“No man can tell me what to do with my body. Only women’s magazines can do that.” -Mindy Kaling, The Mindy Project
There is plenty of pressure from the media and Instagram world to look thin (but also curvy!), confident and sexy.
Also, in case you haven’t noticed, we’re living in the age of the butt! So many of rump-enhancing poses litter my Instagram feed. My lumbar spine cringes… yet I’m intrigued, curious, fascinated. How do I replicate this?
Even more confusing, how do I reconcile wanting “good posture” that allows me to be strong, healthy, and pain-free, with the desire to look and feel attractive? Is it so bad to cast an apple-bottom silhouette from time to time?
There is confidence that comes with being able to move well–lift heavy boxes and nimbly jump over puddles.
But can we acknowledge there is also confidence that comes with strutting into a room in an entirely impractical outfit, feeling like a million bucks? Maybe turning a head or two?
This may involve less-than “perfect” posture and pretty, but poor, footwear at times.
The Difference Between “Common” and “Normal”
There’s a lot of buzz in the fitness world about the difference between “common” and “normal.”
As one of my favorite teachers, Judith Lasater said, “Normal is not always healthy. Eating a Big Mac is normal, but it isn’t healthy.”
Similarly, bunions, lumbar spine herniations, and hip pain may be common, but that doesn’t make them normal.
Am I here to shame anyone for eating a Big Mac? Absolutely not! But I would love to help you return to a healthy balance if you choose to indulge in poses and postures that can be tough on your body.
So let’s chat about common postural pop culture pitfalls and how we can bounce back from them, pain-free.
Common Postural Pitfalls and QuickFix Remedies
Let’s start with your feet.
On-screen, unless she’s wearing scrubs, women are usually wearing high heels. Heels are powerful, feminine, sexy, slimming…and ouch, uncomfortable.
A shoe with a heel of just one inch can throw your body 20 degrees off-axis, that means instead of being upright you’re pitched forward at an angle… Or you would be if your body weren’t working its compensatory magic to keep you upright.
“Would you want to drive a car with your wheels 20, 30, 40 degrees out of alignment?” Asks Katy Bowman in her book, Simple Steps to Foot Pain Relief,
Knowing that heels have a slew of negative side-effects, you may feel obligated to toss them out. But those stilettos that pinch your toes and throw your body out of whack might come with an upside too.
High heels could allow you to be eye-to-eye with a room full of male colleagues or feel more confident as you glide into that cocktail party your ex will be attending. Occasionally you may decide it benefits you to wear fancy footwear.
So don’t run out and donate them all to Goodwill. Instead, wear your heels responsibly and in moderation.
Foot Pain Relief QuickFix
After a night of donning your flashy kicks, treat your feet to a foot rolling sequence using the Yoga Tune Up® Therapy Balls for myofascial self-massage, paired with a static calf stretch.
Sole Roll Self-Massage Exercise
- Place an Original Yoga Tune Up® therapy ball under your foot.
- Rest your heel on the floor like a “reverse high heel.”
- Roll your ankle slowly right and left for a minute on each side.
Calf Stretch Exercise
After rolling your foot, perform a simple calf stretch at the wall.
- Place your hands on the wall.
- Step one foot forward, the other back.
- Gently try to press your back heel toward the floor.
- Take several long, slow breaths.
- Repeat on the other side.
The Pains and Positives of “Tits Up”
Prior to The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel stepping on stage, the comedienne and her manager share the mantra “Tits Up!” Try it and see what happens.
By lifting your chest do you look taller? More confident? Fuller in the bosom?
Look a little closer. Did your ribs pop up too?
This move may quickly create the illusion of “better posture” but often it comes at the cost of the ribs flaring. It stretches your abdominal muscles and scrunches your back muscles.
Puffing your chest and taking up more space may provide a quick and easy confidence boost needed before a presentation or when crafting the perfect email to ask for a raise. But it’s not where we want to hang out all the time.
Long term plan, let’s keep the ribs in and find our flare in other ways. In the meantime, here are my favorite corrective moves.
Low Back Pain Relief with Myofascial Self-Massage
When the ribs go up and out, the lower back gets shortened and tight.
By releasing the quadratus lumborum–a strong muscle on each side of your lower back–you invite some length into the back muscles.
- Lie on your back with your knees bent and place an Original Yoga Tune Up® therapy ball on the right side of your waist, just above your pelvis.
- Hug the right knee in and add a movement that feels good, hugging, rocking, circling.
- After a couple of minutes repeat on the opposite side.
