WELL-HEELED: Nikki Bellofiore, 25, loves her high heels but wears them in moderation. Source: AdelaideNow
IT'S enough to make Sex and the City's Carrie shake in her stilettos. The havoc that high heels can wreak on the body is no secret, but new research has sunk the boot in even further.
A study by researchers at Iowa State University found tottering on high heels for prolonged periods could cause serious problems in the knees and joints.
Sex and the City-style shoes send shock waves from the heel up the body and put massive pressure on the inside of the knee, researchers found.
They said this could contribute to joint degeneration and osteoarthritis.
Danielle Barkema and human movement expert Phil Martin used sensors, accelerometers, cameras and lab equipment to test the damage caused by heels.
Fifteen women undertook walking trials in three different heel heights - flat, 5cm and 9cm.
The study discovered "heel height changes walking characteristics such as slower speeds and shorter stride lengths", according to Science Daily.
And the higher the heel, the more compression inside the knee.
"This means that prolonged wearing and walking in heels could, over time, contribute to joint degeneration and knee osteoarthritis," Ms Barkema said.
Wearing heels can also create strain on the lower back by changing the position of joints.
"Visually, it's quite apparent that somebody's posture is altered when wearing high heels," she said. "We noted those changes in posture, as well as various joint angles, such as the knee and ankle angle.
"The most dramatic change occurs at the ankle."
But she was not advising a heel ban - rather, wearing them in moderation.
Australian Podiatry Association Victorian spokeswoman Katrina Richards said she was not surprised by the findings.
"There's lots of issues with high heels. They change your centre of gravity, which has a flow-on effect throughout the body," she said.
"We don't want to be the fun police when it comes to fabulous shoes but unfortunately if your feet hurt one of the first things you should look at is your footwear."
High heel lover Nikki Bellofiore, 25, said she mixed up her footwear.
"As long as you don't wear them every day, I'm not worried about too many health implications," she said.
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