Women are giving themselves ankle pain by wearing high-heeled shoes, according to researchers at the Institute for Aging Research of Hebrew SeniorLife.

The new study of older adults and foot problems found that the types of shoes women wear, specifically high-heels, pumps and sandals, may cause future hind-foot (heel and ankle) pain.

Almost two-thirds (64 per cent) of women who reported hind-foot pain regularly wore these types of shoes at some point in their life.

Lead author Alyssa B Dufour, a graduate student in the Institute's Musculoskeletal Research Program, blamed shoes that lack "support and sound structure" as causing the foot problems.

In the study, shoe types were classified as "poor" (high-heels, pumps, sandals and slippers), "average" (hard- or rubber-soled shoes and work boots), and "good" (athletic and casual trainers).

Private health care organisation Bupa said that a good pair of trainers is an essential piece of women's fitness wear.

It recommends investing in a pair of comfortable trainers cushioned with shock-absorbing materials for running as, without these, repeated impact on your legs can lead to injury. ADNFCR-2569-ID-19383971-ADNFCR

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