High Heels Blamed For Rising Number of Women Suffering From Painful Foot Condition

High heeled shoes have been blamed for the surge of people suffering from a painful foot condition.

The condition called Morton's neuroma has affected more than twice the number of people complaining of aching feet in the last decade, and the statistics revealed that the condition affects four times as many women than men, according to the Independent.

The condition affects the balls of the foot or the area between the third and fourth toes and is caused by the thickening tissue around the nerves of the toes, according to Mayo Clinic. When the nerve of the foot becomes compressed, it may become irritated and painful. Symptoms may include burning pain, numbness, stinging sensation, or "walking on razor blades."

Experts have blamed high heels and ill-fitting shoes as the culprit of the painful foot condition. A study presented at the symposium of Edinburgh's Royal College of Surgeons shows that there is a link between Morton's neuroma and heels over 5cm (2 in) and shoes with pointed toes, according to the International Business Times. The study also showed that women were four times to be admitted in the hospital than men with the same condition.

"We have known for a long time that the condition seems to predominantly affect females of a middling age, with speculation that high heels and other such tightly fitting and unnatural footwear - despite looking fabulous, I'm sure - may play a role," said Andrew Craig, orthopaedic researcher at Bradford Teaching Hospitals Foundation Trust.

"Increasing awareness of Morton's neuroma can only be a good thing, not least because numbness in the foot could be a sign of other, potentially life-altering conditions, such as diabetes," he added.

Craig studied 40 patients with the condition over a period of 5 years and discovered that more than half required surgery. Treatment options for Morton's neuroma may include steroid injections, special insoles and surgery that involves the removal of the affected nerve, according to the Daily Mail.

Other not so well-known causes of Morton's neuroma can be attributed to certain high-impact sports such as jogging or running or sports that involve tight shoes that can put pressure on the toes. Foot deformities such as hammertoes, high arches, flat feet and bunions can put people at high risk for the condition.

The condition follows a certain pattern of progression. According to Foot Health Facts, the symptoms will begin slowly and will occur sometimes when wearing ill-fitting shoes or heels. The pain and discomfort might go away temporarily once the shoes are not worn or when the foot is massaged. The symptoms will worsen and progress for days or weeks and will become extreme when the nerves become permanently compressed.