High Heels, Low Aches At The Melbourne Cup – Here’s How

Are you still battling aches and pains after a long day in heels during the Melbourne Cup? While this used to be the norm, many women are now being heel-smart and taking simple steps to help improve their comfort during and after events like these. Start with increasing the cushioning below the balls of your feet and choosing heels with extra in-built support. Wearing your shoes briefly the week prior to see if and where they hurt and rub, and having your foot well-secured into the shoe will also help. Today, we’re describing these four things and how they help reduce the impact during the Melbourne Cup – and the festive season to come.

1. Choose shoes with secret support

If you’ve yet to choose your outfit and you’ve been thinking about getting some new heels for the event, you must know that some ranges of heels now come with in-built support and cushioning.

Shoes with Hidden Support

Other brands that we’ve seen do this include Vionic, Ziera and Bared footwear. Note: We don’t have any associations with any of these brands – we just want you to feel comfortable and not have achy feet!

2. Already have shoes sorted? Get those pads beneath the balls of your feet, and toes

Using silicone or gel pads isn’t revolutionary – but it’s effective. You’ll already know that pads beneath the ball of your heels are helpful because when you wear heels, much more of your weight is redirected onto your forefoot from your heels. Pads help more evenly redistribute this pressure, so you get less focal pressure and hence less pain. But it’s not just forefoot pads – you can get a range of pads and props to reduce the pressure on so many areas of the feet – from gel tubes that go around the toes to stop them rubbing against the surrounding toes, to cushions that sit between a bunion and the shoe to reduce rubbing and blistering.

We’ve got these in stock – and your local pharmacy may have a limited range too. You can come in and check out the complete range in our Toowoomba clinic on Ipswich Street.

3. Know what to expect and be prepared

To make best use of the aforementioned pads, as well as blister pads and the like, be familiar with what you can expect by wearing the shoes for an hour (or two) the week prior. This shouldn’t be long enough to cause real damage (unless your shoes are new, in which case start with 30 mins around the house and see how you go), but should be long enough to see some redness and feel where the rubbing and pressure is occuring. Take photos, write it down, mark it inside the shoes, whatever it takes to remember where the damage is happening – and where you’ll need to take precautionary measures.

We know this seems simple, but the reality is that it only takes ONE blister to ruin your day, leaving you without shoes or limping while gritting your teeth with every step. Know what to expect, prevent it and have a fabulous time.

4. Strap ‘em in

Secure your feet in your shoes as much as possible. Use all of the straps. Choose heels with straps and buckles. Sew additional straps in – whatever you can to stop slips and slides. The truth is that the better your foot is secured in your shoes, the more stability, balance, control and comfort you will have throughout the day. This means:

• Your shoes don’t slide back/forward creating unexpected pressure points
• Your risk of rolling your ankle significantly lessens
• You will naturally be ‘gripping’ the shoe with your toes less, so they’ll be less sore and tired, as will your feet
• Improved comfort
• Pads are sitting in the right places

Trust us with this one. It doesn’t matter what the strapping mechanism is – whether you tie it, buckle it, velcro it, slip it over, just make sure you are secured in your shoe and that your foot stays that way. (You’re welcome).

Worried about an injury?

Here at The Podiatrist, we’re all about helping you optimise your health and feel great on your feet. That’s why we’re sharing these tips – because it’s always devastating to see our patients, friends and even our family members struggle on their feet during events like these – and there are quite a few of them coming up with Christmas right around the corner.

If you do get any pains and aches after a long day on your feet and are worried you may have sustained an injury, we’ve got you covered. Just give us a call on 07 4638 3022 or book online here. We’re an experienced team of knowledgeable podiatrists – and we genuinely care about getting the best outcomes for you.

Stay safe, be shoe smart, have a great day, and let us know if you have any questions!

Every movement you perform in pilates must involve core activation, breathing focus and concentration, hence why it’s so helpful for rehabilitation, injury prevention and movement optimisation. 

Without core control, the rest of the body is on shaky foundations and the risk of injury increases every time we move. Without core stability, all the injury-specific rehabilitation in the world will be redundant as soon as you challenge your body beyond what you can normally handle. 

Pilates can combine injury-specific exercises that include core stabilizing challenges – a great two-for-one deal! 

We see many patients who aren’t gym junkies or fitness fanatics who would benefit from an exercise-based rehabilitation program they could perform at home. Pilates offers simple exercises anyone can perform with minimal equipment.” 

You can book in for reformer pilates sessions, or take part in our 6-week, one-on-one reformer program that specifically targets your deficits and works on movement-based goals. An appointment is 45 minutes and is available at Optimise Health on Ipswich Street. Take-home exercises are provided to help you maximise the benefits to your body and continue your care and progress in-between appointments.

Our aim is to create balanced and harmonious movement patterns for everyone. 

Ready to get started and help optimise your health?