Question
Hello!  My name is LaToiya and I am a 29 year old female.  My question today is about knee numbness.  I wear 5-6 inch high heels when I go out,which is at least once a week.  I reside in LA so i normally wear them to dinner, clubbing, & events where I am normally sitting once I arrive to my destination.  I went to Vegas about 6 months ago and as you know there is alot of walking.  I walked for about 30 minutes straight in about a 4 inch heel when I began to feel knee numbness to the point where my right knee completely went numb causing me to fall.  Once I took the heel off my feeling came right back and everything was normal.  I have not went to the doctor regarding this, however I spoke with a chiropractor and he stated more than likely it is associated with my lower back.  Is this true?  I want to know can this be healed before I go to the chiropractor and spend endless amounts of money to correct this problem.  Please inform me as the right steps to take.  Thanks for your time in advance.

Answer
Dear LaToiya,

Yes, this can be healed, and you can do it yourself, right now, without any help from any expensive health care provider.  The cure can be simply miraculous, with instantaneous results and long lasting benefits.  It will require some effort on your part, but the rewards of less pain and irritation make the treatment worth the effort..  Are you ready for the cure?  Well, here it is...

STOP WEARING 4-6 INCH HEELS.

Now... can the numbness you feel in your knee be associated with the lower back? Yes, this is possible, but the true question is:

Is there something wrong with your lower back that prohibits you from wearing a type of shoe that severely distorts and destroys the God-given healthy posture you should have at the feet, knees, hips, pelvis, and lower back... or is the discomfort that you feel the result of a HEALTHY back, rebelling against the distortions imposed upon it?

In other words, you are not designed to wear shoes that cause such postural distortions.  If you insist on wearing such shoes, you must be willing to accept the consequences and symptoms related to wearing them.  You cannot cheat nature while satisfying style. Your body WILL pay the price for style, whether or not you seek medical or chiropractic care.

You might, however, find that you get some relief from chiropractic manipulation, but this will not cure the cause of your problem.  It will only be a crutch that helps you to get through the symptoms caused by postural distortions imposed by the vanity of style.

It seems to me that you have a choice to make.  You can either wear the shoes and pay the price imposed by nature, or not wear the shoes and reap the benefits of better foot, knee, hip, and back health.

Most women find a compromise. They wear the high heels and then pay the consequences of pain and discomfort... until finally age and pain catch up with them, at which point they decide that comfort and health are more important than vanity and image.

I know, LaToiya, that this is likely not the answer that you were looking for, but it is a truthful answer.  Be sensible. Don't go walking all day in high heel shoes.  Wear them as needed/desired, but then get out of them if you are going to be on your feet for a long time.

Good luck,

Keith Biggs, DC
http://www.eastmesachiropractor.com