Most of the women in my family spent most of their lives wearing high heels to work. I have personally only worn them a few times and one of those times nearly resulted in a broken ankle. I’m all for donning a pair of heels when wearing an outfit that requires a bit of elegance, but I’d much rather put on a pair of comfy tennis shoes. Here are 7 ill effects of high heels on your body, just in case you aren’t aware of just how detrimental these fashionable accessories can be.

7. Lower back pain

High heel shoes are created with fashion in mind and not comfort. There is usually a lot less support in heels than in running shoes or even sandals. The constant pressure on the balls of your feet causes weight distribution to be less even and lower back pain is often the result. Nerves can also become stressed in the lower back because of the odd posture held when wearing high heels. I’ve dealt with nerve pain in my lower back for many years and it is no fun at all!

6. Foot pain

The shape of high heel shoes is meant for holding the foot in a particular position to benefit your appearance, not provide comfort. Resting all your body weight on the balls of your feet is going to cause considerable pain after awhile. Walking around on the balls of your feet all day also tends to create yellowed areas on the bottom of your feet that remain sore even after the high heels are removed.

5. Sore Calves

This ill effect does often pass once you get used to wearing high heel shoes. However, daily use of high heel shoes not only causes sore calves, but also protruding veins in your legs. Once veins begin to stick out from your legs, they don’t usually tend to go back in. This can create some unsightly looking legs for a woman who once prided herself on having nice looking legs. This is something to keep in mind when wearing heels on a regular basis.