Wearing high heels regularly can lead to premature osteoarthritis

New Delhi: If you have a habit of wearing high heels on a regular basis, it's better to quit it and start wearing flats.

A new research has claimed that women who have a habit of wearing heels on a regular basis can be in trouble at an early stage as they become more prone to osteoarthritis.

Researchers have found that every time a woman puts on heels, she is putting dangerous levels of strain on her joints, thereby increasing the chances of developing osteoarthritis early.

"Killer heels could lead to osteoarthritis in knees: so-called wear and tear arthritis, where damage to a joint causes stiffness and pain. The type of arthritis that wearing high heels can cause is called osteoarthritis, which is the most common form of the condition," said lead consultant Dr Anil Arora in Max Super Speciality Hospital in New Delhi.

The higher the heels, the more likely it was the knees were bent when shoes made contact with the ground - increasing the strain on the knee joint.

Similar effects were seen when the women stopped walking.

Walking for long periods on the balls of the feet causes aches and pains, stress fractures, trapped nerves and increased wear and tear on the joints and soft tissue.

But in osteoarthritis, the cartilage starts to break down and as bones come into contact, the friction makes joints swollen and extremely painful.