Asian women fall victim to fashion footwear
A consumer watchdog in Hong Kong has warned that the current fashion for pointed high-heeled stilettos could be creating lasting damage to women's feet. The problem occurs when the shoes are not fitted properly and repeated wearing causes deformities to occur. The watchdog last year received an unprecedented 141 complaints about ill-fitting shoes (up from 81 in 1998).
The shoes push the toes into a sharp point while the foot is barely supported by a flimsy strap - a recipe for sore feet and twisted ankles. Despite the obvious dangers they have become the height of Hong Kong fashion, with many women falling for the pointy-toed style.
A representative from the Consumer Council said that women who have this type of shoe properly fitted should be fine, but added that many do not fit well and that poorly chosen shoes could cause "many damaging effects".
