Recently, we came across an old blog entry on the Huffington Post by Michelle Cove, an author and mother of a young girl. The title of the post was, “Putting My Foot Down on Girl High Heels.” Totally on board with the sentiment, our Houston podiatrist Dr. Andrew Schneider was quickly paying attention. 
In the post, Cove was ranting about little girls wearing high heels after seeing celebrity children wearing wedge-heels to match their mamas'. Cove also addressed, in passing, the problems that could be caused when young feet are squished into high heels. But her main point was that little girls should be children; if you aren’t comfortable seeing your eight-year-old in a crop top, then you shouldn’t feel so great about her wearing heels, either. Both are more appropriate for women than for girls, Cove believes.
Now, we aren't here to talk about women's or girls' clothing decisions. But as a podiatry practice in Houston, we could not let Ms. Cove address the health problems associated with kids wearing high heels in just one sentence. So, in today's post, we’ll expand a bit on the issues she brought up.
Key Takeaways
- When little girls wear high heels, their developing bones and tendons come under excess pressure, increasing their risk for tendon shortening and Sever's disease
- Grown women in high heels are at increased risk for bunions, hammertoes, Morton's neuroma, ankle sprains and Achilles tendon pain
- To maintain optimal foot health, children should completely avoid high heels, while adults should limit heel height to below two inches
Dangers of Little Girls in High Heels
Since kids’ feet are still growing and developing, they are more susceptible to conditions like hammer toes, a foot deformity in which toes become painfully and unnaturally bent. We often see this condition in mature women who frequently wear pointy-toed shoes that pinch the feet and place dangerous pressure on the feet. But when still-developing feet are exposed to that kind of pressure, they are that much more at risk of developing this problem, either now or later on in life.
Wearing high heels can also leave little girls more susceptible to stress fractures; the way these shoes are crafted makes the center of gravity shift forward, increasing pressure on the front of the foot. Over time, this pressure can cause the bone to fracture, especially in young, less developed feet. When you put little girls in heels, that increased pressure on the ball of the foot can also lead to painful nerve problems such as Morton's neuroma, either now or further down the road.
Wearing high heels at such a young age can also cause a shortening of the Achilles tendon. This can happen in adults, too, but it's a problem that's much more likely to develop in kids. If this happens, there will be undue stress on the back of the heel, where the tendon attaches, and it can quickly become a painful condition known as Sever's disease, or calcaneal apophysitis. This condition describes an inflammation of the growth plate on the back of the heel bone, causing sharp heel pain. As she grows older, the Sever's disease will resolve, but the shortened tendon will lead to compensation of the rest of the foot, causing the foot to become unstable and resulting in pronation (rolling inward with movement). This will put her at risk for developing bunions and hammertoes in the future.
Besides these concerns, and a host of other problems, putting little girls in high heels is a bad idea because it won’t give them the support they need to run around and play. Clearly, your balance isn’t as good in heels as in more supportive shoes, meaning children who want to play while wearing heels are more likely to twist or sprain their ankles.
Why You Should Avoid High Heels at Any Age
When you see little girls in high heels, you often feel like something is wrong. But when adult women walk around in stilettos, at parties or in the office, we often call that fashion. Unfortunately, being fully grown doesn't mean that wearing high heels is a safe footwear choice. In fact, if you spend too much time in this style of shoe, at any age, you are likely to experience foot pain. You'll also increase your risk for deformities such as hammertoes and bunions, along with Achilles tendon pain, neuromas, and even falls and injuries.
Now, on some occasions, wearing high-heeled shoes is mandatory. If that's the case, we encourage choosing pairs with wedge heels instead of stilettos. If possible, we'd love for you to keep the heel height below two inches. And it's also best to limit the time you spend in those shoes, even if that means wearing sneakers to and from work or special events, then changing into your heels upon arrival.
Of course, limiting your time in high heels doesn't mean you can't keep up with fashion trends. In fact, Dr. Schneider just highlighted some trendy spring shoes that you can wear with the full approval of a podiatrist. In short, the best way to protect your feet is to prioritize support and comfort above style. And, when in doubt, rocking a trendy sneaker is always a great option--for adult and young women alike.
When to See a Podiatrist
Regardless of your emotional feelings about young girls wearing high heels, we can probably all agree that it is not the best choice of footwear to support developing foot growth. But we're not just here to shame you over putting little girls in high heels. Instead, we are here to make sure that you and your entire family enjoy optimal foot health. Because foot pain is not a normal part of development, when you're a child or at any stage of life. So, if at any time you have concerns about your own or your child’s foot health, contact Tanglewood Foot Specialists to schedule an appointment for your self, your daughter or your son.
