How to Walk in High Heels

Most of us have a love, hate relationship with our high heels. We LOVE to wear them and own them, we HATE to walk in them. Walking in high heels is very difficult, especially when that heel is 3-6 inches high, and very thin. It can also be very painful, especially if you’re doing it wrong or you are wearing your heels for a long time.

 

Mastering the art of walking in high heels takes time and practice but there are a few important tips that will help to make wearing them, as well as walking in them much easier and much more pleasurable. We’re going to share those secrets with you?

How to Walk in High Heels

1. Make sure your heels fit properly.

If your heels don’t fit properly chances are they are going to be difficult to walk in. You’ll end up compensating for the poor fit, and your feet will either slide around in them causing blisters if they are too big, or loose circulation and become very uncomfortable if they are too small. Make sure the heels you are trying to walk in are the perfect fit for your feet. Also, just because your heels used to fit you when you bought them doesn’t mean they will fit you now! If you’ve recently picked up a new sport hobby, such as running or even if you’ve recently become pregnant, it can cause the size of your foot to change overtime.

2. Have good posture.

 Posture is important to walking in heels properly. Just putting the heels on immediately changes the way you stand and walk in them. Make sure you are standing tall and balanced and putting your weight down correctly. Poor posture can cause your feet to hurt in ways that will cause you to change or compensate your posture in order to get the pressure off your feet. Make sure you are standing straight and tall.

3. Toe raises.

Wearing heels is a workout for your calves. The stronger your calves are the easier it will be to walk in heels. You can do an exercise called “toe raises” to help strengthen your calves, or strengthen your calves by walking around on your toes (or the ball of your foot) while at home.

4. Place your foot evenly, heel to toe.

 Sometimes when walking in heels we try to lead with the heel of our foot and end up putting all of our weight on our heels. Other people try to lead with their toes and end up getting the calf workout of a lifetime. Take your time to place your foot with even pressure toward the outside of your foot, landing heel first followed evenly by your toes.  

5. Step Softly.

The harder you stomp in heels, the more stress you are going to put on your feet and the more painful it will be to walk in them. Step lightly and land lightly to minimize impact that will ultimately lead to sore feet.

 

6. Finding a well made and balanced high heel.

 Just because the shoe is expensive doesn’t mean it’s well made. If heels are poorly made, they may be very difficult to walk in. You need to make sure your heel is balanced. Put the heel on a hard surface and tap it on the right and left. If the heel falls over easily without you in it, imagine what it will do when you are walking in it? Make sure your heels offer you stable support. If you need added stability, you can use a product called Solemates. Solemates are removable heel caps that you place on the bottom of your heels that increase the heel’s surface area. They not only offer added stability on flat surfaces, but also in uneven and difficult surfaces such as grass, mud, cobblestones, sand and over sidewalk grates. You can check them out here:

7. Insoles and padding.

Sometimes no matter how well your shoe fits, it still can be difficult to walk in by the end of the day. Consider using heel or toe pads to offer you additional comfort and support while wearing and walking in heels throughout the day. They will help absorb the shock and provide additional comfort.

8. Take smaller steps.

The larger you step, the more impact you will put on your high heels while walking. Take smaller steps so you can land more softly.

9. Walk slow.

For the same reason as above, you need to walk slow while walking in heels. Walking faster only creates more impact, which in turn creates more pain for you! Take your time.

10. Anti Skid Pads. 

Sometimes no matter how gracefully you walk in high heels, you will still find yourself on surfaces difficult for you to maneuver. In order to counteract this, either scuff up the bottom of your shoes on the pavement to create more traction on the soles, or you can use anti-skid pads to help them from slipping on smooth surfaces.

11. Practice walking in your heels. 

Sometimes the only way to improve your high heel walking skills is to practice. Wear your heels at home for short periods of time to help you get used to them and build up the strength needed to walk in them for extended periods.

12. Choose your height wisely.

You’ve got to be practical. Heels can come in heights of half an inch up to 8 inches or more. Some women believe the higher the heel, the closer they are to heaven, but it’s just the opposite when it comes to walking in them! Choose a heel height for you that is practical and manageable. Try them out in the store for a few minutes before committing to an extravagant height. I’ve unfortunately purchased many a pair of beautiful heels that I simply cannot wear and are now collecting dust in my closet because the height of the heel becomes unbelievably unbearable after 15-20 minutes of walking. So choose wisely!

 

13. Choose your heel width.

The wider the heel width, the easier they will be to walk in. It makes sense because it’s the difference of displacing your entire body weight on half an inch of rubber or 2 inches or more. Choose heels that have a wider heel, or you can use Solemates High Heelers to help widen the width of that must-have pair of Christian Louboutin stilettos.

14. Break your heels in.

Very important. If you plan on wearing brand new high heels for the first time to a big event, be prepared to pay the price, and bring band-aids.   Make sure you properly break in your heels at home before wearing them out.

15. Find the right cut.

Every shoe designer creates shoes differently. This means each pair of shoes will fit your foot differently and have a different cut. Try out different designers to find a shoemaker that has the best cut for your shaped foot and stick to that brand.