Are you fashion-savvy who loves to sport high heels, handbags, or accessories on a regular basis? You may be ruining your health with the use of these items. Following fashion trends blindly can take a toll on your health. These health risks are both short-term as well as long-term and can vary from a minor pain to chronic conditions. Orthopedic Surgeon, Simon Moyes sheds light on the possible harm you are causing your body with fashionable accessories.
Heavy necklaces: We are seeing a growing popularity of heavy necklaces in modern fashion, with women opting to wear heavier jewellery around their necks. This, in combination with the use of heavier handbags can produce further protraction of the shoulder, curvature in the upper dorsal or thoracic spine and hyperextension of the lower cervical spine. This tends to force the head to thrust forwards. This can place a lot of strain on the base of the neck, causing lower cervical pain.
Flip-flops: With the heat on, thousands of people are swapping their shoes for flip-flops. Although they are cool and comfortable in the heat, they can lead to a common condition called plantar fasciitis. This is a very painful condition, which produces pain in the sole of the foot and in the heel mainly on the inside of the foot. The lack of arch support and lack of cushioning combined with the way you walk in flip-flops can predispose you to this condition.
Wearing flip-flops can cause inflammation, heel pain, strains and fractures. The humble flip-flop is best restricted to be worn inside the house or on the beach. Wearing them on a daily basis could spoil your feet.
High heels: Many women prefer to wear high heels and are reliant on them for everyday use but repeatedly wearing heeled shoes can lead to Achilles tendonitis. The Achilles tendon is the long thin tendon that runs from the base of the calf muscles down to the heel bone. This can become extremely painful due to chronic shortening of the calf muscles by wearing repeatedly high heel shoes. The pain is localised over the tendon and may be associated with thickening and swelling of the tendon.
Be assured of joint pains if you wear heels all the time. The structure of these shoes is such that it puts one’s body weight on the ball of the feet. The knee, buttocks and spine are put in awkward positions. The high heels also exert a lot of extra pressure on the knee, both on the front and back, and can lead to osteoarthritis. Read more…
Handbags: Girls’ handbags, like men’s briefcases, can carry an enormous amount of material that can be surprisingly heavy. The way they are carried over the shoulder can predispose the development of chronic shoulder pain – namely inflammation and impingement of the rotator cuff. The heavy weight over the top of the shoulder tends to cause it to be protracted and the downward pressure on the cuff causes rubbing of the tendon. This causes shoulder pain. Patients may end up with pain at night, causing sleep disturbance, as well as pain using their arm at shoulder height.
Ideally, the weight of the handbag/shoulder bag should range between 2-3% of the person’s body weight. Also, while carrying the bag for a pronged period of time, it is advised to switch the bag to the other shoulder frequently in order to avoid constant pressure loading on one shoulder.
With inputs from IANS/femalefirst.co.uk
Image source: Getty images
You may also like to read:
- Could these 4 types of footwear be harming your feet?
- The stilettos offer – get slipped disc, arthritis and other feet problems free!
- Why barefoot running is good for you
For more articles on diseases & conditions , visit our diseases & conditions section. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter for all the latest updates! For daily free health tips, sign up for our newsletter. And for health-related queries, visit our Questions and Answers section.