High heels can take your outfit to the next level, but they can also do a number on your feet. If you wear heels for a night out on the town – or to the office – you can expect your feet to hurt when you get home.

What if there was a way to wear the high heels you love without the added foot pain? Here’s the good news: you can wear heels in comfort for the most part.

Buy the Right Size

Choosing the right size is crucial no matter what type of shoe you’re buying. It’s important to remember that your sneaker size may not be the same as your high heel size. Your shoe size can change over time, too – especially if you lose or gain weight. If you haven’t had your foot sized in years or since you’ve had children, it may be time to have them measured by a professional.

Buying the proper-sized heels will make a world of difference in your aches and pains.

If your shoes are the wrong size, they’re going to be uncomfortable. Imagine when you were a little girl, trying on your mom’s high heels. Almost impossible to walk in right? Which also brings up another concern, wearing heels at a young age. If you’re child is wanting to wear heels, start with something short and a chunkier heel. This is safer and could help avoid any accidents or falls. Once they get a bit older, and are used to wearing heels, then they can  gradually progress to a higher heel.

Choose Thicker Heels

Thin heels may give you a sexy look, but they’re also putting excess strain on your feet. They’re also harder to walk in, so your ankles and feet may wiggle as you take a step. If your ankle wobbles too much or the wrong way, you could fall or put way too much stress on your ankle.

If you do fall and you fall the wrong way, you could wind up with stress breaks or fractures.

Avoid wearing stilettos if you’re already battling foot pain and discomfort.

Thicker heels are the better option. They’ll provide more support and stability without putting as much pressure on your feet. Ideally, the heel should be made of rubber. The rubber will absorb the shock with each step and alleviate some of the pressure when you walk.

If you’re going to wear stilettos or shoes with thin heels, make sure that you take lots of breaks to give your feet a rest.

Buy Insoles

You’re probably familiar with shoe insoles, but did you know that they also make insoles for high heels? They make heels just a little more comfortable to wear and reduce some of the pressure on your feet. Thin insoles seem to work best with heeled shoes.

Before you run out and buy a new pair of insoles for your heels, check out the one that came with your shoes. It’s important to make sure that there’s enough room for an insert. If there isn’t enough room, your foot will push up against the top of the shoe, causing even more discomfort and pain.

You have the option of removing the standard insole, but keep in mind that you’ll need a thicker insole to make up for the loss of the original insole.

I like silicone gel inserts for high heels because they also help keep your foot in place. You know how much your feet can slide forward when you walk in heels. This material helps prevent that. They also combat soreness along the ball of the foot.

Stretch Your Feet

Nothing feels better than kicking off your heels and stretching out your feet after wearing them for hours. Proper foot stretching can go a long way in helping alleviate pain caused by flat feet, plantar fasciitis, or just wearing your heels for too long.

There are many foot stretches to choose from.

Start by kicking off your heels and pointing your foot straight down. This movement will cause the calves to elongate and start stretching.

Next, you’ll want to pull your toes upward to alleviate stress in your Achilles tendon. To make this stretch more effective, I like to place a towel under the ball of my foot and pull upward with both hands. If you do it right, the pain starts subsiding right away. Plus, the stretching feels great on the feet.

If it’s the outside of your foot that hurts, you can gently move the ankle from side to side. Make sure that you’re sitting down when you do this to avoid injuring your ankle.

Proper stretching will help keep your ankles loose and provide pain-relief. Flexible, loose ankles are less prone to injury and strain.

Buy Heels at the Right Time of Day

You’re excited to buy a new pair of heels, so you jump out of bed in the morning and straight to the store. Big mistake!

It’s best to buy high heels at the end of the day. Why? Because you’ve been walking around all day, and your feet have become swollen.

Because your feet are already swollen, you’ll be able to better choose a pair of heels that will fit comfortably. You’ll also have a better idea of how your feet will feel after wearing heels for a long period of time.

Walk Properly

Most people lead with their feet when walking. This is the natural way to walk, but it also puts more pressure on your feet.

Heels make walking even harder, and they put a lot of strain on the ball of the foot if you walk this way. Leading with your thighs instead of your feet will help alleviate some of the pressure on the ball of the foot, so you’ll suffer less discomfort and pain.

Make sure that you practice walking like this at home before you go out. Your legs should be straight when taking a step like this, and you’ll need to move your legs from your hip. Try practicing in front of a mirror to make sure that you’re doing it properly.

Choose Heels with More Coverage Up Top

The more coverage you have on the top of your foot, the better. That’s why it’s easier to wear high-heeled boots than heeled sandals for long periods of time. If the weather is warm, try choosing a pair of heels with an ankle strap or a wide strap across the top.

Shoes that have more coverage up top can also help prevent blisters and friction that can cause pain and discomfort.

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