Do your legs ache in drab shoes?

[CarolDonna]

I wear high heels, four inches or higher, all the time when I'm at home. Lately I've noticed that if I walk more than a couple of miles in men's shoes, my legs ache the next day. I used to run and walk 30 or 40 miles a week in men's shoes/running shoes, with no problems. Since my divorce though, a couple of years ago, I've mostly worn high heels, and I'm surprised at how my leg muscles have changed.

Has anyone else had a similar experience?

[_Janelle_]

I think if you wear high enough heels for long enough, your achilles tendon/calf muscles will contract to the extent that you will find walking in flats painful. If you are feeling discomfort, it's your body's way of telling you something is wrong - you should listen to it!!

Good luck

Janelle.

[Katrina]

I am not an orthopedic doctor, but I play one on tv ;) I have heard that you should limit the amount of time you spend in high heels due to several issues in your feet and ankles. First, you calf muscles will change and not stretch as much. Second, high heels tend to make you come down on your foot with less padding so your knees get more damage. Third, pointy shoes will crunch your toes together and cause bunions and some other condition where toes are damaged/deformed that I could not even claim to know how to spell. In short, you should limit the amount of time in heels. They suggest that women walk to work in sneakers and change into heels at work and change back for the trip home. I'm guessing that we should do the same. I know that this is blasphemy here but I think that this is important.

[Jodi]

I did work a career in orthopedics. The solution is to do daily stretches of the leg muscles and achilles tendons. With proper stretching after wearing heels, you will have no problems.

Jodi

[Phyliss]

CarolDonna,
I don't have as much of a chance to wear heel as you do, however I well understand the feeling of aching legs. I work in construction and ladders are a way of life for me. This past November I began to realize that I just wasn't able to climb them as well as I used to. My Dr. mentioned that I might need some compression stockings, (her words, not mine) she wrote a script for two pair. When I went to the pharmacy for them the girl in the medical device section of the store measured me and recommended some knee highs. She did state that some people, after wearing them for a day really don't like them and just never wear them again. Her suggestion was that I pick up one pair and if I liked them I could return for the second pair with no problem.
After one day of wearing and realizing that I did feel better to a point, I decided to get the second pair. This time I asked for the thigh high style, afterall the script did state "stockings"
Without batting an eye the girl showed me what they had in stock. I picked out a beige pair in my size, (large). When I put them on the next morning it was a bit of a struggle, (they are of a much heavier material and do have a greater degree of "tightness" then regular stockings). At the end of the day I felt real good, to the point of ordering about four more pair.
They don't "give them away" really costly, about $65 a pair. In my opinion, such as it is, I firmly believe in them now. JUst yesterday I had an especially difficult job that required my climbing a rather tall ladder many times over in a short amount of time. As I sit here now I don't feel any soreness in my legs. When I was in the middle of the job yesterday I noted to myself that I was climbing like I used to many years ago.
I will agree that the stockings don't have anything like the sheerness that a nice pair of Wolfords do, but I'll give up sheerness under my work clothes to have healthy legs.

Just my $.02 worth.

[ronda]

i wear my heels every day but if i don't wear them for 2 or 3 day my leg will hurt until i get my heel on again going on a week vacation is tough in pain when i get home