Core strengthener: Knee-to-Chest with Abdominal Contraction
This is a core/hip flexor combo strengthener that helps to connect the upper body with the lower body. Strengthening the core muscles will help maintain the effect of our QL release above.
- Lie on your back and hug your right knee in.
- Inhale and as you exhale flex your spine, contract your abdominal muscles and bring your nose toward your knee.
- With each exhale contract a little more. Attempt to keep your spine and leg where it is as you release your hands and reach your fingers toward the bottom of your mat.
- Hold for a breath or two.
- Let go and repeat on the other side.
Final Thoughts on Staying Sustainably Fabulous
“Stand up straight, and realize who you are, that you tower over your circumstances.” –Maya Angelou
In conclusion, you could consider certain postures an accessory–something you can put on and take off for occasions or photoshoots, like wearing a tie or heavy earrings.
It’s possible to get in and out of these “junk food” postures without getting stuck there or hurt by them.
It’s all about making a conscious choice, ie. “I’m wearing these shoes tonight because I feel confident in them and that is beneficial for me today.” Then, choosing to return to a nutritious movement and posture diet, ie. “I’m taking these heels off as soon as I get home, rolling my feet, and then stretching my calves.”
Your movement, self-care & self-awareness practice can support all the things you do. From running, hiking, gardening and playing with kids, to striking a daring pose in the occasional-ill fitting attire.
Now go forth and wow them!
Shop this post: For lower back and foot massage, get Original Yoga Tune UP Therapy Ball Pair or Therapy Ball PLUS Pair in Tote.
Related Article: 5 Steps to Make Self-Care Exercise a Habit
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Yes! Thank you for discussing the challenges of wearing high heels and also offering practical solutions for relieving the discomfort. I’m excited to try these techniques and keep my feet and back happy!
I cringe at the thought of all the uncomfortable shoes I wore in my twenties – my poor feet! While I didn’t throw them all away, they’re collecting lots of dust. The rolling techniques in this article pack a lot of bang for the buck and are part of my daily routine – my feet and low back are happier for it!
Being 5’10” and towering over most people already, I have retired heals a number of years ago. But I do from time to time miss the way they made me feel standing still. But as soon as I’d walk you might as well yell “timber!” Haven’t better posture though is something I have obsessed with since college back when I used to have chronic shoulder pain. Since doing yoga, finding yoga tuneup in 2016, and quitting violin, I have never felt better.
This was so super helpful!!! I just had a formal event and wore the cutest heels. I am so grateful for the roll out for my feet! I did it before the event and came back to our hotel room after dinner and rolled again, then was able to dance the night away! I came back at the end of the night and rolled again and I was pain free the next day!!! Pre-roll, mid-roll and post-roll was key!!!
A few years ago I started suffering from my Hallux Valgus on one foot, a result of wearing the wrong shoes for decades. My husband suggested trying barefoot shoes; he himself had been in these shoes for a year after developing foot and knee pain.
At first I was very uncomfortable with the thin soles of the shoes. Feeling every stick and stone while walking, was a new perception and a completely different experience, that led to an improvement to my foot health. Now that I have had the benefit of Jill Miller’s Roll Model Training, I can give my feet additional care and regeneration. I can only recommend to everyone not to permanently lock their feet in the wrong shoes because of trends and “chic appearance”.
The first picture with the elevated hip stand is something I have been doing for as long as I can remember. As I reflect on it, I didn’t stand that way for any specific reason as this article suggests some people do. In fact, I remember my mom standing this way, and even other adults when I was a child. Is it possible women come to stand this way from having little ones on their hip throughout the first 5 or so years of their lives? Hmmm… Such an interesting thought. Beyond this, I love these poses for QL release and core strengthening to help the QL. Having had a previous back injury, my lower back needs all the love it can get. I am definitely not the most fashionable person in the world, however, the idea of a date night with my babe and some TLC rolling either later or the next day sounds right up my ally!
As a former community pharmacist who stood on her feet some days for 15+ hours in non-sensible, but cute shoes, I love this article! My feet say thank you for the foot roll out and my QLs love the knee-to-chest with core strengthening exercise! I was surprised to read that even a 1″ heel throws us off by so much!
I love this so much because it isn’t promoting the “all-or-nothing” healthy lifestyle advice we often hear that one should “never” wear, eat, do [insert thing here]. And I find that voice actually keeps me from making healthier choices because I feel if I do something “not healthy” once, it ruins all the other healthy choices I made. So I love that this is taking the “everything is fine in moderation” idea to footwear not just food. I think this is a good mindset to have to encourage people to be aware of the choices they’re making and to take care of themselves after enjoying the Bic Mac or wearing the fun shoes to a party.
