Wearing stilettos or pencil heels might be fashionable but it can have an adverse affect on health, especially bones, and may lead to major health hazards like osteoarthritis. According to Uma Kumar, HOD, Rheumatology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, wearing high heels every day for long hours can lead to cumulative damage of bones and emerge as a leading cause for arthritis. Osteoarthritis, one of the most common chronic and long-lasting joint condition, is caused by joint damage where the cartilage breaks down, causing the bones within the joint to rub together. This leads to pain, stiffness and other issues.
High heels cause unequal weight distribution on the foot bones, exposing those areas of joints to bear weight which are normally not designed to do so. This results in painful foot conditions like bunions and meta-tarsalgias —also known as fore-foot pain.