What Shoes Are REALLY Doing To Our Bodies

Never has the phrase "beauty is pain" been more true than after a day in a pair of to-die-for shoes that leave you rubbing your arches and reaching for the epsom salt. And, while achy soles could lead you to sit out a few dances, there are also some serious, life-long risks at stake when we over abuse our feet.

We are not in any position to rain on your shoe parade (nor would we ever want to!). And if we said we'd ditch our pumps and platforms upon learning the not-so-pretty reality about our favorite footwear, well, that would be a gross exaggeration. But nonetheless, knowledge, like the right pair of shoes, is power. Therefore, we turned to two of our trusted sources Dr. Thomas Novella, D.P.M., and Jim Wharton, musculoskeletal therapist, for answers.

These experts broke down the six basic styles we all love to wear and filled us in on what exactly our shoes are doing to our bodies — the immediate effects as well as the challenges that may arise after extended use. They gave us a complete explanation about what exactly happens when we slide into our favorite pairs, and more importantly, how we can reclaim and preserve the health of our feet so, hopefully, we never have to sit out another dance again.