Sometimes, even a minimalist-shoe diehard has to put on her heels for an evening out. And a foot and calf rollout when I come home keeps my feet feeling good for the long run.
Everything is balance in life- we can clearly wear the heels, but need to resolve the intensity there after. I remember being in my 20’s and wearing heels up and down the strip of Las Vegas, NV. Boy, oh boy, I wish I knew about self-care for my feet- I probably wouldn’t have as bad of heel spurs, or needed foot surgery to say the least! From here on now I want to maintain “fluffy feet”, and be wise about my shoe choices while investing in proper shoes for my feet instead of just getting what’s cute and does the job at a lower cost, but at WHAT cost.
I wish I had the awareness in my 20s and 30s to do the foot pain quick fix sequence!! Years of long work hours wearing high heels – plus carrying heavy equipment- AND just being young fancy and fun… likely contributed to some of what’s showing up now for me years later. The good news: I’m excited to add this to my evening routine!
I liked this article because it did not not specifically say “this is right” and “this is wrong”, instead, it emphasized that if we make the choice to do certain things that might not be ideal or healthy for the body – we can take some self-care time to maybe neutralize our bodies. I don’t believe eating hamburgers everyday would be healthy but if we have a healthy diet in general, the occasional burger should not be detrimental to your body. Just like the occasional uncomfortable shoes should not damage your posture if you have a proper maintenance and self care routine. Our bodies are adaptable and as long as we create awareness and make conscious choices, we should be able to live a happy and healthy life!
Article très intéressant car il donne la possibilité de prendre conscience pour certaines personnes qu’ils peuvent mettre à des occasions leur chaussures préférées et par la suite prendre soin d’eux, sans être obligé de tout abandonner. Cela peux susciter l’envie d’aller vers une vie plus fonctionnelle pour notre corps sans avoir le sentiment de tout sacrifier, les mentalités évoluent doucement et jamais radicalement. Donner la possibilité aux gens d’avoir un regard différent sur leur perception de confiance, de santé, et de leur place dans la société. Merci
Fortunately, I have never given in to the diktats of fashion, even less for the stilettos!
Your article is very interesting and decomplexing: it is possible to find a balance between fashion and function.
Love this quote “No man can tell me what to do with my body. Only women’s magazines can do that.” -Mindy Kaling, The Mindy Project.
Having worked in the fashion industry in my previous career, I really understand how women can be led to think like this. I have heard many women complain about how their feet hurt so bad (and they even know why they hurt) but they just don’t care as long as they look great! I believe that their can be a balance of fashion and comfort. This coupled with a great Yoga Tune-Up session can make the world of a difference!
I love and own several low heels but with pointed toes. The narrow toe box puts lots of pressure on my mtp joints and I found the “reverse heel” with YTU therapy ball helps to create space and soothe any remaining discomforts.
Great tips. I spent a lot of years in heels… and while it was the norm, it wasn’t healthy! I remember many days taking my shoes off at the end of the day and cringing. Ball rolling would have been a blessing…and it certainly is these days.
Absolutely know all about this being in the fashion industry for over 25 years. My feet can tell many stories and I am proud to say I now focus on foot rehabilitation!
My poor feet! I tortured them with heels throughout a decade of office work. I would even jog to catch the elevator in 4 inch stilettos! I’m glad my cubicle days are over, for many reasons, and I still choose to wear heels from time to time. But thanks to the tips in this post I know how to treat my feet when I’m back on solid ground again.
Merci de nous faire voir l’envers de la médaille des médias sociaux et tous le stress que l’on se met sur les épaules. J’ai longtemps cru que j’étais pas ‘normal’ alors que finalement j’essayais d’écouter ce que mon corps me disait.
Realy happy to read that. I miss that feeling of being hight on heels .
Everything in moderation; I love when articles capture responsible indulgence.
Wear the heels, eat the thing, sit with a slump on a Saturday night, but acknowledge the risk of chronic repetition and take preventative measures so that a pleasant treat can remain pleasant!
Thank you for sharing a self awereness and self care article that balances the pro and con of those habits (and considering not only the movement , but also the feeling).
Thanks! Take great care of our feet, which are the foundation of the rest of our body.
I am so happy to hear someone making sense about wearing high heels, instead of just bashing it as “bad for you”. When I am going to wear my Stilettos, ‘cuz I just wanna look a little sexier and taller (I’m 5’4″) and they match my outfit, I always make sure that I have a pair of flats to change into in the trunk of my car, as soon as I am out of sight. Then roll my “dogs” when I get home. Thanks for your article.
