Why Comfortable Shoes Are Not Always Healthy?

Modern footwear is often designed to feel comfortable from the very first step.
However, immediate comfort does not always reflect how the foot is naturally meant to function over time.

Why Most Shoes Have a Raised Heel

There are several key reasons why a raised heel has become the norm in modern footwear.

1. Comfort That Sells Quickly

A slightly elevated heel:
– creates a sensation of softness
– makes the first steps feel easier
– gives an impression of stability

This type of comfort is easy to experience in a shop, within just a few minutes of trying shoes on.

2. The Influence of Fashion and Visual Balance

For decades, fashion has shaped our perception of what a “proper” shoe should look like:
– the silhouette appears more refined
– the leg line looks longer
– posture seems more upright

Over time, this visual language became standard — even in everyday footwear.

3. Simplified Biomechanics

When the heel is raised:
– the arch of the foot naturally relaxes
– the calf muscle remains under less tension
– part of the load is absorbed by the shoe structure

This reduces the need for the foot to work actively and makes movement feel less demanding.

4. The Legacy of Athletic Footwear

Many casual shoes borrow their structure from running footwear, where heel drop — the height difference between heel and forefoot — is commonly used.
As a result, a raised heel has become a default feature, even where it is not functionally necessary.

 

What Is Considered a Natural Foot Position

For most of human history, people walked barefoot — on soil, stone, sand and grass.
This was the primary mode of movement for thousands of years, long before industrial footwear existed.

                                 

In this natural pattern of walking:

– the heel rests lower than the arch of the foot
– body weight is distributed across three natural contact points: the heel, the metatarsal heads, and the outer arch
– the foot functions as a responsive, elastic structure

This position is not imposed by design — it emerges naturally through direct contact with the ground.

Why This Position Works Differently

When the heel is not artificially elevated or fixed:

– the intrinsic muscles of the foot remain active
– the walking roll becomes smoother and more efficient
– the posterior chain of the leg works in natural coordination
– load is distributed more evenly and calmly

The foot is not held in place by the shoe — it remains engaged through movement.

Why the Heel Can Settle Lower in Adaptive Footwear

When footwear does not contain:

– a built-in heel lift
– a concealed heel structure
– synthetic cushioning or rigid platforms

and instead uses adaptive natural materials, those materials respond to real pressure zones:
– the heel
– the forefoot

Over time, the structure adjusts where pressure is highest, forming a personalised support pattern.
This is not collapse, but adaptation — shaped by movement rather than by pre-set form.

Summary

A raised heel offers comfort designed for the first impression.
A natural heel position supports movement designed for the long term.

These are not opposing ideas, but different philosophies.

If the goal is a foot that feels alive, responsive and capable — rather than simply cushioned — natural support consistently proves more sustainable over time.