I have to admit, I am one of the few women who really truly loves heels. I love the way they look, I love the way they make my legs look, I love the polish they give to an outfit and honestly I love the way they feel. Except on rare occasions, I can spend a day in them and my feet don’t bother me. The only exception was when I was training for the marathon.
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| Image Source: Fashionolog |
It was not my feet or my ankles that complained about wearing heels, but my knee (yes…just one). About half-way through marathon training my left knee started to bother me. My knee felt loose and like the knee cap was slipping a bit. (To give a little background, this is the knee I have struggled with on and off for years. I dislocated the kneecap the first time in my early teens and it has never really been the same.) It took me a bit, but I realized that my knee didn’t bother me as much if I didn’t wear heals, so I gave them up for a few months.
Now, I know that heels are not the best thing for me to wear every day, but recently I have read a few articles that really highlight how bad they are, especially for runners. An article in The Washington Post discusses several issues caused by heels, especially the increased pressure on knees. Additionally, some recent research suggests that heels actually change how you walk. It is pretty bad stuff. I really love running, so it is probably best to reduce or eliminate wearing heels.
The real problem is that I have only been able to find one pair of flats that both look professional and don’t destroy my feet. I am not talking about aches and pains, but pretty much turning my feet into complete hamburger by the end of the day. It is not uncommon for me to have blisters or cuts on my toes, heals and sides of my feet when trying to wear flats. This makes putting on my running shoes lots of fun.
The one pair of shoes I have been wearing throughout most of the fall is starting to look pretty beat. I am not ready to give up and start wearing old lady shoes, but I really need some suggestions on cute, comfortable professional flats. What do other runners wear when they have to look professional for work?
