Are Your Flats Causing Your Foot Pain? The Surprising Pitfalls of a Discreet Heel

There’s an epidemic sweeping the Vogue offices this fall—and we’re not talking about the common cold. More and more editors have been spotted wearing a covetable fur-lined loafer or patent slide on one foot….and a thick black aircast on the other.  The cause of their sartorially compromising condition? An unsupportive pair of flats.  “I always assumed [the casts] were prescribed due to stiletto injuries,” says Vogue Bookings Director Helena Suric, who recently sustained a strained Achilles after logging regular laps around One World Trade Center in a deficiently supportive pair of ballet slippers—and it turns out she’s not an exceptional case study.

“There are a lot of diagnoses attributed to heels, but there are just as many caused by flats,” explains Chicago-based podiatrist Dr. Megan Leahy, D.P.M. When a heel is too low, or the toe of a shoe too tight, the natural distribution of pressure in a step becomes concentrated and strained, causing injuries that can lead all the way from the toe to the knee, back, hips, and even shoulders.

When it comes to flats-induced injuries, “most commonly you’re talking about heel pain caused by plantar fasciitis,” says David A Schofield, D.P.M., who explains that the constant trauma of landing hard on your heel, and the lack of arch support can cause the band of tissue running the length of your foot (the plantar fascia) to stretch and tear. Alternately, shoes that don’t provide enough room for the front of the foot can lead to nerve inflammation, arising when toes cannot spread to distribute weight along the metatarsal bone.

Both doctors agree, however, that avoiding the air boot, or worse, is a simple matter of paying attention. “I think some of us are under the impression that a little foot pain is normal, especially when you’re breaking something in,” says Leahy. “But foot pain is almost never normal.” If pain, fatigue, and swelling from new shoes, vertiginous heels, or waifish slippers persists longer than one day, she suggests paying a visit to your podiatrist. In addition to assessing any underlying issues, custom orthotics can be made to address the specific structural contours of your own foot and will fit into even the lowest of leather frames. For a quicker, albeit less-tailor-made fit, she suggests Super Feet’s over-the-counter inserts, which slip easily into ballet flats.

Similarly, wearing suspect shoes in moderation (a few hours, preferably seated) should save your soles without narrowing your wardrobe. “I use the same rule of thumb for flats that I do for higher heels,” says Schofield. “[If you] will be on your feet all day, keep a pair of shoes with you that’s more comfortable, then when you need to be in presentation or public mode, go ahead and wear the shoe.”

Beyond that, the final solution may surprise you. “I was told to start wearing heels immediately,” says Suric of her own podiatrist’s temporary suggestion. According to Leahy, a two-inch lift in the back of your shoe is just the right height to take pressure off of the Achilles tendon and relieve pain caused by planter fasciitis. Just the excuse we’ve been looking for to stock up on Tabitha Simmons’s mid-heel pumps and Rochas’s low-slung Mary Janes.

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