your sneakers, we at My Chicago Foot Expert will explain what you are actually doing to your foot and ankle health.
Why Height Boosters Are Basically High Heels
The biggest issue with height inserts is that they fundamentally change the mechanics of how you walk. When you put a two-inch lift inside a standard shoe, you are turning that shoe into a high heel.
This puts your foot into a state of constant plantarflexion. In simple terms, your toes are pointed down, and your heel is jacked up, which forces your toes to jam into the front of your shoe.
The Danger of Shoe Lifts to Your Ankles
If you wear shoe lifts every day, you are asking for an unstable ankle. Because your heel is sitting higher up, it is no longer securely cupped by the back of the shoe, which means you’re more likely to roll your ankle, sprain it, or fracture it.
Your Achilles tendon is also at major risk. When your heel is constantly elevated, the tendon stays in a shortened position, which, over time, can weaken its elasticity.
Once you take the inserts out and try to walk flat on the ground, that shortened tendon gets stretched too far, too fast, and leads to Achilles tendonitis (or even a tear).
Long-Term Damage of Wearing Shoe Lifts
Maybe you’ll get by wearing shoe lifts for one night out. But the long-term consequences of shoe lifts aren’t very pretty. You might find yourself dealing with:
- Metatarsalgia: inflammation and pain in the ball of the foot.
- Hammer Toes: Your toes scrunch up to keep you stable.
- Lower Back Issues: Because your pelvis tilts forward to compensate for the height, your spine takes the hit.
Is the Extra Inch of Shoe Lifts Worth the Foot Pain?
If you are dead set on gaining some height, we recommend shoes with chunky soles that boost your height on the outside, not odd, cheap inserts you buy on Amazon.
And, if you have been using these inserts and notice your arches aching or your ankles feeling wobbly, it is time to ditch the lifts.
For any questions about foot health and wellness, reach out to the tenured staff at My Chicago Foot Expert by calling (773) 561-8100 or by clicking here to schedule an appointment with Cook County podiatrist Stavros O. Alexopoulos, DPM, in our new, comfortable Chicago office, located at 5015 N Paulina Street, Suite #217.