I heard about this on the radio this morning, and was looking into it a little further. I found some websites that showed high heels from the 1800s, but nothing earlier. Maybe I just didn't look hard enough, but it makes me wonder if THIS guy has been wearing heels!
An excerpt: MALMO(SWEDEN): The well-heeled might have cause for alarm. A scientist in Sweden says wearing high heels can lead to mental disorders, and has drawn alarming parallels between stilettos and schizophrenia among women.
Jarl Flensmark says high heels cause their wearers to tense their calves in a way that normal walking never does. That could prevent neuro-receptors in the calf muscles from triggering release of dopamine, a compound necessary for mental well-being.
“During walking, synchronised stimuli from mechano-receptors in the lower extremities increase activity in cerebellothalamo-cortico-cerebellar loops through their action on NMDA-receptors,” Flensmark wrote in a recent paper in the journal Medical Hypotheses. “Using heeled shoes leads to weaker stimulation of the loops. Reduced cortical activity changes dopaminergic function, which involves the basal gangliathalamo-cortical-nigro-basal ganglia loops,” he said.
So, anyone here know a ton too much about shoes & heels?
It is my opinion that all women are born crazy and schizophrenic by default...
On a more serious note: schizophrenia occurs among both males and females. That alone already contradicts his claims (made further on in the newspaper article). Moreover, it certainly occurs in non-western societies with no high heels too.
I think women who wear heels are crazy anyway so it really wouldn't surprise me!
Maegan
in Tampa, FL - USA Member
Posted: Tue Jul 26, 2005 | 05:58 AM
That's what I was thinking. After all, I'm a little nuttier than is normal (according to my husband), and I have worn heels just a few times in my life. And even still, I have worn probably not more than 2 inches.
I did read a story about a woman who wore stilletto (sp?) heels every day since she was a teen (in the 40s), now she can't wear normal shoes at all. Her calf muscles sort of permanently put her foot into that tip-toe shape.
She seemed to have all her functions - she was in a nursing home, but only b/c her family wouldn't take care of her , not b/c she was a nut.
Gutza
in Bucharest
Posted: Tue Jul 26, 2005 | 06:55 AM
A family friend of ours has been wearing high heels for most of her life, and I can attest to Maegan's story: the lady I'm talking about has to buy high-heeled slippers too, exactly for the same reason.
But that's all there is to it, the rest is obviously BS in my opinion.
Accipiter
in the Northern Hemisphere, unless They have lied. Member
Posted: Wed Jul 27, 2005 | 06:39 AM
Hmm, I'd always thought it was the designers of those shoes who were insane. . .
And Maegan, I read an article about shoe styles a long time ago. From what I remember, high heels became popular in the 1300's. Or it may have been the 13th Century. They fell out of favour in the 1500's, then came back with such a vengeance in the 1600's that eventually one of the French kings had to set a limit on the height (apparently the fashionable women kept toppling over and being a hazard).
That would mean that professional dancers who spend most of their days on their toes would be a bit crazy too.
Gutza
in Bucharest
Posted: Wed Jul 27, 2005 | 10:26 AM
How about "Your Honor, I know, I killed my husband -- but it was temporary insanity, I was wearing high heels!" -- "Oh, then it's ok, you may go, miss -- but you be careful with those shoes next time, you hear? On your way now, on your way!"
Mark, I doubt that I could ever be that annoyed with you.
Maegan
in Tampa, FL - USA Member
Posted: Thu Jul 28, 2005 | 03:32 AM
"That would mean that professional dancers who spend most of their days on their toes would be a bit crazy too." -Tru
Well, if by professional dancers you mean ballerinas and such, they don't actually wear heels, there is not impact on heel or calf in that particular manner.
But...if you mean strippers (or peelers), then heck, all the ones I've known are one tassel short of being in the crazy house.
