Miley Cyrus Hits The Gym In Heels—Podiatrists Explain If The Workout Is Safe
Miley Cyrus revealed that she likes to work out in heels.
The "Flowers" singer is interested in "feminizing the workout space."
Podiatrists don't recommend hitting the gym in stilettos.
Miley Cyrus has made it very clear over the years that she’s a total beast in the gym. (Have you seen the “Flowers” music video?!) But the 31-year-old just revealed that she has an interesting footwear choice when she works out.
“My mantra is, like any athlete, ‘Practice how you perform,’” she told W Magazine in their newest cover story. “That’s why I practice in my heels. The gym looks really tough, but then I’ve got my ivory Gucci slingbacks because they remind me of Marilyn Monroe.”
Miley said that she “mostly” trains in heels. “I’m interested in feminizing the workout space, because so much of the workout equipment is ugly,” she said.
Miley said that working out in heels isn’t just about preparation: It also helps her get in her performing zone. “I definitely have a persona—an expanded, fully realized version of myself that I tap into as a performer,” she said. “But then there’s a level of my life that’s super intimate, sacred, and secret.”
For what it’s worth, Miley has worked out in sneakers before. Check her out belting out some tunes while quickly walking on the treadmill, for example:
But is exercising in heels OK? As you can probably guess, podiatrists don’t recommend trying this at home.
“In general, this is not healthy,” Richard H. Graves, DPM, of Sol Foot & Ankle Centers in Longwood, California, told Women's Health. “The joints are not functioning in their normal alignment, and some muscles and tendons are stretched more and working harder than they should be.”
But this can do more than make your feet ache—it can also increase your risk of injury. “Wearing high heels puts you at greater risk of injuries on the ball of the foot and toes,” Graves explained. He lists off stress fractures, metatarsalgia (a painful condition that impacts the balls of the feet), hammertoes, and pinched nerves in the feet as possible issues.
“It also increases the chance of injuries related to ankle stability, such as sprains and tendon injuries,” Graves said. In fact, working out in heels will "significantly increase your risk for injury in every way possible," said Asim Sayed, DPM, a podiatrist and foot and ankle surgeon at Susan B. Allen Memorial Hospital.
You can even give yourself chronic issues by wearing heels when you work out, said Melissa Lockwood, DPM, a podiatrist at Heartland Foot and Ankle Associates in Bloomington, Ill.
There are a few caveats here, though. “In the case of someone like Miley Cyrus, who performs and dances in this footwear all the time, rehearsals in that shoe gear are entirely appropriate to make sure injury doesn’t happen live on stage,” Lockwood added.
For the rest of us non-performers, podiatrists say it’s best to stick with sneaks when you exercise. “Non-performers need to wear a supportive, structured shoe that gives them balance across the entire bottoms of their feet,” Lockwood continued.
"The most important aspects when it comes to choosing healthy footwear are stability, sturdiness, and comfort," Sayed added. (If you want to learn more about the best gym footwear, here are the 10 best workout shoes for women.)
Basically, while this may work for Miley Cyrus, you shouldn't try this at home.
You Might Also Like
