Peta Bee
Monday May 5, 2008
The Guardian
They do little for a woman's stature, but the gladiator sandals and flat pumps seen adorning the feet of Sienna Miller, Kate Moss and Carla Bruni of late must surely be better for feet and ankles than a skyscraper wedge. Apparently not. Foot experts warn that you face as many risks wearing flatties as you do teetering on heels.
Sammy Margo, a spokeswoman for the Chartered Society of Physiotherapists, says a period of transition is needed with any style of shoe. "Go straight from wearing trainers, which have incredible amounts of support for the arch and upper foot, or from high heels in the winter to flat pumps in the summer and you risk pain and strain," she says. "You need to ease yourself into a new shoe style, wearing them for half an hour at first, then building up."
According to Mike O'Neill, a spokesman for the Society of Chiropodists and Podiatrists, flat shoes can "strain the achilles tendon that runs from the back of the heel, and also the calf muscles in the back of the leg". Pain can develop after as little as two weeks.
With no shock absorbency and little heel support, there is the added risk of developing a painful heel condition called planta faciitis if you wear them constantly, according to Margo. "Flipflop styles of sandal are even worse as there is no support whatsoever for the heel," she says.
So, what to do? Her advice is to alternate your shoe style - from high to low, trainer to boot - and avoid wearing a particular pair day in, day out. Calf stretches before, during and after long periods of flattie-wear can help to keep muscles loose and less vulnerable to strain. "This is advice to be followed by men too," she says. "Slightest changes in heel height can trigger problems."
Perhaps Nicolas Sarkozy should rethink those stacked heels he's been seen in recently.
译文:
平底鞋损害双脚？
Peta Bee
2008年5月5日 周一 《卫报》
平底鞋确实无法让女人看上去更高，但是近来，角斗士凉鞋和平底单鞋却让西耶娜·米勒和凯特·摩斯和卡拉·贝吕尼足下生辉，平底鞋比起超高的高跟鞋，对脚和脚踝肯定要好得多。显然，事实并非如此。足部专家提醒，穿平底鞋所构成的威胁，并没有比穿上高跟鞋走路摇摇晃晃来的少。
持牌物理治疗医师协会发言人，萨米·马高女士表示，穿任何一种鞋都需要一段转变的时间，“运动鞋对足弓和足背给予很大支持力，直接脱下运动鞋穿平底鞋，或者冬天穿高跟鞋一到夏季就穿平底鞋的话，对你的脚存在一定疼痛拉伤的风险。”她说，“改穿另一种鞋的时候要放缓适应过程，先穿上半小时，然后穿的时间慢慢增加。”
足病医师协会发言人麦克·欧尼尔认为，平底鞋“使脚后跟跟腱和支撑大腿的小腿肌肉紧张疲劳”。只要短短两周，便会感到疼痛。
马高认为，平底鞋不能吸收运动冲击力，也不能支持脚后跟，如果经常穿的话，增加跖筋膜炎引发的几率，这是一种脚跟痛症。她说，“人字型凉拖对脚跟更加有害，因为这种鞋对脚跟完全没有支撑力。”
那应该怎么办？她的建议是替换着穿各类鞋——从高跟到低跟，从运动鞋到靴子——不要日日夜夜都只穿一双鞋。长时间穿平底鞋的话，穿鞋前后还有穿着的时候，要时不时拉伸小腿，有助于肌肉放松，避免拉伤。“这条建议同样适用于男性，”她说，“鞋子的跟总是一样高的话，可能会产生一些问题。”
可能萨科齐总统对近来看到的那些妖娆多姿的鞋跟，应该三思了吧。