Orthopaedic Surgeon, Dr. Ioan T Jones diagnosed foot deformities caused by high heels on Oxford Street

Our very own Consultant Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Surgeon Ioan Tudor Jones recently went out onto the streets of Central London for a "Feet Vox Pop" in order to diagnose foot deformities caused by high heels. All morning, Ioan examined the feet of the women of the Capital and looked for hammer toes made worse by wearing inappropriate footwear. It was an interesting snapshot of the current condition of women's feet, following ever-increasing heel heights.

Twenty years ago, a 3-inch heel was considered to be high. Nowadays, that's not the case. 3 inches is now considered to be a medium height and we are seeing heels as high as 5-6 inches. When talking in detail to the women on Oxford Street, Ioan found that a staggering 93% of them choose to wear high heels because it made them feel sexy or more confident.

Mr Tudor Jones says,
"We have certainly seen an increase in the number of foot deformities coming through the clinic. Women enjoy wearing high heels despite the pain. They just don't realise that there is quite a lot surgically that can be done to help them. It is important for them to know there are options to correct defects, especially if they are diagnosed early".

Tudor Jones recommends some simple rules of high heel support:

• 1 to 2 inch kitten heels are great as they give you the best of both worlds. Not too high but still show off calf muscles;
• 'Mary Janes' are fashionable with their slinky mule straps. These provide more support than strapless shoes;
• Wedges are stylish and are much sturdier than a stiletto;
• By all means wear stilettos - but accept that your foot will hurt and as with any evolving toe deformity you may suffer.