I was reading an article not to long ago about the pain and dangers of wearing fashionable high heels.

I always had the notion (and experiences) that wearing high heels is dire for your feet, but after reading the article I realized I probably needed to search for more feet friendly shoes.

No, let’s put it this way. My feet are literally begging me to find more feet friendly shoes.

Yes, I’m that girl who has showed up on the scene of an accident wearing heels. Yeah, I’m that girl who has traipsed through mud while perfectly air gating someone’s lawn in her heels for a photo.

And, yep, I’m that girl who has come through her front door after a 12 hour work day, kicked off my heels across the living room while yelling, “Thank you, Jesus!”

I know, I really should know better. Nearly seven years in this business and completely burned out, I should know to take a pair of sneakers with me. After all, one day you’re in a commissioners meeting, the next day you’re at a fire.

So, why do I continue to wear them?

Because I can’t help myself; I just love ‘em.

High heels in general are a love-hate issue for most women.

We love high heels for their ability to add a little height and elongate the legs, the end result being a slim down of one’s frame.

On the other hand, most high heels are just plain persecution for the feet.

For any woman who has felt a consistent thudding heartbeat of pain on the bottoms of their feet at the end of the day know what I mean.

According to the ankle and foot specialist quoted in the article, wearing such footwear can shorten the Achilles tendon, cause hammertoes and aggravate bunions.

Yep, not exactly the kind of feet you would want to call your own.

It kind of reminds me of the foot binding practice that was popular for more than 1,000 years in China.

Women would wrap their feet to emulate small feet as desired by men at the time. The results were deformation and often amputation of women’s feet.

While wearing high heels is no comparison to what occurred in China, when I see women manage a teetering walk in high heels I can’t help but think of how torturous pain for beauty is.

Yet, despite the dangers of damage to their feet, women continue to wear them.

Many consider several factors of influence for women suffering for a heel that comes to a point. I only consider two: fashion and celebrity culture, pretty much factors that go hand in hand.

The characters from “Sex in the City” opened the door for many then unheard of shoe designers (Manolo Blahniks, Jimmy Choo, Christian Louboutins) to sell their products to mainstream America.

Various cute styles line the store shelves, beckoning the consumer masses with their sophisticated looks and nosebleed arches.

Oh, yes it’s all so tempting. All until you spend a lengthy work day in them and then they’re just brutal submission devices.

Amanda VanDerBroek is a Staff Writer for the Roanoke-Chowan News-Herald. For comments and column suggestions email: amanda.vanderbroek@r-cnews.com or call (252) 332-7209.