Heels that cause accidents, sometimes even when they're not on your feet
Aretha Franklin loves her Jimmy Choos, but they don't love her back. The singer was sent to the hospital with a fractured toe last week after she stepped on her spiked Choo shoe. That's right, she wasn't even wearing them when they injured her. Just stepping on one of the heels was so extreme it sent her ankle on a one way train to twist city.
Add it to the annals of accidents caused by architecturally impossible footwear. In April, U.S. Open tennis champ Kim Clijsters tore ligaments in her ankle when she stepped on someone else's foot while wearing heels at a wedding. She had to keep her foot immobile for a month following the misstep.
In Australia, a woman was recently awarded around $60,000 after she tripped and fell down the stairs of a hotel she was staying at. Her nude stilettos actually became key evidence in her court case, and stood trial as a considerable cause of the fall. In the end, the judge decided that women were entitled to their heels even if it leaves them more susceptible to accidents.
But some shoes are more dangerous than others. We asked the experts of footwear which ones have a higher rate of accidents. Here are the biggest types of problem heels, and some less risky alternatives.