Arthritis risk for women who wear high heels

Women who wear high heels could be putting themselves at risk of arthritis, experts have warned.

The Society of Chiropodists and Podiatrists said the UK could be facing an “arthritis crisis” due to increasing levels of obesity, people living longer and poor footwear.

The most common form of the condition, osteoarthritis, causes pain and stiffness in the joints and affects at least eight million people in the UK.

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It is caused by stress to the cartilage and can result from injury or from general wear and tear on the joint. The condition is more common and severe in women.

A quarter of women wear high heels every day or “frequently”, a poll of 2,000 people for the Society of Chiropodists and Podiatrists found.

But experts warned high heels can alter the body’s posture and increase pressure on the foot, ankle and knee joints, increasing the risk of osteoarthritis.

This can cause injury and stress on the joints, increasing the risk of the debilitating condition.