Abstract
The purpose of the present study was to investigate the epidemiology of high-heel–related
injuries among a nationally representative population of women in the United States
and to analyze the demographic differences within this group. The data used in the
present study were collected from the Consumer Product Safety Commission's National
Electronic Injury Surveillance System. A total of 3294 injuries, representing an estimated
123,355 high-heel–related injuries, were treated in emergency departments within the
United States from 2002 to 2012. The overall rate of high-heel–related injuries for
the study was 7.32 per 100,000 females (95% confidence interval 7.08 to 7.56). The
injury rate was greatest for young adult females, with the greatest rates observed
for those aged 20 to 29 years (18.38 per 100,000 females) and those aged 30 to 39 years
(11.07 per 100,000 females). The results from the present study suggest that high-heel–related
injuries have nearly doubled during the 11-year period from 2002 to 2012. Injuries
from high heels are differential by body region, with most injuries occurring as sprains
and strains to the foot and ankle. Although high heels might be stylish, from a health
standpoint, it could be worthwhile for females and those interested in wearing high
heels to understand the risks of wearing high-heeled shoes and the potential harm
that precarious activities in high-heeled shoes can cause. The results of the present
study can be used in the development of a prospective cohort study to investigate
the risk of injury from high-heeled shoes, accounting for the exposure time and studying
differences in demographics (e.g., age and race).
Level of Clinical Evidence
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: May 12, 2015
Footnotes
Financial Disclosure: None reported.
Conflict of Interest: None reported.
Identification
Copyright
© 2015 American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
