Don't Let High Heels Kill Your Feet

Podiatrists have long warned women that high fashion in footwear comes with a high price. And with each added inch of stiletto heel, a woman teeters closer to a long list of painful problems: hammer toes, calluses, bunions, backaches, sprained ankles, swollen knees, and tight Achilles tendons.

But for many women, fashion trumps comfort, and they won't be caught flat-footed when they're out and about. With some extra thought at the shoe store and a few simple stretches, women can step out in style without suffering, says Jinsup Song, director of the Gait Study Center at Temple University School of Podiatric Medicine in Philadelphia.

For starters, you'll get a more comfortable fit if you go shoe shopping at the end of the day, when your feet are slightly swollen. Don't forget, the taller and skinnier a heel gets, the more potentially harmful the shoe becomes. Also keep in mind that partially open-toe styles put less stress on the toes.

Try to save your highest high-fashion heels for occasions that don't require a lot of walking or standing around for hours on end. Finally, remember that there's no such thing as breaking in a shoe. If it doesn't feel good at the start, it won't get any better later.