Choose shoes with caution

If stilettos harm feet, flat shoes can also be dangerous. Find out how these pretty shoes can be hazardous to health.

Jacqueline Sutera, a doctor of podiatric medicine and surgery here, and Neal Blitz, Chief of Foot Surgery and Associate Chairman of Orthopedics at Bronx-Lebanon Hospital and the creator of the Bunionplasty, shares the dangers of our favourite shoes, reports huffingtonpost.com.

- Stilettos: Wearing heels for long hours shifts your weight to the balls of your feet which puts pressure on your foot. The sky-high heels can cause ankle sprains, midfoot fractures, neuromas (benign nerve tumors).

- Platform wedges: Wedges also have heels, which puts pressure on foot. But the heels generally have more cushion. They often have platforms, which protect the ball of your foot and reduce the incline. But you can suffer similar ailments due to heels.

- Flip-flops: Most flip-flops are too flat, too thin and too open. This exposes the foot to the environment and doesn't provide arch support or cushioning. The thong between your toes is also dangerous as it forces your toe muscles to over-grip. Wearing these shoes can cause inflammation, heel pain, strains and fractures.

- Running sneakers: Too much cushion is not the best thing. When you have a lot of cushion, you're not getting the foot-brain feedback that allows you to sense the ground. These shoes are ideal for forward motion like running, walking, jogging (not hiking, dancing, cycling, etc). Wearing these shoes can cause chronic stress injuries, particularly to the heel.