Do you burn more calories walking in high heels than you do walking in flats?
Suzy asked:
Because yesterday I wore my high-heeled boots for the first time this fall since it just started to get chilly out. Since then I’ve been wearing flats. Today my feet and leg muscles feel oh so sore, like I just did a workout or something. So does wearing high-heeled boots make your leg muscles work harder and hence burn more calories when walking?? Is this why women who always wear high heels have toned legs?
Because yesterday I wore my high-heeled boots for the first time this fall since it just started to get chilly out. Since then I’ve been wearing flats. Today my feet and leg muscles feel oh so sore, like I just did a workout or something. So does wearing high-heeled boots make your leg muscles work harder and hence burn more calories when walking?? Is this why women who always wear high heels have toned legs?
Tags: Feet, High Heeled Boots, Toned Legs
September 29th, 2008 at 9:17 pm
I think it’s because the legs are thrown in to an unnatural position, so the have to work differently. On the rare occasions I wear heels, my feet and back hurt, which makes sense considering the shoes are not comfortable and I’m throwing my natural balance out of whack. I’ll stick with my flats or my loafers and boots with the two inch high and two inch wide heels, they’re much more comfortable and seems to be more proportionate.
What’s the point in the boots with high, skinny heels? I don’t see how they would be practical for walking in streets and sidewalks covered in snow, slush and ice. I can barely walk in wider heels in good weather. However, this is just me.
October 1st, 2008 at 11:16 pm
If you wear high heels there are other muscels working in your feet and legs then do when you wear flat heels. If you have not worn high heels for a long time this muscels are not used to be needed. But you don’t burn more calories with the high heels.
October 5th, 2008 at 3:25 am
The heels definitely make some of your muscles work harder when you are not used to them. This is because your calf muscles are being put into a position where they have lost most of their strength and therefore have to work harder to do the same job. For experienced heel wearers this is less of an issue because the muscles will adapt to the different posture.
When you walk unencumbered you choose your motion pattern to minimize energy consumption. The heels represent a restraint that makes it impossible for you to attain your preferred motion pattern so they will increase the metabolism for walking the same distance.