Why are wedges comfier than heels?
July 9, 2011 4:29 PM Subscribe
Why are wedges more comfortable than high heels?
I own several pairs of wedges and have tried unsuccessfully to wear high heels that aren't wedges -- the traditional stiletto, for example. Regular high heels are painful and cause me a lot of foot problems, while wedges are comfortable and easy to walk in. Even 4-inch tall wedges like these pose no problem for me on long days when I am mostly on my feet.
I am wondering if there is a scientific explanation for this. I assume it has something to do with weight distribution, but the entire wedge does not actually rest on the ground, so that doesn't seem right to me (if you look at the link above and click "larger images and additional views" you'll see what I mean about the wedge not all laying flat on the ground).
I own several pairs of wedges and have tried unsuccessfully to wear high heels that aren't wedges -- the traditional stiletto, for example. Regular high heels are painful and cause me a lot of foot problems, while wedges are comfortable and easy to walk in. Even 4-inch tall wedges like these pose no problem for me on long days when I am mostly on my feet.
I am wondering if there is a scientific explanation for this. I assume it has something to do with weight distribution, but the entire wedge does not actually rest on the ground, so that doesn't seem right to me (if you look at the link above and click "larger images and additional views" you'll see what I mean about the wedge not all laying flat on the ground).
Best answer: because both the heel and the toe are elevated, making them more like natural walking. the best platforms for comfort don't put the heel much higher than the toe.
posted by Maias at 4:36 PM on July 9, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by Maias at 4:36 PM on July 9, 2011 [1 favorite]
Maias has part of it. It's also because the heel is a much larger surface area to balance on than stilettoes or pumps have, so you have to work a lot less at maintaining balance through your ankle muscles.
You'd probably find any platform shoes with a chunky heel pretty comfy, even if they weren't a wedge.
posted by Andrhia at 4:38 PM on July 9, 2011 [3 favorites]
You'd probably find any platform shoes with a chunky heel pretty comfy, even if they weren't a wedge.
posted by Andrhia at 4:38 PM on July 9, 2011 [3 favorites]
With wedgies the entire bottom surface of the shoe is supported which makes balance and walking easier. if it were also a platform that would only add to the comfort.
posted by marimeko at 4:39 PM on July 9, 2011
posted by marimeko at 4:39 PM on July 9, 2011
My guess would be better shock absorption due to the thicker soles most wedges have.
posted by grar at 4:40 PM on July 9, 2011
posted by grar at 4:40 PM on July 9, 2011
How are you with square heels/platforms? Those wedges are a little odd - they seem to have an extra heel? But my guess would be its because of a much wider base and a thicker sole. The thicker sole gives more cushioning between your foot and the floor and the wider base distributes the load better.
posted by missmagenta at 4:41 PM on July 9, 2011
posted by missmagenta at 4:41 PM on July 9, 2011
Watch a newly-walking toddler stand in bare feet and you'll observe their toes making dozens of minute adjustments constantly, their heels rocking from side to side, their arches flexing. The feet work hard to balance us upright, and shoes with high heels require more work. Wedges and platforms, because of their larger surface area in contact with the ground, don't cause the same kinds of problems.
posted by incessant at 4:48 PM on July 9, 2011 [3 favorites]
posted by incessant at 4:48 PM on July 9, 2011 [3 favorites]
Yeah, what Andrhia said about surface area. IANAPhysicist, but this is my pet theory: since pressure = force/area, for a person with given weight (force), the amount of pressure onto the ground from the person depends on the surface area of contact. The larger the surface area, the lower the pressure. So, wedges -- which have a larger surface area than heels -- exert less pressure. Note also that pressure is inversely proportional to area, which means that pressure is inversely proportional to the square of radius. So, even a small increase in the heel radius can drastically reduce the pressure exerted onto the floor.
There is also an apocryphal story about a famous building (some sort of a museum?) opening with pristine marble (?) floors. Soon, people were required to wear heel caps, because naked heels were leaving pock marks all over the floors.
posted by tickingclock at 4:51 PM on July 9, 2011
There is also an apocryphal story about a famous building (some sort of a museum?) opening with pristine marble (?) floors. Soon, people were required to wear heel caps, because naked heels were leaving pock marks all over the floors.
posted by tickingclock at 4:51 PM on July 9, 2011
So, wedges -- which have a larger surface area than heels --
I should clarify: I mean larger surface area of contact between the feet and the soles.
posted by tickingclock at 5:02 PM on July 9, 2011 [1 favorite]
I should clarify: I mean larger surface area of contact between the feet and the soles.
posted by tickingclock at 5:02 PM on July 9, 2011 [1 favorite]
Seconding what others have said abot the width of the heel in contact with the ground. I have a pair of boots with heels that are about an inch wide and three inches high - they are much easier to walk in than my 1 inch high kitten heels.
posted by *becca* at 5:52 PM on July 9, 2011
posted by *becca* at 5:52 PM on July 9, 2011
Surface area for sure.
I think the little-footed have a harder time with most heels, actually, since most shoemakers don't decrease heel height in proportion to the length of the foot (or raise it for longer feet). The shorter your foot is, the steeper the angle. Wedges help offset some of the increased pressure.
posted by peachfuzz at 6:33 PM on July 9, 2011 [3 favorites]
I think the little-footed have a harder time with most heels, actually, since most shoemakers don't decrease heel height in proportion to the length of the foot (or raise it for longer feet). The shorter your foot is, the steeper the angle. Wedges help offset some of the increased pressure.
posted by peachfuzz at 6:33 PM on July 9, 2011 [3 favorites]
I'd go with the studiness of the shoe, and the width of the contact with the ground (which are related). The size of the area in contact with the ground (size, and quality of positioning - having the contact point under your natural center of gravity is going to help a lot) determines how stable you are. But if you've tried other wide-heel shoes and they don't help, there might be something to the stability of the sole itself. The whole sole of the shoe is held in place by the wedge, so you might find that it flexes less under your foot than a regular high-heeled shoe; this could make balance easier for you.
posted by Lady Li at 11:14 PM on July 9, 2011
posted by Lady Li at 11:14 PM on July 9, 2011
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by k8lin at 4:29 PM on July 9, 2011