Thanks for this post ! As much as I’d like to be more evolved and shun wearing heels bc they’re terrible for my body, I often find myself with hurty feet and low back on a Sunday morning from feeling the self imposed pressure to don a pair of heels to accommodate a perceived social expectation for a particular type of dress, which includes heels. Thanks so much for the relieving poses in this post !
After years of plantar facsciitis issues, I finally learned to roll my feet and to wear shoes with support. makes a huge difference — walking barefoot is actually my favorite now.
Fun article! It’s kind of like sugar- a sometimes food but don’t make it a habit and brush your teeth!
Great balanced approach with helpful options in release movements too
Love the quote from Marvelous M! Yes, I love your not so black and white thinking. I switched to minimal shoes years ago but will also wear some heels out for a few hours, but as soon as I get home I have roll my feet and stretch my calves.
As Meredith comments, there is a constant pressure on social networks especially in “looking good”, although it does not mean that it is healthy. The heels are a clear example, they deform our foot and shorten the tendon and calf to such a degree that some people have a hard time or it hurts to walk with a flat foot and the same happens with the postures we adopt, carrying more weight to a side than another. We need to be more aware of our body and take care of ourselves, giving ourselves permission to be comfortable, there will be occasions when the “recommendation” is to wear heels, and that’s fine, but I can still do certain things to decrease the time of use such as bringing my tennis shoes in the car to put them on when leaving or before and to relieve tension definitely the self-massage with the balls !!
Wendy
I’ve gotten rid of nearly every pair of high heels that used to live in my closet. For so many years, I absolutely sacrificed my comfort for fashion & following the trend. It wasn’t until I went for a long period of time not wearing heels that I realized just how much they had been making me suffer. Now, when I wear them for even a short period of time, I am amazed at how quickly my knees & low back start to hurt. I still like the feeling (and aesthetic) of being in heels on rare occasion, but have been exploring the barefoot shoe movement with fantastic results!
I don’t fully agree about the author’s point of view about heels. I injured my foot by wearing flats and the orthopedic I went to told me that flat shoes are just as harmful to feet as stilettos, instead, he advised wearing shoes with 3-4 inch block heel. Heels can be comfortable and attractive too, it is a balance between buying good quality expensive shoes made from leather inside and out vs going to a store trying to score a cheap pair and then yes, your feet will hurt. Heels are also about femininity, they encourage you to have a straight back instead of hunching forward, they slow you down so you can walk in the gracefully instead of running around trying to fit 10 things in one day. When you wear heels, you can no longer just put any pair of jeans on, hair in a bun and walk out the door looking like you just woke up. With heels, you slow down and actually pay attention to your appearance and to how you dress. It’s incredible.
High heels are such an interesting phenomena to me because they were originally worn by men (you can often see in Victorian paintings that men were wearing heels!) It was thought that a bit of extra heel on the back of the shoe would make for better traction when wandering around the woods. So it’s very interesting that they became associated with women and femininity a few hundred years later. I personally love the look and feel of being taller (this gives my confidence a quick boost!) but I’ve had issues with ankle twist or sprain countless times that I’ve decided to ditch those shoes that no longer works for me. I have settled for staying sustainably fabulous and wearing moderate heels minimally. Thanks for sharing this very useful blog!
Talk about heels,! Beware I have completely endured injury from wearing flats . I had to learn the hard way , every foot is different . But I would say most feet need a little bit of heel and arch support especially to avoid plantar fascia .
I really enjoyed the gentle reminder of this article that we don’t have to necessarily let go of certain things completely. There is a time and place for heels, for big macs, and other things that may make us feel good, but remembering to know how to take care of ourselves after is key. Looking forward to trying out the lower back Myofascial self-massage.
The “Tits Up” reference made me laugh!! Personally I don’t wear high heels. But I appreciate that you don’t villainize it but suggest making it a conscious choice. And I am going to try out the low back relief rolling with the Tune Up ball. Thanks for the ideas!
I love the sole rolling self-massage and calf stretch exercises!
I like how you separated it in feet, calves and lower back. The examples given for “corrective” exercises are pretty cool. For the feet, I like the rainbow motion on top of the ball bringing the inside and the outside edges of the foot down to the floor.
Awesome way of also depicting the effects of heels!
This is a great article illuminating the different between what looks good vs. what does us good!
Have been talking a lot about QL in recent classes and having students come to me with pain/discomfort in the QL and have to say this information is very useful. Thank you